Friday I had a busy day, but passed by HMart to pick up dinner. We started on front porch with a few oysters and the 2014 Pepiere Muscadet-sur-Lie-de- Sevre-et-Maine (I used to just say Pepiere Muscadet, but last couple of yea rs Olivier has put out an early release that doesn’t have enough ti me on lees )- Without the richness of the Briords, but a lovely wine with s aline/oyster shell minerality and tart lemony fruit. Great acids, nice fini sh. B++
Then we moved to patio, where I grilled Pork bulgogi & king trumpet mushroo ms, served with haiga rice w/furikake, Chinese spinach, and the 2015 Foilla rd Morgon. Red raspberry fruit and spice, ripe but not at all overripe, goo d value at $17. B+/B
Saturday we (including Ruby the pup, her first dinner at someone else? ?s home) walked over the hill to some neighbors for dinner. We started wi th some pate, and the 2013 Raventos “Nit”. Just a lovely pi nk cava, quite dry and lively, strawberries and orange peel, bright. B+
Then onto their deck for clams with fried garlic, and the 2014 Dampt Chabli s. Green apple, honeydew, a little mineral, good but could use a little mor e cut. B
Main course was grilled tritip, squid, salad, & my leeks in vinaigrette.
2013 Raul Perez Ultreia (Bierzo) Spicy, red fruited, bright acids, good length. B+1999 Massolino Barolo I gave this an hour or two in decanter before returning to bottle. Lots of tannin, but not harsh, moderate acids. Good black cherry fruit, tar and flo wers, good finish. No apparent oak . This was young and needs time, but enj oyable. B+
2013 Bujanda Rioja Crianza Strawberry jam, low acid, short. C/C+There was green garlic at the farmers’ market this weekend, so Bets y made green puttanesca (green olives, spinach, basil etc) and a salad, and the 2015 Kofererhof Pinot Grigio. Peach, pear, and some light tropical not es. Ripe but with an acidic backbone, good finish. B/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.