In cold NY, with chicken sausage, sprouts, & barley, the 2005 Vissoux " Cuv ee Traditionnelle" Beaujolais VV, Mature, still solid black cherry fruits, smoke, a little earth anb spice. Quite enjoyable, but after an hour or so d evelops some ashtray notes and by day 2 it's dead. B+/B
With supermarket chicken, seaweed salad, and seafood broth, the 2009 Castel lroig Vi De Terrer Xarello. Almonds and saline notes, white pit fruits, goo d but I think I liked better on release, B-/B
Tuesday got up in snowstorm and headed to airport, deicing delay but a mira cle connection (plane landed in SLC 10 minutes before flight, adjjoining ga te, and made to Sacramento) to join Betsy. Too tired for wine shopping, and the 2 wines I brought reserved for Th dinner, so skipped wine Tues. Wednes day we went to Berkeley, David gave me a tour of his apt (Oakland) and then campus and town. Afterwards met Betsy, her college roommate, and Sarah's h usband Jamie at Chez Panisse, Almonds with saffron and nice sourdough, then : excellent hamachi carpaccio with citrus, pink peppercorns, and prosecco gel ee chitara with romenesco, black truffle, and pancetta lamb (rack, leg, and loin) peas, mushrooms, golden carrot puree and savoy c abbage Meyer lemon tart with huckleberry
We ordered a white and a red,. The 2013 Uriondo Txakolina had just a little spritz, an intense salinity, bright citrus fruit. B+/B
As we finished the Txakolina, the waiter appeared with 4 glasses of a white wine, which he said was Refosco. I've had Refosco as a red before, guess t his was fermented off skins. Deep gold color, nutty/almond notes, intensely herby. I thought interesting but didn't love, but it was a nice gesture.
Red was the 2013 Dashe "Les Enfants Terrible" Zinfandel. Not you typical Zi n- crisp acids, raspberry and cranberry fruit, floral nose, nut skins, this was really fun. B+
Fun night.
Thursday we were back in Sacramento , went across town to visit old wine fr iends. Arv and Jenn and their adorable twin daughters greeted us. Lovely ho use , lovely dinner, lovely people.
We started with a delicious salad and the 1997 Foreau (Naudin) Demi-Sec Vou vray. This had a hot nose and seemed more advanced than previous bottle, wi th a hint of maderization. Actually improved a bit with air, honied quince fruit and lots of waxy notes. There's some botrytized notes as well, Intere sting but not exactly what I want in DS Vouvray. B-/B
Main course was absolutely delicious goat two ways- loin and rib chops, wit h a mushroom risotto. I indulged heartily in 3 nice reds:
1970 Ch.Magdelaine Redder fruits, cedar, espresso, Elegant and balanced, maybe more solidly in to maturity than last time I had, but a pointe and delicious to me. B+/A-1989 Ch.Gazin Takes a while to open up (I didn't double-decant, just decanted when we arr ived). Black plums and berries, mocha, comparativelty stern, but with good future. B+
1999 Voge Cornas VV I thought a lovely expression of Northern Rhone syrah, fleshy but with taut structure, blackberry fruit with herbs and spicy white pepper accents. Won derful with the goat. A-I really didn't need more wine, but cheese was accompanied by the 2001 Ch. Nairac (Barsac). Not a property I have much experience with, but this was l ovely, with those electric 2001 acids, apricot and peach fruit, floral note s. B+/A-
Fun night with good people 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.