Friends have been inviting us over while kitchen is redone. Thursday we wen t over the hill, where we were greeted with shrimp saganaki. I had carried the 2016 Adegas Gran Vinum “ Nessa” Albarino (Rias Baixas). Fresh, hint of petillance, lemon and grapefruit. Nice saline finish. Brigh t and tasty. B/B+ Dinner was rotisserie chicken (need to get one for my grill) , with pasta p rimavera and kale salad
2013 Bila Haut “ Occultum Lapidem” (Cotes du Roussillon ) Dense, dark, extracted, a bit jammy. Not my style. C+2014 Lapierre Morgon Berries and flowers, just a hint of merde. Good acids, nice balance. B+/B
Betsy used crockpot to make Asian pulled pork, rice cooker to make rice, a nd sauteed some bokchoy while at her sisters Fri afternoon. Wine was the 1
993 Michel Gaunoux Beaune. Great freshness for 25 year old village wine, br ight acids, but black cherry fruit. Some earth and mushroom with time. Fine value, and no hurry. B+Cal and Kath had us over for ribs, mustard greens, potato salad, & grilled cabbage.
2002 Ridge Lytton Springs In the zone. Sweet dark berry fruit, a garrigue/herbal touch, ready to go. Could be longer, wouldn’t hold. B/B+2007 Schäfer-Fröhlich Bockenauer Felseneck Riesling Spätlese Goldkapsel Prime time. Lovely balance of sugar and acids, crisp yet with tropical frui t, some lime and apple blossom. Long, complete. A-
We do have a grill, invited a friend and his dog over for clams and garlic, and a squid/mushroom salad (of course it rained as I grilled)
2001 Havens Bourriquot Friend leans towards red, so opened something I knew was a fave of his to s tart. Nice showing- rich dark fruit, a little tobacco and cocoa. Fully matu re. B/B+2014 Pepiere Muscadet Just the base bottling, but crisp minerally and lemony. Tangy and tensile. B/B+
2006 Schloss Gobelsburg “Lamm” Gruner Veltliner Big and rich, enough acid to balance, a hint of white pepper is what doesn ’t make it a ringer for a good ripe vintage Meursault. Very good l ength, powerful wine but with nuance. A-/B+No wine Monday (sous vide chicken) or Tuesday (Middle Eastern takeout) 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.