No wine opened Thursday, as I had dinner at office before a meeting. Friday was a chicken tagine-ish dish with couscous and the 2014 Domaine des Cost es Bergerac rose. Light, fresh, spicy. Nothing complex here but nice foodfr iendly pink for $10.B
Saturday the fishmonger at market had first of the season bay scallops- mad e a white wine /red pepper sauce served with linguine and the 2014 Clos Roc he Blanche "#2" Sauvignon Blanc. Quite full bodied, ripe but with a nervy u nderlay of acidity, grapefruit and melon fruit with wildflowers. No grass, no catpee, but identifiably SB. Shoulda bought more. B+/A-
Sunday went a friend's 60th. Her husband greeted us with foie gras canapes, salmon on cuke, and the NV Diebolt-Vallois Blanc de Blancs Champagne. Cri sp, green apple, snappy, light but fun B
Dinner was a salad, lamb shanks on white bean puree, and roasted vegetable. Several reds made rounds
2006 Crognolo Softer Sangiovese, black cherry and plum, round. B-2006 Fontodi Chianti Classico Fairly structured still, both tannin and acid prominent, but balanced by bl ack cherry fruit. Some saddle leather, hint of underbrush. B+
2007 Vieille Julienne Châteauneuf-du-Pape Others liked. Hot, a little pruney, jammy, overripe. C+/C2001 La Rioja Alta Ardanza Rioja Reserva Especial At first I was a little put off by this, some VA and green pickle notes, bu t this improved drastically in decanter and glass, dropping the pickle, low ering the volatility, and emerging as a very nice Rioja, red fruited with s ome spice, sandalwood, & fennel. Quite nice. B+/A-
I had brought cheeses (Stilton, Comte de Savioe, Montgomery Cheddar) and a n offdry wine to finish.
1989 Mabilliere Vouvray Demisec Moderate sweetness, good acids, no Huet but tasty. BFun night
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.