Friday Betsy made a seriously good "rustic ragu" from a recipe from Michael White's Osteria Morini. Since this was Emilia-Romagna cuisine (and I wanted low alcohol), I opened a NV Venturini Baldini Roncolo Lambrusco. Moderately sweet, a bit of petillance, crushed blackberries. Simple but tasty. B-
My local wine group was coming over for an evening of Pacific Northwest wines. I had duck and regular proscuitto, mushroom mousse, assorted cheeses and snack. We sat on patio, drank (too much) and ate (too much), and had a grand old time. As usual, all blind, but one of the easier nights (bottle shapes help!), I didn't miss anything as to type, but I think neither did anyone else (I don't drink enough PNW wines to try and guess producer).
2001 Belle Pente Pinot Noir Reserve Murto (Willamette Valley) My wine. Good acidity, light tannins, black cherry, earth. Pleasant, ready, good. B+/B2007 Januik Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley) A bit glossy for me, others liked more. Cassis, chocolate, slick. B/B-
2007 Foris Pinot Noir(Rogue Valley) Clean Pinot fruit, raspberry and cherry, good acidity, light to medium bodied. B2007 RouteStock Cellars Pinot Noir ( Willamette Valley) Light, crisp, red raspberries, a little short.I actually thought of guessing Gamay but unsure how much was in OR so stuck to PN. B/B-
2006 The Pinot Club Pinot Noir ( Willamette Valley) Red fruit, medium body, little hint of oak, a nice gamey edge. This was apparently a private bottling involving a mutual friend, the label had a bunch of grapes that were actually profiles, I didn't spot our friend until Fred pointed out. B2007 Seven Hills "Ciel du Cheval" Red Mountain Somewhat lush texture (I debated saying Merlot before opting for CS, turns out it's a Bdx blend), oak, dark fruits. Some people really liked, a bit too much artifice for me. B-
Straightforward wines for the most part, but nothing I wanted to look for.
We should have stopped there, but the French guys felt no night was complete without a French wine.
1983 La Lagune (Haut Medoc) This had been standing up couple weeks, quick decant, drinking well right off the bat.Fresh blackcurrant fruit, lots of earth, a little barnyard but not at all intrusive, leather. Good length, smooth texture , I'm actually surprised how youthful it seems. Popular around table, my WOTN B+/A-We really should have stopped there, but some asked for "port for the walk home" so I got a 375:
1997 Quinto do Noval "Silva" Vintage Port Dense dark fruit, coffee, cocoa, but overall a bit simple. B/B-Betsy played a wedding this afternoon as a favor to a friend of a friend in a jam, so I did most of dinner- lemon sole broiled with a light mustard sauce, and a sauteed kohlrabi dish, while Betsy did the baby bok choy. Wine was the 2009 Shafer-Frohlich "Medium Dry" Riesling. A bit larger/richer than the 2008, but similar overall- just slightest hint of sugar, citrus (lime) and apple fruit, mineral notes. Nice wine, glad to have several. B+/B
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 party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.