Thursday another dinner with Betsy's trio, I grilled some squid, shrimp, and scallops, which Betsy turned into a delicious seafood salad. I poured the 2002 Christian Moreau Chablis. Clean lemon and white peach fruit, some distinct minerality (notes of chalk, flint, and even limestone). Good acidity, clean finish. Good QPR at $12. B+/B
Friday I took Betsy to the airport early, after a long day stopped by local shop and picked up couple of $20 -something red Burgs. That night opened the first- the 2002 Domaine de Vougeraie "Terres de Famille" Pinot Noir Bourgogne. I've met (and liked) the young winemaker here. But this wine is too anonymously international to excite me- ripe red approaching jammy fruit, a whiff of toasty oak, etc. The fruit is attractive despite the jamminess, and there's a hint of Burgundian earth. But for the same $21 I could get a RRV PN that's truer to its place. B/B-
So today I spend the day working and at the house, doing some touch-up paint, etc. With Bety gone, I decide to indulge in one of the culinary passions she doesn't share with me, sausage. I grill some d'Artagnan duck/armagnac sausages and squash, as well as make a salad. As I'm grilling, I sip the Vougeraie- no improvement. But I open the dinner wine, the 2002 Catherine and Claude Marechal Savigny-les-Beaune Vieilles Vignes. Holy %^$&! Clean damp earth over beautiful raspberry and black cherry fruit, light tannins and moderate acidity. There's spice and more of that damp earth. I have a glass with dinner , consult the drivometer ("let's see, about 3 oz. of the Bourgogne, 4 oz of the Savigny, well over an hour and you weigh in at over 200- drive!") and go to Rochambeau. Since previous day they've sold out. AAAGGGHH!. I go home, check winesearcher but can't find, despair and write importer. Then I remember "oh yeah, there's 5/6s of the bottle left." It's gotten even better- sandalwood and earth over Bing cherry fruit, good finish. For exceeding expectations this is a solid A, but an A- on today's version of the Dale Inconsistent Scale.
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