Thursday, January 8, 2009

Dinner at Red Lotus #3

OK, working my way through the Chinese menu at Red Lotus, this time with my pal Jello4Prez. Experienced the first disappointments thus far: the 5-Layer Pork and an underwhelming, if fresh tasting soup. We finished about 2/3rds of each bottle and sneaked the rest into the movie theater to see the recent Bond. While I’m a bit ambivalent about the story line and the movie in general, I think that Daniel Craig makes a great 007, maybe the best yet.

2002 Dönnhoff Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Spätlese
The cork completely disintegrated on this bottle. Right down the middle, it was crazy. Anyway, once we got this sorted out we could get into the wine. Much snappier and prettier than the 2002 Kupfergrube that I had at the same restaurant recently. While the Kupfergrube had gone a little milky, this was still pristine, pure, sappy and joyous. I’ve been pretty clear recently about how my tastes I think do not really run towards aging these wines. Maybe it is just the old-school, low alcohol, high acid Spätlese from the Mosel that can really do it for me? Not sure, but I’m going to go ahead and drink mine where I like them.

1997 Jacques Puffeney Savagnin Arbois
Still had a very good color and the nose was more subtle and mature ff less penetrating. J4P seemed to think the wine was much more complete than when it was younger. It certainly showed pretty well, but I can’t help think it was missing some thrust and verve.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

You forgot to mention the dichotomous performances of these two wines in styrofoam. I couldn't believe how well the riesling showed and was caught offguard by how poorly the savagnin performed.

Lyle Fass said...

I had a 1998 NHS Auction that was way too young. The regular was just perfect.