Kitchen is 95% finished, Betsy is in VA so I didn’t want to do my u sual big (40-50 people) Memorial Day party, instead invited about a dozen f riends. Morning was cloudy but sun peeked out later, with very comfortable temps. I made lobster salad, pork ribs, beef (deckle and culotte), currywu rst, bratwurst, guacamole, squash with za’atar. Others brought bla ck bean hummus, quinoa salad, beets with tarragon, almond cake, and a lot m ore. Wines were all mine
2007 F. Cotat “Culs de Beaujeau” Sancerre I had a rather advanced bottle of 07 Pascal MD from same box couple months ago, but this couldn’t have been fresher. Full lovely and long, ric h fruit, good acidic cut, minerally. A-2008 Trimbach Cuvee Frederic Emile Riesling Wet rocks, citrus fruit, fantastic electric acids, great length. Delicious but will get better. A-
2015 Bzikot Bourgogne Blanc Fatter style, sweet fruit, needs more cut but tasty. B-1982 Ch. Mazeyres (Pomerol) Black plum, coffee, tobacco but sliding towards ashtray. On downslope, thou gh still some interest B-
2010 Drouhin Fleurie Cranberry, lots of herb, fun. B1996 Ca' Rome' di Romano Marengo Barolo Rapet So I decanted this and told folks to leave alone, very tight. 45 minutes l ater I found decanter almost empty, the memo didn’t get around. Med ium bodied, some hard tannin, a little tar. Not a lot of pleasure, wish I h ad tried with more air. B-/C+ as a PnP
2006 Chanrion Cote de Brouilly .Spicy red fruit, exotic nose, fun, B+1978 Ch. Beychevelle (St Julien) Very good with a quick decant. Red plum and cherry, cigarbox, a light touch of Sociando-like green, Good acid, resolved tannin, clean if modest length . B+/B
Great fun!
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.