Trying to drop a few pounds, no wine Monday through Sat last week. Sunday I broke free. First we drove through the slush to Hastings, for a pre-Valent ine’s Day party. I carried a Billards St. Amour, but there were ple nty of open bottles. 2015 Winemaker’s Collection (that’s wh at is said on front label, I didn’t see an actual producers name) Montepuliciano d’Abruzzo in 1.5L was light, grapey, clean with som e acid. OK though I wish they had opened the neighboring Masciarelli MdA ma g instead. B-/C+
NV 90+ Cellars Prosecco- just a hint of RS, light bubbles, little fruit or flavor. Dull. C+ (and I’m a VERY easy grader on cheap bubbly)
That night we broke free from diet as several friends came over. While I wa s shucking, folks tried charcuterie (head cheese, pastourma, lonza) and th e Jacquesson “736” Brut Champagne. Bright, leesy, dry and f loral, citrus and pear. B+
With some bluepoints, the 2014 Pepiere “Les Gras Moutons” M uscadet. A little more fruit driven than the regular or the Briords, but st ill with a nice mineral/acid backbone. Delicious, and great QPR, but of cou rse that is assumed with Pepiere! B++
Main course was an Asian accented stew with chuck, Chinese spinach, and ric e noodles (somewhat pho-ish) with sauteed mushrooms ( velvet pioppini, hen of woods/maitake, , oyster, yellow oyster, a few shiitake) and a Chinese carrot/cabbage salad. .
1966 Rausan-Segla (Margaux) Unusual bottle- similar to old Cordier, but less pronounced shoulders, and a wide flange on lip. We were in France on Hilary’s 50th, so happy to open this with her. Extra funky at first, but blows off. This is mature- maybe a bit past- with little tannin remaining and moderate acids. Black p lum and red currant fruit, cigarbox, coffee. Really quite a tasty wine, tho ugh without much in reserve, great to drink now.. No tiredness in the flavo rs, just maybe in the structure. I’ll open my other bottle sooner r ather than later, but happy with this. B+/A-2015 Lapierre Morgon Juicy and open, ripe black cherry, moderate acids, a little funk & smoke. I don’t get this as overripe or hot as some people have said. B+
Finished with a nice stinky mature cheese from Bobolink. Good times!
Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C drinkable. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a p arty where it was only choice.Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivi ty, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.