Betsy’s mom as well as David and Grace were all in town, I had an h our to throw together dinner while Betsy returned from a rehearsal- pressur e cooker coq au vin, quinoa, orange/cumin carrots, broccoli. Cooking wine w as the 2015 Meiomi Pinot Noir - sweet and confected, fleshy, not my style. C+ But you know, sweet and fruity works well for CauV.
Dinner wine was the 2013 Clos du Mont Olivet (Sabon) Cotes du Rhone VV. Nic e, ripe and fleshy, herbs/garrigue on a medium finish. B/B+
Next night I did scallops on linguine with pesto, with an Asian slaw on the side. Wine was the
2009 Bedrock “Caritas” - a little oak, but a little somethi ng else as well. OK, it’s TCA! Damn.Replacement was the 2015 Falkenstein “Niedermenniger Sonnenberg? ?? Riesling Spatlese Feinherb (AP#7). Great acids, moderate ripeness, l ime and peach with a spicy edge. B+
Friday I had a speech in Bedford after work, came home late (Betsy was play ing Candide at Jazz@LC) to leftovers. Wine was the 1998 Riojanas “V ina Albina” Rioja Gran Reserva. Nice showing- well-balanced, elegan t, red fruit accented with coffee, spice, and leather. Young, American oak still apparent, but tasty. B+/A-
Saturday it was just me and the MIL, I made salmon with baharat/yogurt, ric e, green beans with sesame, sweet potato. Wine was the 2014 Pierre-Yves Col in-Morey “le Banc” St Aubin. This is a village wine, but is really quite good. Rich, minerally, wood in balance, enough acid to prop u p the sweet pear fruit. B+
Sunday I had an all day meeting, then we had some friends over as well as m y MIL before her flight next AM. No time to shop, I threw together appetize rs from fridge/freezer/pantry- shrimp cocktail, mackerel in piripiri on pit a, olives, sweet potato/salmon roe/cream cheese while Betsy returned from p erformance.
NV Agrapart “7 Crus” BdB Champagne This had been cellared a few years, some nice maturing yeasty notes, apple fruit still fresh. B/B+
Nancy had brought a salad, we enjoyed with the 2013 Pepiere “Briord s” Muscadet. Maybe not my favorite Briords, but still delicious (an d ready to go). Seashell, citrus, nice finish. B++
Betsy had done a pot roast in slow cooker
1998 Leoville Poyferre Red and black fruits, some tannin, some leather and cedar. Tasty, but witho ut the charm of 98 RBs. B2013 Norton Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Sweet, slightly kirschy fruit, round, not too long. B-/C+ Monday Betsy made bucatini all'amatriciana, wine was the 2011 Melini ? ?La Selvanella” Chianti Classico Riserva. I’ve liked this before but this night it seemed hard and charmless. Some black cherry unde r tannin, unsure if bottle, just shut down, or off night for my taste buds. B-/ C+???
No wine Tuesday (leftovers), then Wed Betsy made a quick bouillabaisse (squ id, shrimp, scallops, clams) and a kale/pecorino salad and I opened the 201
5 Edmunds St John Bone Jolly Rose. I was a bit taken back at first, seemed a little bitter, but that transformed into a savoriness that I really enjoy ed. Rounder and fleshier than it seemed last summer, just as tasty but in a different key. B+Thursday we both had big days, and she needed early dinner before going to performance, so I picked up a rotisserie chicken and we had with leftover k ale salad, seaweed salad, and Korean pickles. Wine was the 2012 Remi Jeanni ard Morey St. Denis Vieilles Vignes. Black cherry and raspberry, touch of e arth, moderate length, hint of green. 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 p arty where it was only choice.Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivi ty, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.