Betsy was playing at Chamber Music America's New Music festival in Bryant P ark, I took the train down and kept fingers crossed that rain would hold of f. It rained a bit but after a delay the quartet played beautifully. I said goodbye (she was leaving for upstate), and returned to my little village. Picked up samosa and dal at a new place in town, opened with the 2013 Calab retta Etna Rosato. This was an interesting wine- structured, big, taut. Som e chalky flavors, red currant, citrus. Very different, and interesting, but I wouldn't call it friendly at moment. I think I'll set remaining one asid e for a year or two (not something I usually say with rose!). B?
A wine dinner was unexpectedly cancelled, so invited some friends and their pup to dinner Tuesday. Bones for the canines, humans had grilled tuna, cap rese, sauted redleaf amaranth, shrimp with cocktail sauce, and a white bean & garlic scape dip
2014 Edmunds St John "Heart of Gold" Crisp, steeley, and fresh, mineral with citrus and pit fruit, delightful ac companiment to the shrimp B+/A-2014 Baudry Chinon rose Maybe a tad riper than last year, full with cherry fruit but still lots of mineral character and acidic backbone. B++
2013 Guion "Domaine" Bourgueil Snappy cranberry and raspberry fruit, light green leaf notes, nice wine to serve lightly chilled. BWednesday was start of summer concert series, headed to Estherwood and met some friends on the lawn. Lots of good food shared around, and some wines a s well
2014 Paradis "Essenciel" (Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence ) rose Lighter style, approaching dilute, refreshing but not very long or flavorfu l. B-2014 mas de Gourgonnier (Baux de Provence) rose Herby, not-too-ripe strawberries, lovely. B
2013 Brovia Arneis I had bought this after loving a previous bottle, but this seems somewhat s tolid in comparison to what I remember. Me or bottle? B-Cantina de Sorbara Lambrusco fun with beef carpaccio, sweet without being cloying, friendly and frothy, dark berries, nothing serious here but a nice silly puppy of a wine. B
2011 Mikael Bouges "Les Cots Hauts' Touraine Lighter styled Cot, black plum and herbs, some light "potted plant" /gerani um notes such as I typically get from Loire Gamay. Interesting. B/B+Silver Thread Blackbird (vintage?) Finger lake red that others liked more than me, some oak, but lack structur e, a sweet edge to finish. B-/C+
With turkey burgers, the 2011 Rollin Hautes-Coôtes de Beaune (rouge). Red cherries, lots of spice notes, some earth on finish. Not a big wine yet with a sense of structure. Quite the QPR, shoulda bought more at $18. B+/A
-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.