For New Year's Eve we headed to Betsy's sister's home bearing Champagne and a chicken "bouillabaisse." A nice group from 10 till mid-80s was gathered, not a very wine geeky crowd. Good food (besides Betsy's chicken there was a broccoli rabe/cornbread strata, seafood pot pie, roasted vegetables, salads, etc) and some wine:
2007 Perrin Cotes du Rhone Villages I haven't been really jumping on the 2007 S. Rhone bandwagon but this is a solid offering for the level. Ripe but not overripe, berries and red plums, good finish. Not complex but tasty.
NV Vignerons de la Cadierenne "Charles IX " (VdP Mont Caume) I brought this Provencal rose as a counterpart to the chicken. Not sure if it's the match or what, but I like it a little more than previous showing. Strawberries and herb, large framed, dry. B- (I had previously noted the weirdness of a wine named after a king best known for massacring Protestants, but in a bit of additional irony a dessert next to it was...Huguenot Torte!)
2007 Delas "St. Esprit" Cotes du Rhone Typical showing. I've not found this as bad as some, but hard to believe it got a 90 from a major critic. Low acid, overripe/jammy, not very long. Worth (barely) its $9 tag. B-/C+
NV Dumont Brut Good acids, slightly coarse mousse, apple fruit with a touch of chalky mineral. Not exciting, but solid grower Champagne at a decent price ($27). B
NV Clouet Grande Reserve Brut Nice fine mousse, good acids, fuller than the Dumont. Pears and creme brulee, a note of whole wheat bread in the oven, very nice wine. A-/B
+
Happy New Year all!
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 party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.