With herbed salmon, barley, and roasted green beans, the 2006 Txomin Etxaniz (Getariako Txakolina). This Txakoli is once again a winner. A little hint of petillance, crisp and fresh. As it has in earlier vintages, reminds me of a bigger framed Muscadet. Lemony fruit, chalk/ minerals and seabreeze. Mineral driven at first, as it warms a bit the fruit is more pronounced and riper. Nice wine. B+
Last night my turn to cook, and I tried for once to stay reasonably within recipe (Betsy's Sonoma Diet book). Recipe called for some white wine, so I opened a bargain bin bottle, the 2004 Pfaffl "Event" Gruner Veltliner. Sweet apple fruit with a touch of green pea, very light, almost dilute. Good for cooking, clean flavors at least. C+/B-
Recipe was "bistro chicken with garlic" along with a blackeyed-pea/ corn/tomato/chile salad, and wholegrain pasta with an arugula sauce. The salad was great, the chicken not so exciting. Book suggested "Merlot or Syrah", but I went with a half bottle of the 2002 Olga Raffault "Picasses" Chinon. This was drinking well right now, I'm guessing a 750 might be more backward. Delicious raspberry fruit, mostly resolved tannins, good acidty. A bright and fun red. I dawdled over the final glass, and some aromas of tobacco leaf, flowers, and earth mixed with the red fruit. Tasty if not profound. I paid about $10 for the half, excellent value at that price. 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.