Friday was a kale salad with a soft egg and a Pierre Franey recipe for clam sauce and fresh fettucine, and the 2010 Benaza Godello, Really satisfying for the money- sweet peachy fruit, but it?s crisp and dry on palate. Refr eshing, minerally, buy again. B+
Saturday we lit the Hannukah candles at sunset, had a glass of the NV Caste llroig Cava. Light, refreshing, herb and licorice over lemon. Crisp and lig ht. Good length. B/B+
Then we went to a Nikolaus party (luckily, rain held off and temps were mod erate- Roger is a German traditionalist, and the party must be outside!). M ostly cookies and mulled wine, but I carried along a bottle of the 2007 Tri mbach Pinot Blanc. Sweet pit fruits, a hint of Riesling-like petrol, citru s, not especially long, but hey it was really cheap! B-
Home for latkes and ?Atlanta? brisket (recipe includes Coca-Cola), win e was the
2010 Texier Cotes du Rhone (this is the basic CdR, with the busy/colorful l abel). Solid red fruits, good acids, light tannins, quite nice. BSunday we had chicken breast with soy, lime, and sesame oil, baby bok choy, some assorted leftovers, with the 2011 Terres Dorees (Brun) ?Cuvee Premi ere? Beaujolais. OK, I believe this is supposed to be a Beaujolais Nouvea u, but it doesn?t taste like that. Moderate red fruits, but some light bu t apparent tannin. The confounding part is it improves on night 2 and 3. Pl enty of crunchy red fruits, good acids, herb and earth. Fun stuff. B+
Recently got some corn smut from Oregon Mushrooms, and beans from Rancho Go rdo, so invited some friends for meatless Monday- huitlacoche/mushroom ques adillas, vegetarian tacos (cheese, guacamole, kale). roast kabocha squash, and a vegetarian chili with Sangre de Toro beans.
NV Pinon Vouvray Brut Sweet apples, good acids, fine mousse, beautiful for $20 bubbly. B++
2009 Descendientes de Palacios "Petalos" (Bierzo) Red fruits, a little vanilla edge, not bad but would prefer more sense of a place than good internationally styled wine. B-2010 Baudry Chinon excellent length, black cherry and raspberry, earthy, good. B/B+
2009 Wind Gap Pinot Gris Skin contact (orange) wine I assume, looks like a rose - a darker rose at t hat. I really didn?t like this at first- seemed austere and overly herby. But improved a lot with air - smoky, cranberry and red plum. full, long. B-/C+ day one, B on day 2.
Tuesday we had leftovers- brisket (over egg noodles that weren?t leftover ), a kale stew, kabocha squash. Wine was a half bottle of the 2006 Havens B ourriquot. From 375ml this is fully mature, no real tannins left, dark slig htly horsey fruit with some red kirschy stuff after some air. a bit dull. I ?ve enjoyed other bottles and half-bottles of this much more. B-/C+
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 p arty where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectiv ity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.