Red snapper, sauteed kohlrabi, and the 2016 Vina Sobreira Albarino.Moderate acids, mango and peach, touch of grass. Not bad. B-
2014 CVNE Monopole Rioja Blanc All Viura. Floral, citrus and Bosc pear, touch of almond, a little oak. Ver y good for $9! BA group of friends over Saturday, we started with Lonza, stuffed olives, & pork rillettes.
NV Chartogne Taillet “Le Rose” Champagne
12/2008 disgorgement. A pointe, red fruit with orange zest, orange blossoms , and chalk. Still fresh. B+2016 La Bastide Blanche Bandol rose Strawberries and watermelon, herby, long, fun. B+/B
To table for oysters with hot sauce butter (shuck, put on compound butter, grill just till butter melts and juices bubble), the best Caprese of the se ason, herb marinated flank steak, trumpet mushrooms, and salad, followed by some cheeses from Cooperstown
1982 MastroJanni Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Nice color, black cherry and black plum, spicy. Some mushroom, earth notes , a touch of coffee, good length. This was part of a mixed lot where other bottles were my target, very happy this exceeded expectations. B+/A-1998 Ch.Gigault “Cuvee Viva” Everyone loved this, except me. Plenty of fruit, but to me this is roasted, the fruit jammy and overlaid with unabsorbed sweet oak. C+
2011 Chidaine” Clos Baudoin” Vouvray On the sec side of sec-tendre, just enough sweetness to counter the hot sau ce compound butter, wooly, waxy, honey and apple, pretty classic Chenin. B+2014 Pepiere “Clisson” Muscadet Full, ripe citrus and apple, nervy acids, mineral finish. B+/A-
Sunday Betsy made pappardelle with squash blossoms, ricotta, and basil oil, as well as non-traditional panzanella (sourdough and baguette croutons, he irlooms, peppers, cucumber, capers, basil, etc) for Sunday dinner, I opened the 2015 Giacosa Roero Arneis. I used to buy this wine fairly regularly, b ut haven’t in several years. Ripe and more tropical I than I rememb er, pit fruits and touch of lemon. Good but far riper/softer than I remembe r in past. 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.