It looked like it was going to be a perfect fall weekend with temperatures reaching into the 70’s. We began to think that it wasn’t going to last and we should spend as much time as possible out of doors, so when our friend Ernie called and asked us to come to his house for the weekend, we accepted gladly.
The weather on Saturday afternoon was perfect and we had the first course of our lunch sitting on the deck overlooking his garden with the trees changing into beautiful colors.
We had a French sparkling wine made with the Champagne method. Domaine Rolet Pere et Fils “Cremant Du Jura” NV made from 57% Chardonnay, 16% Savagnin, 16% Poulsard and 11% Pinot Noir from 20 year old vines at 280 to 380 meters. The soil is gray marl and there are two meters of topsoil before hitting mother rock. Only indigenous yeast is used. Fermentation and aging is in tanks. The wine remains on the lees for 24 months. It is medium bodied, dry with good minerality, hints of citrus fruit, yeasty notes and a touch of white flowers.
With it, we had a Tuscan style Chicken Liver Pate.
The latter part of the afternoon was getting chilly, so we moved inside. We roasted a rack of lamb with mustard, thyme and breadcrumbs.
Sauteed Potatoes were the accompaniment.
The roasted lamb
The plate
Chateau Mouton Rothschild 1986 made from 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. This is a full bodied complex wine with hints of blackberries, black cherries, leather, cassis, a note of violets and a touch of spice, with a very long finish and great aftertaste. This is a truly great wine that will last for many years.
We roasted some fresh chestnuts for our dessert.
And followed them with Brutti ma Buoni, Ugly but Good Cookies, made with excellent hazelnuts Michele had bought on our last trip to Rome.
Afterward, I sipped a glass of Marc De Bourgogne De Chambolle – Musigny Frederic Musigny of L’Heritier Guyot, Dijon. It is the best Marc that I have ever tasted-WOW
Charles Scicolone on Wine 