Friday was grilled sausages and squash with a glass of the 2013 Pacherhof K erner, Dry, nectarine and green apple fruit, crisp and minerally. B+
After dinner, walked the hound, then headed over to Alex's for local non-se rious wine group. Carried the Kerner with me, as I suspected a new grape to everyone, and they enjoyed it. A couple of people were trying a '98 Rioja GR from night before, just tasted maderized to me, I'll wait till I try one of my bottles (was a split case). To table for the theme of Cabernet Franc . This is supposed to be just cheese etc but Alex actually had a braised po rk tenderloin with apples, some rice, some salad. Out of politeness I ate a gain!
Blind Cab Franc #1 Mine , so I wasn't guessing, most guessed Loire. Light, lithe, crunchy red fruits with a nice herbal edge. 2012 Eminence Road Cabernet Franc B+
Blind Cab Franc #2 Black cherries, a little vanilla, midbodied. 2012 Weimer Cabernet Franc B
Blind Cab Franc #3 A little prickly, bright red fruits, I assumed Loire CF from a natural prod ucer. No one picked out as same as #1. We tasted again, distinctly differen t, no petillance in #1. This was good though 2012 Eminence Road Cabernet F ranc B
Blind Cab Franc #4 Plump fruit, oaky, unrecognizable to me as CF. Some others liked. 2007 Beau canon Estate "louis" Cabernet Franc (Napa Valley) C/C+
What are chances first 4 CFs would be US, and 3 from NY?
Blind Cab Franc #5 Pretty red fruits, snappy acids, light but structured, I like a lot and fig ure has to be Loire. My WOTN.
2012 Breton "Clos Senechal" Bourgueil B+/A-
Blind Cab Franc #6 Smoky, deep red fruits, a touch of funk- I thought Chinon - big for a Saumu r-C from a name I'm not familiar with. 2011 Tuffe/Hureau Saumur Champigny B
+
Not blind Cab Franc My bonus bottle. 2006 Filliatreau "Grande Vignole" Saumur Champigny. Full, lots of smoke and herb, a little coffee on the darker fruits, structured bu t drinking well. B+
Saturday took some Asian style eel from freezer, with rice and cabbage. Fir st I opened the
2002 Chatenoy Menetou-Salon rouge. Good fill, clean cork, still some berry fruit but more ashtray than I wanted. Alive, but barely. C+
So I opened the 2014 Nicolas Gonin Rose. Mostly Mondeuse, this is light and lively, fresh raspberries, a nice touch of bitter herb. B/B+
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 party where it was only choice.Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectiv ity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.