Friends came for dinner, we started with smoked salmon, baba ganoush, romes co, and the NV Bruno Paillard Premiere Rose. Lovely wine, fresh cherry and strawberry with a touch of citrus peel and bread. Elegant mousse, full and fresh. A-/B+
Dinner was local pork porterhouses on the grill, with spinach, rice, and sa lad.
2014 Enderle & Moll Liason PN I loved this, a little tart for some. Raspberry and cranberry, very floral, fresh and bright. Spicy. B+/A-2006 Frescobaldi”Montesodi” Chianti Rufina Riserva Others liked more, I found heavy and plodding. Black plums, a tad jammy, lo w acid for Chianti. B-/C+
Betsy made artic char with sesame seeds and a red wine reduction and a kale /mintwalnut salad with a peanut dressing, wine was the 2015 Guignier ? ?Bio-Vitis” Morgon . Sturdy but approachable, red and black cherr ies, violets, a little smoke. B+
Friday local group came over, theme was Rioja. I had out some cheeses (raw Manchego, Ossau Iraty, Shropshire) and charcuterie (duck rillettes, lonza, summer sausage, Alsatian style sec, pate grandmere), I also had a bubbly to welcome
2000 Edmond Barnaut Champagne Grand Cru Not my style- seemingly high dosage, nutty/oxidative notes, cider apples, b read. Fine mousse, good acids. Others liked and if you prefer Krug to Comte s you might as well. B-1998 Lopez de Heredia “Tondonia” Rioja Reserva blanco As usual, divisive. I (and couple guys) liked its idiosyncratic style- a bi t oxidative, with strong coconut, almond, and citrus notes, with earth and wax. Others felt too weird. B+
On to the blind reds. Rioja #1 This is lovely, young old style Rioja. Black cherry, coffee, coconut, spice . Midbodied and long.
2005 La Rioja Alta “904 “ Rioja Gran Reserva A-Rioja #2 Mine. Clearly older but holding on well. Black plums, dill, clove, earth. T annins pretty much gone, moderate acids. Good but ready.
1981 Beronia Rioja Gran Reserva B/B+Rioja #3 Young, fruit driven,red fruit, American oak (coconut, dill), spice.
2010 Baron de Ley Rioja Reserva B+Rioja #4 Black cherry, vanilla, mocha. A little sweet for me.
2011 Montana Rioja Reserva B-Rioja #5 A little tired, wood and fading cherry fruit.
1998 Marques del Puerto Rioja Gran Reserva B-/C+Rioja #6 Red cherry, spice, coffee, long finish. Delicious and young.
2001 La Rioja Alta “Ardanza” Rioja Reserva B+/A-Rioja #7 Straightforward fruit bomb, tasty but simple, clearly Crianza.
2013 CVNE “Cune” Rioja Crianza BFun night. Good guys. Good wines.
Last night I roasted a chicken with “rainbow” carrots and m ushrooms, also had roasted radicchio and green beans. Wine was the 2011 Fev re “les Clos: Chablis GC. Really delicious- lemon, green apple, oys ter shell. Bright, focused, and long. Ideally this could age but my PremOx record with Fevre is poor, so I’ll just drink my other bottle soon and enjoy. A-/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 p arty where it was only choice.Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivi ty, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.