Where am I?

When searching for a missing cat, try looking up. I wandered around for about 15 minutes, sure that I could hear Evangelina, but unable to decide which garage she was trapped inside of.

My theory is that she chased a squirrel up the birch tree on the left, but wasn’t brave enough to take the same route down. She probably spent three days and two nights up there, and wouldn’t come down for food or water. But when the ladder got too close, she jumped off the other side of the roof.

Moral of the story: this cat can survive a 17-ft fall into a bush. She might have scratched her leg, or maybe that was a pre-existing condition. She definitely acquired a sunburn, and she has a growing collection of freckles.

• 1995 Dehlinger “Estate”, Russian River Valley (14.5%) - group score: 63
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  1995 Dehlinger “Octagon Vineyard”, Russian River Valley (14.5%) - group score: 63
• 1997 Dehlinger “Goldridge Vineyard”, Russian River Valley (14.3%) - group score: 74
• 1997 Dehlinger “Reserve”, Russian River Valley (14.3%) - group score: 52
• 1999 Dehlinger “Goldridge Vineyard”, Russian River Valley (14.3%) - group score: 64
• 1999 Dehlinger “Octagon Vineyard”, Russian River Valley (14.5%) - group score: 81
• 2001 Dehlinger “Goldridge Vineyard”, Russian River Valley (14.3%) - group score: 59

furniture Bulgaria

• 2001 Dehlinger “High Plains”, Russian River Valley (14.3%) - group score: 48

Note that some of these wines fall short of 75% Zinfandel, and couldn’t be sold as such today.

• 1978 Langtry Road (60% Zin, 30% Petite Sirah, 10% Carignane; 14.6%) - Showing a floral-herbal bouquet, with jammy fruit and some lingering acidity. Group rank: 44.
• 1978 York Creek (100% Zin; 13.9%) - Typical Zinfandel nose, “boiled sweets” or candied cherries. Still lively and drinkable, this was my third-favorite of the flight. Group rank: 50.
• 1978 Shennandoah “Eschen Vineyard” (95% Zin, 5% Petite Sirah; 15.9%) - Sadly, this wine was corked. Group rank: 86.
• 1978 Paso Robles (95% Zin, 5% Petite Sirah; 14.6%) - Some oxidation, phenolic notes, and some mustiness in the nose. Group rank: 50.

• 1980 Ridge “Shennandoah - Esola Vineyard” (95% Zin, 5% Petite Sirah; 13.9%) - Dry, cedar-like nose, with a soft mouth-feel and a lingering finish. Still good, but should be drunk up quickly. Group rank: 50.
• 1980 Ridge “Langtry Road” (57% Zin, 33% Petite Sirah, 10% Carignane; 13.4%) - My favorite of the tasting, with a cedar-vanillin nose, balanced mouth-feel, and typical Zinfandel fruit. Group rank: 36.
• 1980 Ridge “Geyserville -Trentadue Ranch” (100% Zin; 14.6%) - My second-favorite, with raisiny Zinfandel fruit and a surprising amount of acidity. As the wine opened up, these elements came into balance nicely. Group rank: 40.
• 1980 Ridge “York Creek - Spring Mountain” (90% Zin, 10% Petite Sirah; 13.9%) - Brambles and vegetation, with a pleasant finish, but not to my taste. Group rank: 49.

I was in Washington DC for the occasion of O. Eric’s 40th birthday, which entailed excellent wine and a good time all around. Along the way, we dropped by the cherry blossom festival.

It’s a good thing I packed winter clothes: rumors of Stockholm’s early Spring are much exaggerated. But at least there’s Dilmah.

Throughout the week leading up to Easter, the weather was mercurial. The thermometer never dipped much below freezing, but there was enough wind-chill to cut through several layers of clothing.

The weekend in Stockholm was interesting. I went to the historic museum, the national museum, and… a pillow fight outside the central train station.

On the way back to Frankfurt, my Lufthansa flight was designated “City of Würzburg” - nice!