Last Saturday Betsy and I had dinner at Silver Apricot, a Chinese fusion place in Greenwich Village (needed something in neighborhood, and it had just made Wells’ Top 100 in NYC NYT piece). A very good meal- airy scallion puffs with scallion butter, charred “Chinese Caesar” salad, amazing cauliflower and truffle dumplings, “Peking Grilled Cheese” (pancake with cheese and duck confit), chili garlic prawn potato gratin, Pork tenderloin with mustard greens. All very good. Very interesting all American list, with fun choices, but just did BTG as going to a jazz club later,.
2020 Leo Steen Chenin Blanc Lemon, menthol ,touch of wax, good acids, nice. B/B+ 2021 Stolpman Love you Bunches Sangiovese Slight hint of effervescence, bright cherry and raspberry, fresh and lively (carbonic fermentation). Wouldn’t have guessed Sangio blind, but found fun, BThen to a great show at Mezz Row (a friend was playing with Bill Mays). Wine choices (1 drink minimum) were Malbec, Pinot Grigio, and rose. I thought rose the safe choice, struck out. It was forgettable- no actually trying to forget it.
Sunday oysters, roast grouper, asparagus with feta, Brussels sprouts, Japanese sweet potatoes with miso/scallion butter. 2021 Boulay Chavignol Sancerre, After a bottle that didn;t thrill me, was happy this showed well. Chalky, crisp, with saline/seashell and citrus. B+
No run Monday with chicken thighs over kale and olives, but Tuesday we went to Ibiza in Chappaqua to celebrate close friends’ 40th anniversary. Started outside - delicious tapas including white anchovy with avocado, sous vide salmon, Iberico ham, croquettes
2005 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne This is a friendly puppy of a BdB, very giving, with pear fruit, citrus zest, toasted rye bread and chalky mineral finish. I think 05 got a little lost between 2004 and 2006 hype, but this is drinking very well and to me seems like it can go quite a while. B+/A- 2007 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Rose Lovely, young but ready, cherry and blood orange accented with chalk and a little smoky note. Excellent length, A-Inside (2 large tables of friends) where a seemingly endless parade of dishes streamed out, shrimp, langoustines, shellfish paella, steak, stuffed peppers, incredible eggplant cubes, and many more.
Whites
2010 Girardin Corton Charlemagne Quintessence Good acids, powerful, with lemon meringue , pastry butter, vanilla, I thought this needed to slim down and tone down the oak a bit, but others loved, B/B-2015 Wittman Morstein Riesling GG This was young but quite lovely, with grapefruit, ginger, citrus blossom, and slightly unripe (in a good way) nectarine. A little petrol on long limestone finish. Maybe not Keller, but quarter of price (though not cheap!) and a fine value. A-
2005 Cotat Mont Damnes Sancerre (I didn’t write down but pretty sure Francois) Big but not ungainly, nice balance despite size, citrus and green apple, wet riverstone finish. B+/A-2018 Hatzidakis Skitali Assyrtiko (Santorini) Initially skipped this as I’ve had a bunch, but the seafood courses kept coming, and when I tried I really liked (again). Long, saline, snappy, balanced B+
There was a 83 Trimbach CFE but I was told it was an off bottle- sad.
Reds- there was also an off 1983 Beaucastel CdP magnum, but we still had good options
1996 Sandrone“Cannubi Boschis” Barolo Deep black cherry fruit, tar, a little pine needle, toasty oak still evident. Some people really loved, I thought maybe more time (plenty of fruit left) might integrate oak more. B2013 Rhys Alpine Pinot Noir (3L) Black cherry, mocha, still some slightly stern tannin. Clean and easy though maybe time might help the tannin. B/B+
1983 Ducru Beaucaillou A wine I’ve always liked but this bottle was a step up. Cassis, black cherry, tobacco, and a little hazelnut, elegant and long. A-/A1983 Inglenook Cask Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (magnum) Sweet dark fruit, cigarbox, just a touch of chile pepper. Easy, not tired, not real complex but fun to drink Not from the heyday of Inglenook, but many rungs up from what it became later, The Ducru was a NBA all star, the Inglenook was the best dad in the village basketball tournament, B+
There was a 1880 tawny port bottled by Niepoort. Lovely and complex, toffee, honey, Earl Grey tea, citrus, A-
Really fun night 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.