By The Glass
RICHARD FIELD
Wednesday, November 21, 2001
Special celebrations are the perfect time to serve special wines. Thanksgiving dinners and holiday get togethers can be the perfect excuse to open that bottle you've been saving. And if your don't already have one, here are a few impressive wines to consider. Holidays are well-suited to
some top-dollar winesRudd Estate "Jericho Canyon Vineyard" 1998 (very limited, $110) is a stunner from Napa Valley. It was reviewed by Robert Parker Jr. and awarded a rating of 95 points. This is a full bodied and powerful blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Just close your eyes and imagine an explosion of black plums, spices, cassis, coffee, licorice, black olives and cedar in your mouth.
Jackson Family Farms Verite ($140) is a new venture that combines the French mindset of big time Bordeaux/Pomerol with the best vineyards for Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from both Napa and Sonoma valleys. This brilliant 1998 has been called a world-class effort of an American Chateau Petrus. It is simply stunning. This is a refined and yet generous offering of espresso, chocolate, blackberries and truffles! Again, Parker rated this wine 92 points.
Heidi Peterson-Barrett is currently the winemaker for several impossible-to-get-your- hands-on-wines, including Screaming Eagle, Jones Family Vineyards, Barbour Vineyards and Paradigm. She was also responsible for Dalla Valle, Oakford, Vineyard 29, Grace Family Vineyard and Hartwell. She is considered a master of the Cabernet grape, but Sangiovese is her favorite. Her 1998 Showket Sangiovese (very limited, $32.99) is a huge, intensely concentrated wine with ripe plum and strawberry jam flavors with a touch of smoke and spice. It has the weight of Cabernet with the juiciness of Sangiovese.
Value on the vine: For a bargain $8.99, the limited release Marietta Old Vine Red is big and juicy, with a rich almost port-like intensity of fruit. This wine is released once a year and usually sells out before the end of the same year.
What I notice is that people drink budget wines and give the special wines as gifts. For these special times, enjoy some special wines!
Richard Field owns R. Field Food and Wine Co. This column is a weekly lesson in wine pairing written by a rotating panel of wine professionals.
This column is a weekly lesson in wine
pairing written by a rotating panel of wine professionals.
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