With Betsy away Thursday dinner was leftovers and the 2007 Guion “Cuvee P restige” Bourgeuil. I really thought this was (surprising to me) quite sh ut down, some red fruits trying to push through, maybe a hint of herb, but not much else. A tiny sip before using to deglaze the lamb pan was better n ight 2, but on night one not showing much. B-
Both the pooch and I were lonely without Betsy, so I set up a playdate for a poodle for her, and invited 3 couples for dinner Friday. Everyone contrib uted, so easy party to throw. We started with the NV Pinon Vouvray Brut. Very appley (one guest on first sip asked if it was cider, not that far off from artisanal cider actually), friendly and fruitforward, yet with some yeasty complexity and a full rich mouthfeel. B+
Al brought the first course, a seafood salad (squid, shrimp, and scallop). Wine was the 2002 Remi Jobard “Les Charmes” Meursault 1er. Don’t want to jinx it, but so far 2 for 2 on this purchase. Rich, full, pear and haze lnut, no signs of decline, drinking quite well. A-/B+
Main course was a leg of lamb I had seasoned with cumin, coriander, and anc hovy; I also did asparagus in miso butter while Annabelle brought a red qui noa dish with mushrooms and cauliflower. The wines
2004 Ch. Corbin (St Emilion) Black plum fruit, some light green herb notes, moderate acids, fairly light tannins. Not especially enchanting right now, but a nice enough middleweig ht. B 1979 Domaine de Chevalier Classic mature claret, tannins resolved, good acids, pretty dark fruits wit h plenty of cigarbox and rocky mineral notes. Yum.A-2010 Stephane Magnien Chambolle-Musigny I wasn’t enamored at first, quite tight, but it really opened nicely- red der fruits, smoke and floral notes, pretty and charming. B+
A quick break for a watercress salad with avocado in a soy/lime dressing, t hen a raspberry and chocolate dessert from Donna, and a half bottle of the
1978 Ch. Coutet from me. Orange peel/marmalade,, honey, nice flavor profile but could use a touch more acidity, this particular 375 might be a little tired. B-Leftovers (lamb, coq au vin over egg noodles, arugula) Saturday with the 1
998 La Rioja Alta “904” Rioja Gran Reserva after picking up Betsy in Ne wark. . Surprising. I've quite liked other bottles from this same case, whi le this seems tired and a bit oxidized. Loose cork? Don't think this is cor rect bottle, a C+For a big Easter potluck, I made celeriac remoulade with mussels and a len til salad, plus carried a couple of wines. Others made a nice assortment- s almon, Cuban style pork, asparagus, deviled eggs, pasta with pesto, lots of salads, cheeses, etc.
2011 Iche Les Heretiques (VdP l’Herault) I carried this because some of the other guests had been at my Good Friday dinner, and taken exception to some of my theological comments. But no one objected to this, just a friendly Lab puppy kind of wine, maybe a bit riper than some vintages, but overall it’s the usual QPR winner- dark berry fr uits, some spice (a hint me a bit of that “Russian tea” my mom made wit h Tang in 70s). B/B+2008 Matrot Meursault A bit of oak, nice full mouthfeel, decent acid balance, very popular. B+/B
2011 Box o Birds Sauvignon Blanc Gooseberry, lime, a bit bland, but good finish. B-2011 Pescargot Grassy, citrus, a bit thin, I’d assume mostly SB. B-/C+
2010 Petit Chapeau Cotes du Rhone Pretty good basic CdR, no overripe notes, round and herby, B2011 Domane du Grand Moulin Sauvignon Blanc 'Touraine' Lighter styled, not very deep, but pleasant and correct. B-
2010 Descendientes de Palacios Petalos Nice acid balance, fruity, a touch glossy. B-The 2011 Joel Gott Zinfandel Macerated blackberries, very popular, just not with me. B-/C+
After a long day of IT hell (3of 10 hours at work WORKING, 7 hours on tryin g stuff and chat/call with support at ISP and web host), I was too tired to think of cooking, so when Betsy got back from teaching we grabbed a takeou t pizza (mushrooms, peppers, broccoli). Wine was the 2011 Edmunds St John B one Jolly Gamay Noir. Ah, just the remedy for a bad day. Raspberry and spic e, light but with plenty of zoom, well balanced, perfect for the night and food. A-/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.