Friday we went to a local church to rehearse a skit for an event the follo wing night. First time I’ve ever had pizza dressed as Thomas Jefferson, p retty sure the last as well. While eating the pizza we tried to avoid the A A group meeting in next room as we tried the 2010 Pecina Rioja. Black rasp berry, clean, good acids, medium length. B/B+
Pizza didn’t quite do it, so Betsy made some salad when we got home, alon g with the 2009 Andre Bonhomme Vire-Clesse (we needed about half a bottle f or our chicken Marbella anyway). Ripe for Macon Vire Clesse, but pretty tas ty- rich pear and applel fruit, moderate acids, little if any oak, good len gth,. B
So Saturday there was a big dinner followed by a roast in honor of retireme nt of an activist minister, who happens to be a close friend. I was in a sk it as well as being final speaker for the roast (and Betsy was playing), bu t we managed to make a big tray of chicken marbella and throw together an assorted case of reds plus a couple of whites in time for the dinner. Got to dining area, I opened my case (and a few others ), but only took test sips of a few from my box (these are just impressions based on one tiny pou r to test for soundness):
2011 Brunn Gruner Veltliner from liter, very light, good acids, hint of sweetness. . No very long, but this was like $7/liter.1995 Falesco Montiano Mature, cigarbox, plummy.
1997 Beringer “Knights Valley” Cabernet Like previous bottles, still a bit of structure, good.2005 Solaria Brunello di Montalcino Joe the retiree likes BdM, so put this on his family’s table. Modern, rip e, tannic.
2009 Viticcio Chianti Classico 2 bottles, both clean, easy.2006 Moueix St. Estephe I had brought 2. Rejected first for TCA. Second still quite tannic, oak, fu ll.
2006 Mustilli "Cesco di Nece" Aglianico (Sant' Agata dei Goti) Big, stolid.2007 Besson Dupree Vacqueyras Ripe/jammy
So when I finished opening I went outside on lawn, where I mostly drank bub bly water but I tried a quite nice 2010 Jadot Macon-Villages- clean, easy, good QPR B/B-
When we went back inside, the bottles had been distributed between tables, and my table got the short end of the stick:
Naked Grape Cabernet Sauvignon (think NV)- this needs to put some clothes o n. Wouldn’t have guessed CS. Light to medium bodied, cherry , clipped. An y wine I brought would have been more interesting. C
2011 Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc Quite tropical, almost sweet, a little grass and gooseberry, needs more cut .. B-2011 La Vieille Ferme blanc - clean, good acidity for Southern Rhone variet ies, spicy. Good value. B-
Didn’t really matter, weren’t there for wine, and I was only sipping du e to roast to follow. Roast went well, I didn’t blow my lines in skit, an d my monologue got good reception, Afterwards we returned to fellowship hal l for dessert. I don’t eat dessert, but had a glass of the 2008 Arnoux-La chaux "Pinot Fin" Bourgogne that I had brought and found unfinished. Red c herries, a little sandalwood, middling acids, holding well after 3-4 hours open. B
While I was chatting someone offered a bit of white, one sip of the Two Oc eans Chardonnay was plenty to convince me to stop drinking for night - swee t vapid stuff. Yuck! C-
Sunday night we grilled steaks, asparagus, corn and potatoes, with the 2005 Feudo Montoni “Vrucara” Nero d’Avola. Elegant isn’t first word I think of for NdA, but applies here. Midbodied, black cherry, mocha, impecca bly balanced. Nice length, fine wine. A-
Monday was no wine for me - after work stayed for board meeting, then heade d into city to take a group of college students on a Midnight Run. Meantime , I got call from DA that trial of my assaillant was over- conviction on fe lony assault 2 and weapons charges, but hung jury on attempted assault 1. , So Tuesday I was ready for wine.
With a dozen oysters on half shell (my goal is to do at least once a week, because my shucking times are cut way down if I have practice), a 375 of th e 2010 Mellot “La Moussiere” Sancerre. Herby, midbodied, gooseberry and apple, moderate acids, not bad. B
With some grilled Alaskan king salmon, squash, and sugar snap peas, the
2011 Arnot-Roberts Trousseau. Pale (I assured Betsy it wasn’t actually a rose), red fruits- kind of (pleasantly) sour/crunchy raspberry and cranber ry. Nice wine. B+Tonight, chicken sausage, leftover peas, and tofu. With 2012 Chidaine Toura ine Rose I believe this is PN & Grolleau. Crispy/crunchy strawberry fruit, good acid s, some minerality. Not especially complex, but foodfriendly and fun and go od QPR. B/B+
Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a pa rty where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivi ty, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.