Friday Betsy made pasta with an anchovy "carbonara" which was served with the 2009 Pazo de Senorans Albarino (Rías Baixas), Fuller style of Albarino, citrus and tropical fruit, clean, good finish, B.
Saturday we went with a pair of recent NYT recipes. Starter was grilled clams with fried garlic, wine was a half bottle of the 2008 Billaud-Simon "Les Vaillons" Chablis 1er. Lemon, grapefruit, apple blossoms. Nerve and verve. Lean but not austere Lively, good minerally finish, fine value ($15 /375 at Grapes recently). A-
With Vietnamese spiced duck breast over a cucumber/radish salad, the
2000 Domaine de Courcel "Grand Clos des Epenots" Pommard 1er. Was a little worried re the match, but it was ok. Still a bit of tannin, bright acidity, but there is something a bit plodding/dull about the fruit profile. Nothing flawed here, but a bit disappointing. B-
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.