Friday for a change

As we didn’t get together with Mick and Amy last Saturday and this Saturday wasn’t looking like we’d be able to get together either, we all decided to grab a bite on Friday. The four of us hit Montfort’s for dinner.

"Chocolatey Goodness!"

After dinner we decided to visit the grocery store, pick-up a dessert and then head back to Mick and Amy’s for some wine and dessert. The ladies picked out a LaRocca Chocolate Truffle Royale for dessert. Mick and I retired down to his cellar to find a wine to go with it. There is no LCBO information for this wine as Mick picked this up in the US.

"Something different!"

After looking over a number of bottles, we came across a 2000 Newton Claret and settled on it as our choice.

Here is what the Wine Spectator had to say about –

Newton Claret Napa Valley 2000, Rating 87, Price $20.

Well-balanced, with spicy herb, dill, currant and cedar flavors of moderate depth and complexity. Drink now through 2006. 7,300 cases made. –JL

"Sediment"

Uncorking the bottle there was a fair amount of sediment. Mick decanted the bottle and after the dessert was served up poured out glasses for everyone.

Here is the 4 person review of the wine –

2000 Newton Claret Napa Valley

Nose – Mushroom, Green Pepper, Leather, and Berry.

Taste – The wine came across as very vegetal and green, I’m going to guess and say that Cabernet Franc is in this wine at a high percentage. Balance seemed off - high tannin and high heat (even though the alcohol was only 13.9%), low acidity and not much fruit left. The wine struck us as being very French style of wine, but without the nice balance that good French wines have. Looking at the Wine Spectator review, we may have left this wine down a little too long. In spite of the issues above, the wine did go down nicely with the cake and grew on us towards the end.

Ratings – Mick – 84, Mark – 85, Kathy – 86, Amy 83, Overall – 84.5

Cheers!

Mark