Some friends of Betsy who had moved to Ireland were visiting, and Betsy in vited members of the meditation group they were in for dinner. I did a crab appetizer, with the NV Laherte “Ultrsdition” Champagne. Ap pley, yeasty, fine mousse, simple. B Main course was chicken, tomatoes, and shallots in white wine, I opened 2 b ottles for cooking:
2006 St Francis Chardonnay (Sonoma) Oaky blobby, sweet, tired. C 2010 Santa Barbara Winery Reserve Chardonnay (Sta. Rita Hills) Way too buttery for me, but surprising acidic balance. B-/C+ With dinner, a few better wines 2010 Boulay “Clos de Beaujeau” Sancerre Larger framed Sancerre, great acids, grapefruit with herb and stone notes. A- 1998 Gigault “Cuvee Viva” (Cotes du Blaye) I’m a big fan of 1998 RB, but this is overripe, oaky, formless, and a little hot. Some loved it. C+ 2014 Guimaro Mencia Fresh, peppery, spicy, with bright red fruits. B+ Saturday we went to her sister’s, BIL wanted to make “Dark and stormys” (dark rum with ginger beer) and had done Caribbean men u to follow- mango cabbage salad, Caribbean corn on the cob, jerk ribs, and shrimp with quinoa 2009 Donnhoff Oberhauser Leistenberg Kabinett Sweetness does well with the spices, moderate acids, limey and long. B+ 2016 Riotor rose (Cotes de Provence) Light, easy, simple. B- Betsy’s cello trio had a concert and then dinner after, I made myse lf a Swordfish steak with some leftover rice and beans, wine was the 2015 Lagar de Broullon Albarino (Rias Baixas). Crisp, saline, long. B++ 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.- posted
6 years ago