Sunday was an absolutely glorious day (80° and sunny); my organization held our annual picnic/softball game and we all had a great time. Lots of fun, but lots of work for me, and I was pooped when I got home. Betsy had been there too, so we were lucky that some friends were bringing over dinner. Pleasant evening on the front porch and back patio, the dinner wine was a good match with pesto & shrimp with pasta. It was the 2002 Pieropan Soave Classico. Nice refreshing white, apple and pear fruit with light notes of flowers. A hint of nuts on the nice finish, definitely need to restock this. B/B+
One guest is red-centric (and generally likes everything), so I opened a bottle that was on the counter. 2002 Soldo Cabernet Sauvignon (Veneto), a left-behind party orphan, for which I had low expectations. Which were pretty accurate- blah fruit with an edge of greenness, and an oak-chippy edge. Maybe a little RS. C
Monday we took David and a friend to see "The Frogs" for David's birthday (Nathan Lane was funny, play was uneven but better than some reviews). Beforehand we went to an Ethiopian restaurant near Lincoln Center. I was not really in the mood for beer (St. George isn't bad), nor for Ethiopian "honey wine". So I ordered a glass of the Fairview Sauvignon Blanc. I've liked Fairview's Goats wines in general. This wine had some nice gooseberry fruit, nice acidity, but there was again a sweetness- kind of a KJ Vintner's Reserve off-dryness. B/B-. Ok match with the vegetarian dishes and yebeg alecha , less successful with the berbere-heavy dishes like tibs wats (that's where the St. George beer would have hit the spot).
Tuesday I grilled swordfish (ginger/soy/garlic marinade) and corn,along with a tomato salad. Good opportunity to open one of my recent "rediscoveries" (wines I thought I'd drunk up), the 2000 Hiedler Grüner Veltliner Thal Novemberlese. Big lush style of GV, yet with a bracing acidity to match the ripe fruit. Citrus and tropical fruit yet with a touch of green apple (damn, that's the whole fruit basket!). Mineral and pepper on the finish. Nice wine. B+
Last night we went over to friends' home for dinner (grilled sausages, mushrooms, and a salad). As these friends are more on the new-age end of the spectrum (she's a feng shui practictioner and "soul coach", etc), I thought this might be a good time to bring out the biodynamic wines. So I brought the
2002 Clos Roche Blanche Touraine Sauvignon. Good gooseberry meets grapefruit fruit, hint of grass, nice wine. B/B+ Not sure if it's biodynamic, but at least the label of the 2002 Iché Les Hérétiques (VdP de l'Hérault) has lots of stars on it. Earthy nose, good blackberry fruit with moderate acidity and a decent Rhonish finish. A $7 steal. B+
With the cheeses, the last of the GV from night before- still showing well- maybe I need to up to B+/A-
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. Dale
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