After a harrowing drive (following my neighbor who had 7 sections of cedar fencing stacked on back of his pickup for 30 miles), we had dinner at the neighbors. They had a red, made by friends right here in Westchester. Enough said. I had brought a white, 2001 Juvé y Camps Ermita d'Espiells, Blanc Flor, Penedés. Fairly muted fruit, slight mineral notes. Medium acidity. Actually doesn't taste of much- flat cava maybe? No comparison, maybe this is corked under my threshold, if this is the way it's supposed to taste then B-/C+ on my easy scale. Water worked better than either with the puttanesca.
Friday it was just Betsy and I for dinner, she made a lovely duck dish- magret with a demiglace/shallot sauce. It went well with the 2000 Lafarge Bourgogne. Wonderful Burg in the under-$20 category. Like a lighter-styled Volnay- nose of cherries, earth, and flowers; fills the mouth with clear pure cherry fruit. Bright acidity and a long clean finish. A-
Friends joined us Saturday for dinner. Betsy made leg of lamb with a basil-anchovy sauce, a tomato/potato tart, and Cambodian corn (grilled with fish sauce, lime, and sugar). I decided to think about the lamb and chose a
1996 Ch. Plagnac (Médoc). Nose of red fruit and earth, maybe a little leather. Palate has moderate red berry fruit, a little spice. Not a big Bordeaux, but a pleasant wine that's probably drinking at its peak. Nice value at $10 (maybe 2 years ago). B
I had an exhausting but rewarding Sunday overseeing a softball game and picnic for my non-profit on a gorgeous day. Came home worn out, but perked up for dinner. Betsy had made a salad out of the leftover lamb. We had a sip of the leftover Lafarge, then opened a 375 of 1998 J. Lohr "7 Oaks" Cabernet Sauvignon (Paso Robles) that I had overlooked for a while. Pretty decent for the price and the vintage. Some oak on nose along with dark berry/cassis fruit, medium-bodied wine in the mouth. Some oak/vanilla flavors, but not overwhelming
- the dark plum and blackberry fruit still shines through. A very decent example of cheap CalCab ($6 a 375). B (B+ for value)
Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C mediocre at best. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice. Dale
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