TN: Excellent Saar and Dry Creek Valley, plus other wines

Wed I had a turkey burger with leftover wines opened on Memorial Day (an Am eztoi rosado won the "best on day 3 " prize.

Thursday I was moving some wines that weren't opened back to cellar. Wait, don't recognize this one, someone must have brought Monday. Hmmmm. Argentin e Chardonnay. If I take this downstairs what chance that I'll ever bring i t back up? Maybe I should just open, then use for cooking if as expected. H ey, it's a 6 years old. Look, it's kosher (I'm guessing this is a bottle th at was transported for years from seder to seder). Gee, it's got a plastic cork. The 2009 Don Guillermo do Mendoza Chardonnay is short, oxidized, and nasty. DNPIM.

Meanwhile I grilled some sausages and king trumpet mushrooms (white balsami c and rosemary) and opened the 2012 Zilliken Saarburger Rausch Spatlese #3. Ah, this is better. Lovely young bottle of Spatlese (that doesn't taste li ke Auslese). Zippy acids, bright and precise. Sweet white fruits accented w ith lime zest, long flinty finish. This will age but I'll have trouble resi sting. A-

Friday friends invited the hound and I to dinner. House-smoked salmon, roti sserie chicken, and assorted vegetables. NV Roederer Estate Brut I don't drink much domestic bubbly, but this is quite nice. Snappy green ap ple fruit, bright, just a touch of yeast. B

2004 Patz and Hall "Hyde" Chardonnay Very good acids for CalChard, some wood, pit fruits and apple. More oak tha n my ideal, but enjoyable. Much better than a 2004 Paul Hobbs from same auc tion lot. B

2010 La Colombina Di Caselli Anna Maria Brunello di Montalcino Bigger style, a bit tannic, some good black cherry fruit, give it some time . B

Saturday tuna steaks, squash, and the 2014 Arnot-Roberts Rose. Pale, crisp, melon and cherry fruit. Pretty good but thought lacking the minerality of last years. B/B+

Sunday cinnamon beef stew from the freezer, with the 2013 Edmunds St John R ocks and Gravel. Really enjoyed this, redder fruits with underbrush and roc ks. Good acids, smooth mouthfeel, great finish, order more. B+/A-

Last night mushroom/potato dumplings and dal (yes, aware a strange combo). Some leftover ESJ plus a half bottle of 2013 Barat Chablis. Acids are a lit tle screechy, midbodied, decent finish. B/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.

Ameztoi rosado won the "best on day 3 " prize.

, don't recognize this one, someone must have brought Monday. Hmmmm. Argent ine Chardonnay. If I take this downstairs what chance that I'll ever bring it back up? Maybe I should just open, then use for cooking if as expected. Hey, it's a 6 years old. Look, it's kosher (I'm guessing this is a bottle that was transported for years from seder to seder). Gee, it's got a plasti c cork. The 2009 Don Guillermo do Mendoza Chardonnay is short, oxidized, an d nasty. DNPIM.

mic and rosemary) and opened the 2012 Zilliken Saarburger Rausch Spatlese #

Ah, this is better. Lovely young bottle of Spatlese (that doesn't taste like Auslese). Zippy acids, bright and precise. Sweet white fruits accented with lime zest, long flinty finish. This will age but I'll have trouble re sisting. A-

tisserie chicken, and assorted vegetables.

apple fruit, bright, just a touch of yeast. B

han my ideal, but enjoyable. Much better than a 2004 Paul Hobbs from same a uction lot. B

p, melon and cherry fruit. Pretty good but thought lacking the minerality o f last years. B/B+

Rocks and Gravel. Really enjoyed this, redder fruits with underbrush and r ocks. Good acids, smooth mouthfeel, great finish, order more. B+/A-

. Some leftover ESJ plus a half bottle of 2013 Barat Chablis. Acids are a l ittle screechy, midbodied, decent finish. B/B-

e, B a good wine, C drinkable. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice.Furthermore, I offer no promises of objecti vity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.

Again with you on your review of Arnot-Roberts Rosé. I usually buy a cas e of this a year but after tasting a trial bottle decided not to. Couldn't put my finger on what I didn't like but the Rosé field is now so large, I don't need to buy meh bottles.