Chi Poem

正气歌 文天祥
原序：
余囚北庭，坐一土室，室广八尺，深可四寻，单扉低小，白间短窄，污下而幽暗。 当此夏日，诸气萃然：雨潦四集，浮动床几，时则为水气；涂泥半朝，蒸沤历澜，时 则为土气；乍晴暴热，风道四塞，时则为日气；檐阴薪爨，助长炎虐，时则为火气； 仓腐寄顿，陈陈逼 人，时则为米气；骈肩杂沓，腥臊汗垢，时则为人气；或圊溷、或 毁尸、或腐鼠，恶气杂出， 时则为秽气。叠是数气，当之者鲜不为厉。而予以孱弱， 俯仰其间，于兹二年矣，幸而无恙， 是殆有养致然尔。然亦安知所养何哉？孟子曰： 「吾善养吾浩然之气。」彼气有七，吾气有一，以一敌七，吾何患焉！况浩然者，乃 天地之正气也，作正气歌一首。

原诗：
天地有正气，杂然赋流形。
下则为河岳，上则为日星。
于人曰浩然，沛乎塞苍冥。
皇路当清夷，含和吐明庭。
时穷节乃见，一一垂丹青。
在齐太史简，在晋董狐笔。
在秦张良椎，在汉苏武节。
为严将军头，为嵇侍中血。
为张睢阳齿，为颜常山舌。
或为辽东帽，清操厉冰雪。
或为出师表，鬼神泣壮烈。
或为渡江楫，慷慨吞胡羯。
或为击贼笏，逆竖头破裂。
是气所磅礴，凛烈万古存。
当其贯日月，生死安足论。
地维赖以立，天柱赖以尊。
三纲实系命，道义为之根。
嗟予遘阳九，隶也实不力。
楚囚缨其冠，传车送穷北。
鼎镬甘如饴，求之不可得。
阴房阗鬼火，春院闭天黑。
牛骥同一皂，鸡栖凤凰食。
一朝蒙雾露，分作沟中瘠。
如此再寒暑，百疠自辟易。
嗟哉沮洳场，为我安乐国。
岂有他缪巧，阴阳不能贼。
顾此耿耿在，仰视浮云白。
悠悠我心悲，苍天曷有极。
哲人日已远，典刑在夙昔。
风檐展书读，古道照颜色。


译文：
天地之间正气存，赋予形体杂纷纷。地上江河与山岳，天上日月和繁星。人有正气叫浩然，充塞环宇满盈盈。生逢圣世清明年，平平和和效朝廷。国难当头 见气节，永垂青史留类名。齐国太史不惧死，崔杼弑君载史籍；晋国董狐真良史，手握"书法不隐"笔；韩国张良雪国耻，椎杀秦皇遭通楫；苏武留胡十九年，终日 手持汉朝节；巴郡太守老严颜，甘愿断头不妥协；晋代侍中名嵇绍，为救国君酒热血；张巡当年守雎阳，咬牙切齿讨逆贼；常山太守颜杲卿，骂敌骂断三寸舌；辽东 管宁"着皂帽"，清操自励若冰雪；诸葛《出师》复汉室，鞠躬尽瘁何壮烈！祖逖渡江誓击楫，奋威慷慨吞胡羯；秀实夺笏击狂贼，贼头破裂直流血。浩然之气多磅 礴，志士英名万古存。每当正气贯日月，谁把生死放在心。 地靠正气得以立，天靠正气成至尊。三纲靠此得维持，道义以此为本根。可叹我生逢乱世，竞无才力救危亡。被俘仍戴南国帽，囚车押我到北方。折磨摧残何所惧， 酷刑只当饮糖浆。牢房死寂见鬼火，春来紧闭黑茫茫。老牛骏马共槽食，鸡窝里面栖凤凰。一旦染病便死亡，枯骨弃野多凄凉。如此恶境囚两载，各种毒害不能伤。 牢房阴森令人哀，是我安乐之天堂。岂有智谋与巧计，能防邪毒来伤身。光明磊落忠义心，我视生死如浮云。我心悲伤悠绵绵，好似苍天哪有边？贤哲虽然已远去， 榜样令我心更坚。檐心展读圣贤书，光华照彻我容颜。

