Norm,

 

I put both Chards in my bag, so we can either have the A Donkey and Goat, or have enough of the Peay to ensure a goodly amount for everyone.  I looked again, and the Peay is the Sonoma Coast, but we can decide which to open at the dinner.  See you then, looking forward to it.

Dinner was very good.  It was nice to see Mark and Gove again.  As usual, we started with a round of appetizers for the table, steak tartare, duck confit, shrimp croquettes, the charcuterie plate, some of the wonderful frites, and steamed mussels.  I had the grilled steak with the frites (as usual) and the crispy skate wing that t-rep had looked delicious.  Others had the shepherds pie, the mussels, a very wonderful looking cassoulet, but I really wasn't paying much attention to what those who were not next to me ordered.

 

The line lineup was:

 

2005 Beringer Sbrgia Limited Release Chardonnay - very smooth, toasty, maybe a little too much oak for some but I thought it was very good.

 

2004 A Donkey and Goat Chardonnay Brosseau - nice balance of citrus and pear, with a nice minerallity.  It is really coming together nicely, and in about 6 months should be absolutely stunning.

 

2003 Neal Chardonnay - It has lost a little fruit, but smooth and vanilla and pear flavors.  Gove said he hadn't had any in over a year, and was anxious to try it again.  I think Norm brought it because Gove and Mark don't have any left, but it stood up well to the other two Chards.

 

2006 Neal Zinfandel - 92% Zin, 8% Petit Syrah.  Grapes are from the Rutherford and Charles Valley vineyards.  Wonderful nose, cinnamon and chocolate, but still obviously young.  Buy what you can get, they only made 900 cases, but this was wonderful.

 

This was the first time that I had eaten at Brasserie Beck and it most definitely won't be my last.  The food was great.

One of the great things about wine is that it gives you an excuse to have fun, meet people of common interests, people who know a lot and make wines and people who know a little but like to talk and enjoy learning. This was that kind of dinner. The conversation and wines flowed - Mark and Gove gave insight to the business- did you know the trade in used barrels is flat as the cost of marketing isn't worth the time to get trid of them. Barrels cost over $1000 each and Neal uses them once-- amazing--

 

The food is always good at Becks and I've been fortunate to get to know the chef, and everyone in the service areas. They truely enjoy working there and prodcing the high quality food and service we enjoyed.

 

the wines were just about what Bob  wrote. I thought the 2002 Neal CAb was just like candy- balanced no tannic finish, fruity and full in the mouth- It was my WON.

 

do you know why Neal isn't rated by Wine Spectator- Mark won't give free wine to WS as he is principled enough to know that has a possiblity of tainting the evaluation- i.e.some beleive  special bottles are given to taste or maybe more than are needed for the tasting  etc. Anyone been to a winery where a barrel is labeled- "Parker"? does that mean that's a barrel Parker has tasted or does that mean the barrel is the one to give to Parker when he comes to taste-I've heard of such instances

 

I think if WS or Parker want to truely establish independence and integrity of tasting they should buy wines to be rated from the shelf just like the rest of us- that way we know what they are rating is what we are buying. 

 

Get on the Neal list as this is a winemaking  operation that has heart and cares about the little guy and consumer.

 

Norm