The pianist from Betsy's piano trio was in town for rehearsals, and staying at our place. Betsy took her to the large local Oriental market, and they came back Monday and made dinner. First course was bok choy/tofu/miso napoleans, from a recipe by Ming Tsai (actually for spinach not bok choy). Every time Betsy makes this, I note that Ming calls for a match with a sparkling Chenin, and regret that the '98 Huet petillants are tucked away (non-home storage). But this time I remembered my latest haul from Chambers Street was downstairs, and it included a 1996 F. Pinon Vouvray Sec petillant. I had grabbed this because Betsy had really liked at a offline potluck. Give Ming points for the match, it really was good. The Vouvray was just lightly sparkling,with baked apple fruit, some citrus, flowers, and a tangy finish. B+
Main course was pad thai, accompanied by green beans with those little brown mushrooms whose name I can never remember. Time for the 2002 Willi Schaefer Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Qba. Bright and light, citrus fruit with a touch of something darker -black cherry? Nice crisp food-friendly quaffer, the light sweetness takes the bite out of the spicy pad thai (I hate it when people make pad thai a really sweet dish, I prefer it a tad spicy). Nice wine B/B+
Tuesday was also from the Chinese grocery, we started with lobster ball soup ( with a little sambal olek & cilantro). Neither the Vouvray nor the Riesling was a perfect match, but I can't imagine what would be. The main course was roast chicken, and I had a Burgundy for that, the 2001 Dom. Jean Michelot Pommard. Bad choice, as I hadn't paid much attention to Betsy's description of the chicken (had lemon zest/creme fraiche sauce). OK, so this wasn't my night for wine-food matching. Aside from the food, the Pommard had some simple cherry/raspberry fruit, pleasant hint of earth, but with a somewhat clipped finish. I wouldn't buy more, though it's not horrible, and was something like $12 (which should have been a warning, I think). B-
Over a couple of nights while sitting around talking we also consumed a bottle of the 2003 Babich Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. Intense ripe gooseberry nose with a little herb, tasty. OK acidity, but I think this vintage might be more of a stand-alone wine than super food-friendly. B/B+
Barbara headed back to NC, and Betsy made lamb shanks with white beans Wednesday. I thought I had a bottle of Brunello at home, but I wrong, and didn't feel like driving to office storage to get it. So opened a 1996 Potensac (Medoc). Dark color, slightly muted nose of black plum and blackcurrant. Fair amount of smoky oak, lots of ripe tannins. Seen a lot of notes plugging this as "drink now", but to me seemed to need a couple more years. Opened up by the next night, showed better, with some spicy notes and earth. B+ (A- for value, $16 at PJs a year or so ago).
Thursday another incredble cold wave was moving in, and I was pretty drained when I got in from work. Betsy said she was making puttanesca, which is about to hard to match as anything (any ideas, folks?). So decided to just have some white beforehand, with seltzer with dinner. The white was the 1995 Domaine Leflaive Bourgogne Blanc. I had just picked these up at $10 at Rochambeau's closeout sale, and wasn't sure how they had held up. Hey,this is seriously nice Chardonnay. A very slight nutty nuance makes me wonder if oxidation is beginning to show, but clear pure apple and pear fruit is overlaid with touches of honey and smoke. Not to be help, but lots of drinking pleasure right now. B++
My usual disclaimer: I'm a pretty easy grader, basically A is a very good wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice Dale
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