With chicken brined overnight in feta brine, the 2013 Brovia Arneis (Roero) . Full bodied, citrusy, with a bit of herb and almond. Well balanced acids, stands up well to the chicken, get more. B+
The 2011 Lafouge Auxey-Duresses came on deck Monday with mushroom pizza (no sauce, just mushrooms, spinach, a little tomato). Forward, red cherries an d raspberry, friendly, nice wine but I'd as soon pay the upcharge for the 1 ers. B
Tuesday was grilled teriyaki salmon and vegetables, with the NV Pinon Toura ine Rose. Crackling cranberry and strawberry fruit, lemon zest, with under lying minerals. I just need to remember to buy more when this appears, does n't tend to last on shelves long. B++
Wednesday was 1995 Bordeaux reported elsewhere, and Thursday was wineless a s I was taking a group from NYU around to visit the streets. Friday dinner I was stag, so what better than venison steak? Marinated and braised in red wine with garlic, with sauteed spinach and the 2009 Produttori del Barbare sco Barbaresco. Riper style for PdB, red fruit, stands up to food but not e xciting. But next day (after being dosed with gas) I liked more- there's fe rric and floral notes over the still vibrant fruit, acidity seems brighter. B- first day, B+ second.
Saturday night a couple of friends came over to share food and bones (one f riend was canine). One guy was supposed to bring appetizer of marinated mus hrooms but forgot, but while I was cooking we made do with liquids- a white he remembered to bring and a bubbly I had opened:
2013 Giol Prosecco Lighter styled, Fresh, apples, saline, quite good. B/B+2012 Clos des Lunes "Lune Blanche" this is a base Bordeaux AC blanc, but tastes more serious than that. Full, crisp, seems more Semillon driven that the usual inexpensive Bdx Blanc, no grassiness here. Nice length. Could use a bit more acid, but works as an ap ertif. B/B+
there was also a Clos Roche Blanche Sauvignon #2 that was irredeemably cork ed.
I made broiled salmon, barley/mushroom risotto, broccoli, and a spinach sal ad. We had the leftover Barbaresco plus:
2002 Coste-Caumartin "Les Fremiers" Pommard 1er Red cherry, spices, a little cocoa. Midbodied, decent length, a bit of tann in, good workman like Burg. B1999 de Courcel "Fremiers" Pommard 1er Cru (375 ml) Quite ripe, a little pruney, some ashtray. Fill and cork looked fine, but t his seems too advanced even for smaller format. Wine or the bottle? This bo ttle C+
Betsy made leg of lamb, roasted vegetables (potato, carrot, onion) and saut eed spinach last night. I had a bottle of 1995 Ch. Beychevelle standing up (backup bottle from Wed tasting) and lamb and St Julien seemed like a good idea. Quite tight on opening about 6, when we sat down at 7:30 was showing more black fruit fruit but not much else (but tannin). By about 9 it had op ened nicely. Cassis and black plum, tobacco, a little cedar. Midbodied, fre sh acids. I'm feeling much more hopeful about this vintage, most seem to be a few years away from the early mature stage, but think they will offer pl easure. In the end this bottle gets a B+/A-
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.