My turn to cook last night, and I went with a chicken mixed grill- sausages with spinach, fontina, and garlic, with grilled chicken breasts with some bbq sauce Betsy had made earlier. I also grilled some squash, with were tossed with the peppers and oil from previous day's escarole dish. Storebought broccoli rabe for green. I thought about off-dry Riesling (due to the sauce and the sausage), but all my Riesling seems to need time (note to self- buy some drink-now QbA and Kabinett). Eventually went with a lightly chilled Beaujolais, the 2005 Vissoux (Pierre-Marie Chermette) "Poncie" Fleurie. A lovely wine that has gotten lovelier over the last 8 months. Good though not giving at first, really opens with about 30 minutes of air. Floral nose with a little woodsmoke and earth, quite lush on the palate with black cherry fruit that has a little sharp grenadine-ish edge. Ripe but with a clear and delineated acidity at the core. Excellent finish, all one could ask in $17 wine. 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