With Betsy away, I've had several solo meals. Wed I did a small strip steak, with baked potato and salad. Wine was the 2002 Potensac (Medoc). Moderate black plum and currant fruit, ok acidity, with some tannins that run a little hard. Pretty good with the steak, less satisfying on its own. I tried again on Fri, tannins still a little scratchy, fruit fading. Good with meat, but not looking for more. B/B-
Thursday I skipped wine, but Friday was back in the mood. Threw together a pasta sauce of mirepoix and then lots of leeks, with some frozen peas and shrimp added at end. For liquid I used wine, the 2006 Rodney Strong Chardonnay (Sonoma County). This was a host gift that has been sitting around for a while, I decided to finally open. First of all, this was nicely bright for a CalChard- maybe not zippy, but a far cry from say most Napa Chards. Definitely showing some wood, but not extreme, and more toasty than buttery. Tropical and sweet Fuji apple fruit. Not bad as an apertif, less successful with dish. Another glass later in evening was again pleasant on its own. Tonight, wood is sticking out more, less fun. But night one, B-/B
When Chard didn't appeal with pasta, opened the 2006 Pinon "Cuvee Tradition" Vouvray. Nice broad-beamed sec-tendre, a little wax over grapefruit and apple butter fruit. Good acidity, nice length for a $15 wine, quite pleasant. Hasn't budged in a day, we'll see tomorrow. B
Tonight I broiled some onion-marinated shoulder lamb chops, with potato and broccoli rabe (prepared at a deli). Wine is the 2005 Ch. Caronne Ste Gemme (Haut-Medoc). Quite ripe cassis fruit, but good acidity and a solid base of (fine) tannins. Some blackberry cobbler, kirsch with time. A bit sweeter than my ideal, but tasty and the tannic/acidic structure makes this a candidate for short term aging. B
+/BGrade 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 party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.