But a lot has changed since then. Some for the better and some....well I'm not sure yet. But one thing is certain: the quality of food, of wine and of the company has improved and improved and well, we are just so blessed with abundance, both within the comfort of SWIRL and within the vortex that a SWIRL will create.
It has been a good break. I've learned a lot reading other blogs and now have the "bug" to begin again. A blog: the ultimate investment in ego because it presumes someone actually gives a damn what you think and what you have to say. With your indulgence, then.
This has been a busy week! Monday we went to Uptown Billiards with L & L for a tasting of southern France wines, the Languedoc mostly. It was hosted by Domaine Selections who I didn't realize is a clearing house for a variety of importers. The wines were lovely and worked well with the charcuterie and deep fried sardines that were offered as snacks. Since it's been a week, my memory of the exact wine lineup is gone, but suffice it to say we had wonderful wines, amazingly affordable and came home with a box of them!
Two nights later I went to a great northwest Italian restaurant, Serrato, with my former boss. A lovely woman of impeccable grace. I was self conscious about her picking up the tab (a habit that I can't seem to shake) and so ordered a cesaer salad and hamburger. I had a wonderful glass of Cherverney to accompany and, sadly, I neglected to write down the producer. It was delicious and, frankly, I've always had good wines from this area of the Loire, both red and whites.
The next night, we went to LUCCA with R&L for a sumptuous tomato feast, featuring the wines of importer Small Vineyards. The food was wonderful and the wines pretty good. We started with a Prosecco that I ended up purchasing (one as an anniversary gift for the 26yr R&L). The next wine, a white, was oxidized and of the current category called "orange" wines. When I asked the importer about it, he merely said that his staff had pulled the 07, when we were supposed to be drinking the 09's. Not really the answer that I wanted and makes me worry about the storage facilities for Small Vineyards: if the 07 is that oxidized, and they aren't vinted that way, they have some serious issues. We are routinely drinking 06 and 07 whites in this casa and they are showing just fine without a hint of oxidation. At any rate, the red offerings were okay, with the 07 brunello tasting very well. I bought a bottle of it. The importer thought it would last another twenty years in the cellar, but for my tastes it is at its peak right now.
Phew! We still keep going. The crown jewel of last week was last night when we blessed to be invited to join our dear pal the Minkster at Noble Rot for a birthday bash. We got things going by bringing in a magnum of champagne. You know, I'm not all hung up on the "size" thing but I have to say that wine in a "big" bottle is a wondrous thing! After the champers, we had assorted whites - an arneis, a vino verde, a riesling- and assorted reds - a shiraz, a priorat and I think an Italian (it never made it to our end of the table). The food was typical NR fare: nothing to scream about but adequate. The wine was good food wine, as it should be, but the company was the gem of the evening: thank you Minky for letting us be part of the fete. We adore you!
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