Black Sheep La Grand Noir

Like the label. The wine is not bad either.
2005 La Grand Noir (Black Sheep) Cabernet-Shiraz, Vin de Pays, France

After Valerie Bday Party, watching Bottle Shock, sipping Chardonnays 2009/02/15

2005 Clos du Chateu de Puligny-Montrachet, Borgogne Blanc. $30. ***

mineral, citrus, lime, complex but somewhat thin - so - ws

2006 Chateau Montelena Estate Chardonnay, Napa Valley. $42. ****½

honeysuckle, pineapple, toasty, nut finish - so - ws

2006 Domaine Maroslavac-Leger "Les Murgers des Dents de Chien", Saint-Aubin Premier Cru. $30. ****½

honey, thyme, meyer lemon, lime, fruity new world style with some mineral, balanced - so - ws

2007 Le G de Chateau Guiraud, Bordeaux Blanc. $n/a. ***½

Not a chardonnay but an interesting variation. Guava, celery, apricot, acidic, nectarine, fruity, lacking depth. Made by Sauternes maker. This one is dry. Also sipped 2004 Freemark Abbey Bosche and two versions of NV Overture, no notes. The Freemark Abbey is not as long as the same one tasted right in winery. Both Overtures are excellent, almost identical. - so - ws

Valentine's Day at Home 2009/02/14

2003 Chateau St. Jean Cinq Cepages, Sonoma. $59. ****

prune, cassis, earth, hoisin sauce, smoky, faint hint of bell pepper and musk, velvety body - so - ws

K&L Club Wine 2009/02/12

2005 Chateau de L'Estang, Cotes de Castillon. $13.95. **½

I wonder if this is an off bottle, not much flavor, gritty chalky tannin, cedar, leather, blackberry, not typical of Cotes de Castillon. Want to try a different bottle. - so - ws

2006 Domaine Maroslavac-Leger "Les Murgers des Dents de Chien", Saint-Aubin Premier Cru. $29.99. ****½

not a club wine, just want to find a suitable white burgundy to pair with Chateau Montelena this sunday. This is a surprise. Lemon meringue pie, cream brulee, very fresh, complex and subtle. - so - ws

Home 2009/02/08

2006 Cambria Julia Vineyard Pinot Noir, Santa Maria. $18. ****

very high recommendation by K&L. very good value, very elegant, little hint of spice, pomegranate, cherry, orange, sweet, floral, little faint hint of mushroom. - so - ws

2005 Hacienda del Plata "Mayoral" Malbec Grand Reserve, Argentina. $25. ***

club price 13.95, loamy, leather, mint, very concentrated, blood, unnameable dark fruit, very very long Chinese medicine finish not too pleasant - so - ws

Silver Oak open house 2009/02/07

2004 Silver Oak, Napa Valley. $100. ****½

blackberry, red currant, sometimes tannic, sage, american oak, playing cards, bottle variance is very wide, from lean to full, soft to astringent, sometimes really good - so - ws

1999 Silver Oak, Napa Valley. $100. *****

raspberry jam, cocoa, chocolate, integrated, aroma is jammy but flavor is very well balanced, long finish - so - ws

2005 Twomey Merlot, Napa Valley. $50. ****

licorise, fennel seed, chinese herbs, plum, tannic, earth - so - ws

2006 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay, Napa Valley. $42. *****

little hint of butter, mineral, lime, fine herbs, acidic, nice oak, long finish - so - ws

2005 Chateau Montelena Estate Zinfandel, Napa Valley. $30. ****½

pomegranate, fig, lively but very concentrated, a hint of tca, long finish, very different from warm weather zin - so - ws

2005 Chateau Montelena Cabernet, Napa Valley. $45. ***½

cedar, blackcurrant, green pepper, hint of berry jam, simple but pleasant, Bordeaux like - so - ws

