With teriyaki salmon, rice & nori, baby bok choy with oyster sauce, broccol i with sesame, the Brulees “L’Erebe” (2010, VdT from Loire). Juicy bl ack fruits, fresh, just a fun and delicious wine, it’s like an adorable p uppy. . B+
Wednesday we went to some friends for dinner- tasty meatloaf, broccoli, sal ad, baked squash, mashed potatoes. Wine was a Gnarly Head Zinfandel (didn ’t see a vintage) that I liked more than a bottle a few years ago - wild berry fruit, light tannins, enough acids, nothing compelling but fine to ac company meatloaf with old friends. B-/C+
Thursday I had sesame noodles for dinner before a board meeting, but when I got home joined Betsy for sopressata and a glass of the 2005 Ch. Greysac. A bit tannic, midbodied wine with light black currant fruit and a bit of ce dar. Could probably age a bit more. B-
The cooking wine over several nights was the 2011 Bella Vita Pinot Grigio ( Veneto), which was worth sipping as well, very good for an $8ish price poin t. Crisp, fruit almost with a SB profile, clean, I’ll get more at this pr ice. B-/B
With Bittman’s “1 hour bouillabaisse”, the 2009 Biondi Etna Bianco. Good acidity, fairly large bodied with a bit of oily texture, reminds me of a CdP Blanc but with more acid. Very interesting, though I think I like Bi ondi’s Etna Rosso more. B
With chicken paprikash and egg noodles, the 2010 Stephane Magnien Morey St. Denis. New producer to me (not a fan of the other Magniens), but the CSDen is was recently recced to me, got a couple for cellar, decided to try villa ge wine to see if I had made a mistake. Pretty tight at first but blossoms through the night, pretty red frujited with with a bit of soil and smoke. F airly delicate, lacy. B+/A-
A St Paddy’s Day dinner at some friends. Some assorted appetizers were ou t, along with the 2011 Maxwell Creek Rose (Napa). 13.7 abv, tasted hotter t han that. Fat, clunky, with maraschino cherry meets red Delicious fruit. . C
While the dogs enjoyed bones, the people enjoyed corned beef & cabbage, plu s a few wines:
1975 Langoa-Barton Carried as a “Wild Goose” wine for the Irish connection. Fully mature, still some solid plum and cassis fruit, a little chocolate with the cedary finish. Not deep or complex, but pretty good example of mature claret, wit h no excessive 75 tannin, best bottle of this I’ve had. B+2009 (I think) Baron de Ley Rioja Cherries, a little vanilla, quite clipped on finish. C+
2011 Steinmetz Brauneberger Juffer Kabinett Feinherb Much better match with the corned beef and cabbage than the reds, plenty o f acidity but with enough fruit to balance, orange-ginger tea over apples, good length, like a lot. B+The following night assorted leftovers with the 2011 Franck Balthazar Cotes du Rhone. Lovely again, fresh Syrah with a lot of bounce, dark berry fruit with smoke, meat, and pepper. B++
With dal with spinach, samosas, lentil salad, & naan, the 2010 Stein Aldegu nder Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett Feinherb. Just the tiniest hint of suga r, vibrant acids, citrus and green apple, I’ll buy again. B+ Last night was skate in black butter/caper sauce, green beans sauteed in g oose fat and then tossed with aioli, plus rice. Wine was the 2010 Pinon “Les Trois Argiles” Vouvray. I’ve liked this wine before , but totall y blew the match on this. Not sure exactly why, but the caper sauce and the wine were at war. Double yuck! After dinner I liked the wine much more- ap ples, apricot, and honied notes, sec tendre, nice length. C- with dinner, B
+/B later.Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.