Monday with leftover pork roast, brown rice,and a salad, the 2004 Schloss Gobelsburg "Gobelsburger" Gruner Veltliner (Kamptal). Lighter styled, with just a hint of residual sugar (which actually helps with the salty/spicy pork). Lentil and apple fruit, some pepper and spice. Not especially long, but nice for an inexpensive GruVe, I like better than previous bottle. B
Tuesday was Betsy's first day of rehearsals for the season, and I made a reservation to take her to dinner. A cable phone/internet installation at the office turned into a mini-disaster, and I barely made it home in time to pick her up. We went to a local place (Mighty Joe Youngs) with a jungle/safari scheme, and so-so steak menu. Wild boar quesadillas were ok, but so spicy the meat had no boar character. Mediocre bbq skirt & steak frites. I had checked on corkage ($15), and brought a bottle of 1996 Ch. Dauzac (Margaux). Showed better than a recent bottle of the 1995- plush red fruit, fragrant nose (Marguaxberries as some say), a bit of cedar and leather. Only light tannins, finish was too short to be a really good bottle of Bordeaux but this was a decent wine for its $25 closeout pricetag. B+/B
Wednesday Betsy made lobsters with tomatoes and tarragon over pasta, accompanied by salad and oven roasted brussel sprouts. I opened the
2001 JN Gagnard "Les Masures" Chassagne-Montrachet. On the woodier side of Burgundy, but the spicy oak was well-balanced by ripe Bosc pear fruit and enhanced by a mineral finish. Good acidity to stand up to the tomatoes in the pasta, long finish. With time the fruit and wood intertwine in a butterscotchy blend. Excellent for a village level Chassagne, 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.