2004 Chateau Montelena Estate Cabernet, Napa Valley. $125. ****

paint, cedar, acidic, tight, licorice, astringent, raspberry, bitter, velvety, long finish. Great wine but masked with paint aroma. I have no doubt James Laube is right: systematic tca taint in the winery (source WS James Laube blog November 2004, "Recently, I found noticeable off flavors in two new Cabernet Sauvignons from Chateau Montelena: the Napa Valley and the estate bottlings. After independent laboratory tests confirmed the presence of TCA in these wines, I felt I couldn't recommend them to Wine Spectator readers.") - so - ws

2005 Duckhorn Estate Merlot, Napa Valley. $85. ***½

Ka Shun See soap, blackcherry, soft - so - ws

2005 Duckhorn Estate Cabernet, Napa Valley. $95. ****½

sage, plum, chocolate, powerful, integrated, everything is now $90, $100, etc... - so - ws

2005 Duckhorn Patzimaro Vineyard Cabernet, Napa Valley. $95. ****

cedar, bacon, mint, chocolate, soft, med finish, black currant, violet - so - ws

2005 Duckhorn Three Palms Vineyard Merlot, Napa Valley. $85. ****½

chalky, plum, vanilla, choclate, coffee, cinnamon - so - ws

2004 Duckhorn Howell Mountain Red, Napa Valley. $75. *****

mostly merlot, grilled potato, balanced, tannic, sage, cedar, black currant, tight and lean but long finish, good representation of Howell Mountain appellation. - so - ws

2005 Duckhorn Estate Cabernet Franc, Napa Valley. $50. ****

floral, sandalwood, dried plum, milk chocolate, interesting - so - ws

2006 Migration Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley. $30. ***½

raspberry jam, strong, one dimension - so - ws

2007 Duckhorn Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley. $27. ***

Obama's Inaugural Luncheon wine. Not sure how they got this honor? There are so many good value wineries around, Duckhorn/Golden Eye is not one. Melon, honeydew, sweet, floral, parsley, hollow - so - ws

2003 Freemark Abbey Bootleg Cabernet, Napa Valley. $45. ****

cherry, plum, eucalyptus, chocolate, cassis, mint - so - ws

2003 Freemark Abbey Sycamore Cabernet, Napa Valley. $55. *****

Medoc earth, rosemary, blackcherry, raspberry, lavender, very long finish - so - ws

2004 Freemark Abbey Bosche Cabernet, Napa Valley. $65. *****

deep, cherry, menthol, chocolate, astringent, nutmeg, spicy, long finish - so - ws

1995 Freemark Abbey Sycamore Cabernet, Napa Valley. $95. *****

Medoc earth, milk chocolate, plum, concentrated, long finish - so - ws

2004 Freemark Abbey Josephyn, Napa Valley. $n/a. n/a

mildly corked. The host didn't know and unable to detect the taint. She checked with a big guy and he agreed with me ("very very little hint of tca" said he) then all acted as if this is something absolutely normal. Very strange experience. - so - ws

Generic 2009/02/05

2005 Foodies Cabernet, California. $6.99. **

Generic cheap Cal Cab. Nice label - a diagram of a cow with labels showing the names of cut: chuck, filet mignon, sirloin, etc. jammy, generic, sweet, stuffy - so - ws

The label is really nice:

At Lure Restaurant with Fe and Be 2009/02/04

2003 Gaetane d'Aquine, Brunello di Montalcino. $29.99. ***½

aroma stronger than flavor. Berry, black truffle, chocolate, flavor very pleasant. Hollow. - so - ws

Home with friends Jonson, Pau, Tony, Kevin, Bigland and spouses 2009/01/31

2006 Domaine Jean Tardy & Fils "Les Athets", Chambolle-Musigny. $50. ***½

blueberry, strawberry, a hint of earth, fragrant, tight - so - ws

2003 Concha y Toro Almaviva, Chile. $70. ****

hint of loam, coffee, berries, elegant, a little hint of herbaceousness - so - ws

2004 Bennett Lane Cabernet, Napa Valley. $45. ****½

chocolate, spicy oak, green pepper, dark, blackberry jam, long finish - so - ws

2006 Shafer Merlot, Napa Valley. $39. ****½

cherry liqueur, fruit, cassis, spicy oak, vanilla, anise, complex, med to long finish - so - ws