A cool summer day Friday, I got home and enjoyed a glass of wine on the front porch with Betsy, the 2005 Domaine des Escaravailles "La Ponce" Cotes du Rhone. Mid-bodied, honied pears, a bit of pineapple. Low to middling acids, nothing to look for. B-
We headed up to Scarborough for dinner with friends. Betsy had brought deviled eggs (curried and shrimp) as an appetizer, I had a glass of the 2008 Martín Codax Albarino - light, innocuous, grapefruit and peaches. B-
With salmon with a little caper/onion salsa, asparagus, and salad; as well as some cheeses:
2007 Copain "Tous Ensemble" Syrah (Mendocino) I think of Copain as rather restrained, but this is quite ripe. Still, decent acidity, noticable but easy tannins, only a hint of vanillin oak, tasty. B
2007 Ateca "de Fuego" Garnacha 2007 Well, I thought the Copain was ripe till I tasted this. Macerated cherries, blueberries, jammy. Not my style, but for a cheap fruitbomb it will appeal (rightly) to lots of people. 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 party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.