Had friends visiting this weekend so we had drinks then dinner on the terrace.
With assorted cold fresh shellfish:
2007 Aubert Lauren Vineyard Sonoma Coast Chardonnay-my first taste of Aubert. A bit cloudy in the glass. Nose of oranges and lemons. Quite ripe pear and white peach notes on the palate with a finish of fresh Meyer lemon. Just a tad bit soft for my tastes but quite rich and polished. "B+"2002 Olivier Leflaive Montrachet-Shimmering gold in the glass. Very fresh nose of lemon zest a bit of vanilla and crushed gravel. Explosive flavors on the palate. A burst of lemon zest, a fair amount of fresh apple and a very clear minerality. The wine changed with each sip. "A"
With fresh tomato salad & burrata:
2007 Pieropan Soave Classico-Brilliant nose of lemon/lime with a hint a salinity. Very nice on the palate with a terrific balance of fruit and acidity. Plenty of fresh lemon with a bit of fennel on the finish. "B+/A-"With Wild Mushroom Risotto & Red Cow Parmigiano
2004 Denis Mortet Gevrey Chambertin Les Champeaux-Ruby red in the glass. Rich ripe noe of crushed red raspberries and blackberries. Smooth on the palate with plum, blackberry and black cherry notes. Plenty of mushroom and minerality on the finish. A bit concentrated. "B+/A-"With Grilled Ribeye Steaks and Fingerling potato salad:
2000 Cos d' Estorunel-Dark purple almost black in the glass. Effusvie nose of cassis and oaky vanilla. Still quite young and primary although the tannins were quite smooth and polished. Plenty of black fruits, a bit of anise and cedar. Still very young. "A-"