Wine Outlook

After plowing through the nearby grocery store, me and the sommelier headed over to her apartment to cook, drink, and catch up, not necessarily in that order.

The first victim was Champagne—a ’98 Duval Leroy Blanc de Chardonnay. Delightfully dry and crisp, it went beautifully with my olive dip and went into the champagne vinaigrette I was making for the salad of pink grapefruit, avocado, and goat cheese.

Now, had there been any left by the time we ate (the two of us never could have dinner on the table before 10), it would have been a perfect pairing. Unlike the Cook’s that I opened to see how it might have been. Yes, Cook’s, even though there was Sauv Blanc in the fridge.

The second bottle to fall prey, though, was the star of the evening: ’97 Franciscan Magnificat. I bought this bottle when I was living in Montana—at a drug store, no less (one of the best selections in town). Despite my budget, I had to purchase it due to this story.

Part of me was scared that it might have gone bad…not over-the-hill, past-its-prime bad, cause the wine is supposed to be tasty until 2010. But it’s the bottle that’s been in my collection the longest: five years when I’ve only had my wine cooler for two.

No need to fear, readers and drinkers! The blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Franc survived moving across the country (twice), Mississippi summers, hurricanes, and other treacherous obstacles. Smooth like whipped butter, the fruit was still strong but made way for the richness of a cedar box. It was a delightful addition to the main course of peppered filets, garlic-sauteed sweet potatoes, and a medley of red onions, zucchini, red bells, and leeks.

When we ran out of the Magnificat, next up was a 2005 Vina Borgia 100% Grenache, which displayed high acid and low tannin and reminded me a little of a Cab Franc. For dessert, we had chocolate hazelnut rolled wafers with a Sandeman 20-year-old-tawny Porto.

World travelers, we went from France to California to Spain and on to Portugal. Funny, I don’t remember much of Portugal. And I’m still recovering.

food and wine, Franciscan Magnificat, Duval Leroy, Vina Borgia, Sandeman, gluttony