No wine Thursday with chicken, but Friday I had some pot roast from freezer with the 2014 Heitz Grignolino. Musky/floral nose, lively acids, red stone fruits. Lighter styled, not very long, but nice red for a warm night. B+/B
Saturday I was bored and recruited 5 friends to come for dinner. Ron has sm oked some sockeye, and brought some as canapes on cuke topped with sour cre am and a caper. NV Laherte Ultradition. CT lists both a Brut and a Brut Nat ure, this has Brut Nature on front label and Brut on back. If this is Brut Nature, it’s the roundest BN I’ve tasted. Apple and baked p ear, hint of ginger, nice mousse. B+/B
I had made a couple of starter courses, a scallop ceviche and a variation o n caprese (pesto in place of straight basil)
2014 Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) Reserve Speciale Bordeaux Blanc Grapefruit and grass, modest acids, clipped with a little metallic note. 60 % Sem/40% SB, I would have guessed more (overcropped) SB. B-/C+
2010 Boulay “Les Monts Damnes” Sancerre Full, balanced, citrus and green apple, long minerally finish. Could age, b ut delicious now. A-
I had parboiled and split some lobsters, now I grilled them
2014 Valanges “Les Cras” Saint Veran Good acids, nice clean flavors, but a little short. B-
Then grilled tritip marinated in fish sauce and garlic, served with Jonatha n’s carrots and Swiss chard.
1990 Ch. Sociando-Mallet Classic Sociando meets ripe vintage- a touch of herb and green pepper over a solid base of cassis, mocha, and black cherry. About 2 hours in decanter, drinking beautifully. Good length, balance, finish. A-/B+
2001 Edmunds St John “Los Robles Viejos” Cherries, meat, smoke and leather, young and drinks fine on night 2 as well , very tasty. B+
Good night.
Sunday I was solo, just me and a crab cake, pasta with pesto, and leftover wine. The Sancerre and ESJ were still showing well, the the Heitz good desp ite a little oxidation , and the St Veran and Bdx blanc were drinkable (jus t).
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.