No wine Tuesday and Wednesday in Atlanta, flew back Thursday to be with my wife and out very sick dog. After a long (inconclusive) vet visit, we had B etsy’s pressure cooker lamb with white beans. Wine was the 1999 Mas troberardino Radici Taurasi. Still fairly tannic, red fruits, smoke, mint. Needs time. B
Friday we had some friends (also close friends of the hound) over for dinne r. Ron had just smoked some mahi-mahi and brought as an appetizer. Wine was the NV Le Mesnil Blanc de Blanc from Rare Wine Company. Bosc pear, toast, chalk, good value. B+/B
I made (with help getting onto stone, I need a peel) the clam chowder pizza from recent NYT magazines (totally delicious). Cooking wine was the 2015 B lanc de La Haye (Bdx AC). Lemon, grass, a little gooseberry. Assume most Sa uvignon, ok for cooking. C+
Pizza wine was the 2015 Picollo Gavi di Gavi. I had asked guy at store whic h had a couple of Gavis for the one with the most zip, I don’t want to taste the other one. Round, peachy, herby, but flat and needs acid. B- /C+
We also grilled skirt steak and Betsy made broccoli rabe, with the 2006 Hoa ge “The Pick”. This could be a ringer in a lineup of modern CdPs, plush red fruits, a bit of acidic backbone, lots of herb, but marred by a little heat. B/B-
Saturday I went to a great benefit concert featuring Matisyahu (son of one of my board members), came home for a very late dinner.
2014 Cavallotto Nebbiolo (Langhe) Light tannins, red fruit, a little tar and saddle leather, good value. B+/B
Betsy had needed 2 cups wine, used rest of the Bdx blanc and some of the 20
14 Fichet Aligote (I need to buy some cheap whites for cooking!). Tart, lem ony, fresh. B
Sunday Betsy went to Texas, I spent most of day at home worrying about the hound. Leftovers (lamb/bean stew, broccoli rabe, salad, etc) and the 2012 A r Pe Pe Rosso di Valtellina. Crisp, light, fresh/crunchy red fruits, very f loral B+
Tonight I had to leave the hound to take a group on a mission in city (she slept whole time) - no wine as I was driving .
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.