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+/BBetsy 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. BSunday 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.