Betsy has been up at the Abode in the Berkshires for a couple of raga concerts, I tried a variety of wines over a couple of nights with friends:
2005 Landron "Amphibolite Nature" Muscadet Sevre et Maine I remember buying this wine then coming home to computer to find a flurry of notes about how it sucked. However, when I opened it I found a fun lightweight Muscadet. A tiny hint of petillance, oystershell and slate. But as it opened the critical opinion was at least partially validated- it got less mineral (and less interesting, though never totally boring), with the green apple and lemon fruit coming to the fore. Good, but Pepiere's actually slightly cheaper.B2001 Sandro Fay "Sassella" Valtelinna Superiore Good midweight Nebbiolo, ripe black cherry fruit over a tarry vanilla exterior. If this was Barolo I'd call this "moderate" on the traditional/modern scale. B+/B
2004 Dutour "La Roche" Pouilly-Fuisse Sweet fruit, some toasty oak, not what I'm looking for in Macon, though it does have some acidic backbone and would probably kick the ass of most $12 CA chards for my tastes. B-2001 Ch. Monbousquet (St. Emilion) Big fruit, with smoke and coffee on opening. Lots of toasty oak. With time the black fruit envelopes the mocha oak notes. Super-modern, but welldone. My friend Joe loves big wines, and this hit the spot for him. While modern, I did think it identifiably Bordeaux, and a good match with the lamb chop part of a mixed grill (the chipolte chicken sausages were too spicy for any dry red). B+
1996 Ch. Talbot (St Julien) (from 375) Black currant and black plum fruit, earth, and tobacco. Earthy but without the serious barnyard a 750 showed this spring. Solid wine for $12 a half! B/B+On Saturday I was briefly in Zachys, where they were pouring some Spanish wines (which I skipped) and some Prosecco (which I didn't):
Bisol "Jeio" Prosecco Dry, crisp, light, minerally, easy. B (but gets extra points for valueat $10-11).
Bisol "Crede" Prosecco Bigger and a bit rounder, still bone dry but in this case that comes across as a bit austere. About $15 and I prefer the Jeio. 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.