With cod in a chickpea/chipotle/spinach broth, 2009 Karthauserhof Grosses G ewach Trocken. (I think the Trocken is redundant, but says on label). Big b ut racy, tensile acidity and beautiful aromatics- flowers, orange peel, hon eycrisp apple. Big, young, but lovely. A-
Tandoori style pork, quinoa, and broccoli rabe, and the 2012 Defino Frappat o, Fresh and floral, lightbodied with pretty red raspberry and cherry fruit . Good value. B
With roast chicken, broccoli, and quinoa,the 2005 Drouhin Cote de Beaune. What a great showing for a regional wine! IN a very nice place. Sweet red and black cherry fruit, sappy and succulent, earth and underbrush, very foo d friendly. B++
With porgy steamed Asian style (in microwave, from Modernist Cuisine), Isra eli couscous, green beans, and watercress, a half bottle of the 2011 Selba ch Oster Riesling Kabinett (this is a generic, no vineyard listed). Soft, s weet, some acid, but not really very interesting. B-/C+
Then over to Dave's for local group's monthly tasting, theme this month was "12.5 ABV and Under." Wines were blind
#1 - not blind to me. Guesses were 80s Bordeaux, hhmmm, seemed obvious to m e (since I knew). Red fruit, green pepper, a little cigarbox, a hint of fun k. A little tired, more advanced than other recent bottles. 1971 Sterling C abernet Sauvignon (12%). B
#2 I was convinced this was Gamay, probably Beaujolais though I thought Loi re possible. Strikeout! Cranberry, fresh, herby, just a hint of geranium. I was surprised by region, '
I liked, 2013 Lefevre "Les Amis" (Coteaux D'Aix en Provence) B/B+
#3 Bright with a little spritz, sweetness (though dry), this reminded me of Zweigelt, so I immediately guessed Austria. Wrong, but right part of Europ e! I liked this, but surprised at Mosel. Dr. Heidemanns-Bergweiler Pinot No ir (Mosel). B
#4- Soft, plummy red fruit, a little green note, I was lost but guessed Pin ot from someplace warm. Surprised, didn't seem very Gamayish to me, and I'd heard good things re this producer. 2012 Pascal Aufranc "1939" Chenas B-/ C+
#5 - I got grape, but only after Marc said northern Italian. Soft and broad , some tannin, juicy dark fruits. 2012 Roagna Dolcetto B+/B
#6 Modest acids, fading tannin, there's still some fruit but nearing end of its run. Nice luncheon claret. 1998 Ch. du Moulin Rouge B
#7 Red fruited, low acids, a light candied note, some others liked better, clipped.. 2013 Minini Montepulciano d'Abruzzo. C+
Fun night. Saturday a speech in CT then a plane from White Plains, no wine with dinner at my mom's in GA. Tonight mom and I went over to my brother's, fun time with his family and the dogs. Grilled chicken, roasted cauliflowe r and Brussels sprouts with bacon, squash, and corn. Wine was the 2006 Kist ler "Kistler Vineyard" Chardonnay. Apples and oak, big, there's some heat o n the palate. A bit of oxidization hinted at. B-/C+
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.