A couple of nights of leftover pork, with slightly different preps to break up monotony. With burritos and crema/salsa, I went pink- A bottle of Guion rose was corked, but the 2012 Arnot Roberts Touriga Nacional rose was not . Cherry blossoms, red fruit, a mineral backbone. B+/B
Back to bo ssam, with the 2011 Foillard “Cote de Py” Morgon. Nicely bal anced, fresh red fruits with light smooth tannins, fresh acids,soil notes, good length. B+
Lemon sole en papillote with ginger/scallion/arugula and the 2008 F. Cotat Le Culs de Beaujeau Sancerre. Takes a while to open up, but does so nicely , with vivid acidity under full ripe fruit. Apples and peach, ginger and fl int, long and complex. A-
A recent gift of the 2000 Rocher Corbin (Montagne-St. Emilion) still was ha nging on to a bit of plummy fruit, but no structure left, a bit formless on the palate. With a bit of time some ashtray notes, send this to the vinega r crock. C+
Despite the Indian summer, I made spaghetti with Italian sausage in tomato sauce, with the 2012 Arianna Occhipinti SP68. Fresh berries, herby, with ve ry good length for a rather lighter styled wine. Quite enjoyable, and hold s well over 2 days. B+
Saturday I went to pick up Dave and Mary Kate at JFK, by time I was back ju st had some gyosa, okra, and leftover wine. Sunday Betsy’s sister and her family came over for a family dinner to welcome Dave back, we started with smoked duck breast canapes, crudite, and caprese, main course was miso-gla zed salmon with a Chinese broccoli/sprout/rice noodle dish.
2004 Nicolas Feuillatte Blanc de Blancs Champagne Lime and Granny smith fruit, not very bready, good crispness, a tad sweet o n finish. B
2011 Schafer-Frohlich Bockenaur Riesling Kabinett Full for kab, this seems to have closed up a bit, but still good fruit, sla tey minerals, good acids pulsing underneath. B+/B
2009 Drouhin Morgon This was rather muted at first, some fruit opened up, but this remained som eone stiff and ungiving. Closed? Maybe, but for now C+
1988 Ch. Canon As a belated birthday celebration for David. Not what I really expected for an ‘88, no apparent tannin, more elegant than burly, fully mature, black and red currant fruit with leather and cigarbox. Ready, willing, able. B+
We also sampled some leftover dessert wine that had been opened (but I forg ot to post on) Sunday, the NV Annapolis “White Wedding” wine, a blend f rom Nova Scotia (brought back by friends who just bought a house there). 65 % Reliant (new one for me), rest PG and NY Muscat (?). Peaches/canned peach es, medium sweet, allspice. Interesting flavor profile, could use a bit mor e zip. B-/C+
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 pa rty where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivi ty, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.