Last week I left off the second red from the steak dinner. 2011 Pavelot Savigny-les-Beaune. Ready, black cherry and coffee, nice herby note on finish. Nice for village wine. B/B+
On Friday we wanted a break from turkey, so steamed two lobsters, and Betsy made kimchi carbonara (!) and Chinese spinach. White Burg is my normal lobster, but didn’t think would do for lobster, opened the 2021 Emrich-Schonleber Estate Riesling Trocken. Probably should have gone for feinherb/hlabtrocken, but it did ok as a match and was an excellent rendition of dry Riesling. Steely acidity, tart lime and peach fruit, long minerally finish. Great QPR. B++
Saturday was salmon, leftover dressing/stuffing, and spinach, I opened what I thought was an Oregon rose and wasn’t (see below). Quickly turned to the 2022 Chidaine Touraine Rose. Groulleau, PN, Gamay. Soft watermelon and cherry, herby, a little dilute. B-/C+
Friends came over to help us finish off the paddlefish and hackleback caviar, I was out of blinis (besides one friend gluten free) and did traditional service with potato chips. NV Grongnet Blanc de Blancs Brut Champagne Disgorged Jan 2023. Sweet Fuji apple, chalk, a little toast. The sweet edge is a bit much for me, maybe needs a little time in bottle to absorb the dosage, but for now B-
Then we had miso soup, tonkatsu (some with rice panko), tsukemono, hijiki salad with edamame.
2022 Kelley Fox Nerthus This was sold as rose , I like Kelley F, so opened Saturday to discover it was an orange wine. Kept till following day, liked a bit more (friend who had never had an orange wine loved it)Muscat, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Pinot Blanc. Floral, musky, pit fruits and mango. Different! B2015 Fichet Auxey-Duresses blanc At first I thought the Fichetness was overwhelmed by the 2015ness, but it improved with air. . Ripe yes, but some tangy mineral acidity balanced the big white fruit. B/B+
1966 Calon-Segur Another wine that greatly improved with air. I thought acrid and a bit pruney on decanting, but really fleshes out and bottle stink dissipates. Actually still seems to have a bit of tannin, Cassis, cigarbox, gravel. B+/A-No wine Monday with a delicious and incredibly easy mussels and white bean dish.
Tuesday was “use those quinces day”. Duck with quince compote, collards, rice (as a side and as umeboshi onigiri). Wine was the 2011 Drouhin Cote de Beaune. Sharp and acidic, some air helps, but acid never seems totally integrated. Black and red cherry, cigar ash, forest floor. Holding on, maybe should have drunk earlier but with air fairly enjoyable. 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 objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.