My mom passed away last week. Seems a little weird to be posting tasting no tes, but there is comfort in routine.
I posted on the previous Friday but forgot the appetizer wine - I shucked s ome oysters and opened a half bottle of 2013 Fevre Chablis. Crisp, saline, correct. B-/B
that Saturday with Bobby Flay roasted chicken with green sauce, and the 200
6 Chanrion Cote de Brouilly. Lovely showing, rich red fruits with spice and sandalwood, juicy acids, good finish. B+/A-Sunday was grilled squid over arugula and radish leaves, with barley, rutab aga, and the
2015 Huet Le Haut Lieu Vouvray sec. Apples, wax, honey- crisp and firm. B+Monday Betsy made Boulud’s chicken with preserved lemons and olives , couscous, & kale sprout. Wineless, but then Wed before heading to GA we h ad leftovers with the 2001 Trimbach “Cuvee Frederic Emile”. Delicious, vivid acids, green apple and lemon, long and lively with some p etrol notes. A-
Tuesday went to a 1991 CalCab dinner at the Milling Room. Brief notes With grilled octopus
1991 Kalin DD Chardonnay- I liked more than most, like a blend between a Ca lChard and an old school white Rioja. Good acids, lots of oak, spicy. B2011 Jadot Beaune-Greves blanc- young,oaky, but good B/B+
2001 Karthauserhof Spatlese- bright, vibrant, honied. B+/A-With Berkshire chop, cabbage,and onion (good, but sauce too sweet)
1991 Cain 5 - herbal, a little lean, but good. B+/B1991 Duckhorn CS- maderization on nose, plump on palate. C+ this bottle but probably storage issues
1991 Liparita CS- spritz, secondary fermentation funk, NR1991 Diamond Creek Gravelly Meadow Sturdy., redder fruit than some others, lots of herb and cedar, quite enjoy able. B+
1991 Dunn Howell Mtn- touch funky, cedary, tannins there but not as much as I expected. I like B+/A-1991 Beringer Private Reserve- I liked better than another recent bottle, p lush texture, sweet black plum fruit, ready/ B+
1991 Etude CS- a bit advanced, creaky, though some nice bones underneath. B -1991 Shafer Hillside Select- big, still tannic, sweet rich fruit, B/B+
1991 Phelps Insignia-corkedGood night with good people. Got call from my brother as I was on train hom e. Spent Wednesday making plans for holiday groups, then we flew to GA Th AM, went to dinner that night with my brother’s family at a small Itali an place, I had veal saltimbocca and a glass of Frescobaldi Chianti (vintag e unknown). Just what one would expect- some cherry, dried cherry, a little floral, not long but not bad. B-
Next night 2 BTG at a local tavern with my trout and Betsy’s shrimp and grits
2015 Domane Wachau Gruner Veltliner I’m usually a Domane Wachau fan (I’d probably rate it my 2n d fave co-op after Produttori) but this was a little dull. Hint of spritz, apple fruit, no real GV distinctiveness. B-/C+2014 Foris Pinot Blanc Betsy had a cocktail and then ordered this with dinner (she has a distant f amily connection with winery), but I drank most of glass. This was on the “rich and bold white” section of the list, and I wouldn? ??t call it that, but it was quite enjoyable- light, saline, floral. B/ B+
Christmas eve my brother had some friends with younger kids over for a casu al evening - red and white chilis, salads, stuffed bread bowls, ChikFila nu ggets, etc. Beer, scotch, and wine:
NV Freixenet Black Label Better than I anticipated. Touch of sweetness, ripe apple, hint of bread do ugh, though short. B-/C+
2011 KIstler “McCrea” Chardonnay Good acids, but oak is just a little too out there for me. B/B-2013 LXV “Reserve X” Cabernet Sauvignon (Paso Robles) Never heard of producer, but less OTT than I anticipated when I saw Paso Ro bles CS in a heavy bottle. Actually at 14.1 abv I guess quite restrained fo r PR. Sweet black plum fruit, a little baking spices, some vanilla. B/B-
Christmas day David and his fiancee Grace joined us (I had flown them in or iginally so Grace could meet my mom, alas). Betsy pitched in with communal cooking with my brother and his family. All I did was shuck some oysters. O yster wine was the 2010 Peter Michael Apres-Midi SB. Not a bad ringer for m id-modern Pessac, this tastes like a SB/Semillon blend even though I think all SB. Some vanillin oak, white pear fruit with citrus peel, hint of grass , a little fig. Good body, good finish. Ideally I’d like oak a bit more integrated, but I enjoy. B+
Dinner was Horseradish crusted standing rib, turkey, dressing, green beans, sweet potato, Barbuto kale salad, and lots more
2007 KIstler “McCrea” Chardonnay Mature, oak still out there, some interesting mineral notes. B1985 Delas “Seigneur de Maugiron” Cote-Rotie Some fruit but fading, bacon, herbs, a bit of ashtray. Probably better 10 y ears ago, but I enjoy this a lot. B+/B
2009 Colgin IX Estate Pretty massive Bordeaux blend, ripe cassis with anise and vanilla. For me t his is a bit much on its own, but I do enjoy with the rib roast. Probably a n A/A- for those that prefer this style, for my tastes I’d give the Cote Rotie in its dotage a slight edge. BAfter memorial Monday, I spend some time helping reorganize my brothers? ?? cellar. He has a lot of California PN, not a area I know a lot about , but was interesting to see and I enjoyed moving things around, and making suggestions on what needed to be drunk soon (especially with European stuf f that he had mostly received as gifts). With leftovers Monday I suggested we try a bottle (with some backups) I had low expectations for- the 2003 Jo ulie Cote de Nuits Villages. Actually, a pleasant surprise to me, neither t oo old or overripe. Red cherry and cranberry, some smoky notes, some earth, only a hint of oxidation. B for me (my brother switched to scotch)
Our last night in GA, I warned of likelihood of 1999 Marc Colin “En cegnieres” Chassagne-Montrachet being gone. Color was good in bottl e, but got dark immediately on pouring. 17 years might be stretching for a village wine in any case, but this was fully oxidized though we can debate if premoxed. NR
We went to dinner at brother’s club. I had salmon as we tried a bot tle of the 2013 WillaKenzie “Gisele” Pinot Noir. Raspberry, cherry candy, a little forest floor. B
Wednesday no wine as Grace, David, Betsy, and I flew back to NY. Hard week, but really good to spend quality time with brother and his family (and the ir dogs).
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.