Friday was another thank you dinner for some couples who had hosted or help ed us during renovations. Gorgeous evening, we started on the patio with sm oked lard/pickle, rilletes, crab salad, & coppa, plus a couple of Champagne s.
NV Laherte Ultradition Champagne.- apple pie, a little spice, delicate mous se, others loved - I felt this was competent but not exciting. B/B-
2002 Delamotte Blanc de Blancs Champagne = fresh, young, zingy, lively wh ite fruits accented with baking dough and citrus. B+Inside for sous vide shrimp with avocado and arugula
2016 Raimbault Sancerre Citrus and grass, medium length, fine with food but this wouldn’t c onvince Bueker. B/B-2005 Fevre “Valmur” Chablis GC Cider, way oxidized. C
Main was herb marinated flank steak, roasted vegetables (carrots, beets, ru tabaga, fennel, potato), and asparagus vinaigrette
1970 Ch. Pape Clement (Graves) Probably on the downhill slope, but what an elegant older lady. Fully resol ved tannins, good acid, red fruits,lots of earth, a little tobacco and leat her. Not the longest finish at this point, but still a delight. A-/B+1995 Ch. Haut-Marbuzet (St. Estephe) Black plum fruit, some tobacco, some tannin in background. Plush, easy to d rink, WOTN for others, I would have thought this was a Merlot based RB. B+/ B
1995 Ch. Simard Mature, solid, stolid. Dark fruits, a little tannin, lower acid. B-Saturday I broiled mackerel, with rice, duck fat carrots, and kale. , with the 2015 Peter Lauer “Kupp- Fass 18” Grosses Gewachs. I go back and forth re value on the more expensive PLs, but here I have to say w orth it. Saar sprightliness, but with great length and depth. Pit fruits, c itrus zest, ginger. Long minerally finish. B+/A-
Sunday we had friends over after Betsy’s concert. Roast local chick en, caprese, pea/broccoli sprout/lettuce salad, and couscous.
2017 Breton Ritournelle Bourgueil Rose This is the still. Bitter cherry (in a nice way), cranberry, fresh and biti ng. B+2017 Chidaine Touraine Rose PN, Groulleau, Gamay. Light, floral, good acid but could use a little more depth. B-
2013 Foillard Corcelette Morgon Open and inviting, lovely black cherry and raspberry fruit, black pepper an d cocoa on top. Structured but giving, lovely delicious slurpable Gamay. B+ /A-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.