For last week?s Zoom call, our group (9) located 8 bottles of the 1973 Sterling. I volunteered to be odd man out, and showed up for call with lamb stew and the 1974 Sterling Cabernet Sauvignon. Pretty classic old school Napa cab, black cherry accented with a little red fruit and plenty of herbs, some smoke on finish. An acidic spine, long and lively. B+/A-
Couple nights later , pasta frutti di mare, with the 2011 Montelena Chardonnay. Some vanilla-y oak notes, good acids, some green apple and lemon, but a bit reserved for now. Might hold a few to see, B-/B
Picked up Betsy at airport (masked and windows cracked) , got some aloo palak, chana masala, baigan bhartha. Opened the 2006 Philipponnat Le Leon Champagne. Crisp, long, elegant mousse, delicious but horrible match with the food. B+/A- wine, D match.
Betsy?s birthday, dinner with an air purifier between us, lamb rib chops (from a Blue Hill Stone Barns box) , barley, salad, and the 1981 La Mission Haut Brion. Really in a nice place, smooth cassis overlaid with tobacco, gravel, and minty herb. Tannins mostly resolved, nice length, holds up well over entire evening. A pointe. B+/A-
With lamb/pinenut sausage, turmeric kraut, cavatelli with broccoli/kale pistou, & Brussels sprouts the 1999 Nikolaihof Steiner Hund. Superb showing, wet rocks and citrus, some light petrol, floral notes too. Long minerally finish. A-
Scored some sorrel (Betsy loves) at market, we had sorrel 2 ways. Scallops in a sorrel butter sauce, bok choy, rice, and a sorrel/pear/walnut salad. 2014 Bize ?les Perrieres? Bourgogne Blanc was a solid white Burg, white fruit with a little citrus and flowers, good acids, but lacking a bit of the verve of previous bottles. 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.