So Betsy got home from Maine and we got ready for Dave's birthday/going awa y dinner. His aunt and her family came, and his half-brother from Denmark j oined us later. We started off with duck breast proscuitto (I need a meat s licer!) wrapped around asparagus spears or melon, with a few melon/mozzarel la canapes for the non-meat-eaters. Wine was the NV Sommariva Prosecco di C onegliano-Valdobbiadene Superiore Brut, Bright, light, zesty, clean, citrus and pear aromas. I think this is a fine value at $15. B/B+
Dinner was lobster/corn/tomato salad (on theory there won't be $5/lb lobste r in CA) with grilled squash, green salad, and melon. Wine was the 2012 Gra ci Etna Bianco. Full and rich with a good acidic backbone. Floral, pit frui ts, good finish. B+
We also opened the 1988 Bloud/Ch. du Moulin-a-Vent "Cuvee Exceptionelle" Mo ulin-a-Vent (mag). This was very cheap in a CSW offering last year (I think $30 for the 1.5L) and I had low expectations. On opening it seemed tired a nd quite bretty, but maybe reduction not brett as it cleaned up and the fru it became younger and more expressive. Round, with black cherry, earth and leather. Happy it's alive, but can't say it was especially complex, tasted like somewhat generic older Pinot Noir (when Gamay ages do they call this p inosity or pinotsity?). Still, for price I was happy with it for a birthyea r wine. 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.