Thursday we had hot dogs on the patio, with the 2016 Keller “Von De r Fels” Riesling Trocken. Dry but with sweet pit fruits, ginger, wet rocks. Good acids, crisp. B+
Some lovely days and before dinner a few nights we sat on front porch. The
2016 Terre Nere Etna Bianco had ripe peach fruit, a little waxy note, but n ot enough acid to stay lively. Have liked more in past vintages. C+/B-With yakitori chicken, rice with nori, bok choy in oyster sauce the 1998 Ma carini “La Serra” Barolo. I had this standing up as a backu p for a tasting couple weeks ago, rather than return to racks just opened a nd decanted it. Took a while to get its stride. Red fruit, violets, a littl e funky edge that veered between barnyard and truffle. Got some tar after a while. With a couple hours air this was quite lovely, balanced young Nebbi olo with a long finish. A-/B+
Saturday I hit the butcher for a couple of 30 day dry aged rib steaks, gril led and served over herb salad with horseradish/caper dressing. That recip e was suggested as a Petite Sirah pairing, but I felt like young Burgundy. I was a little worried the 2010 Rollin “Ile des Vergelesses? ? Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru might be closed, but it was lively and app roachable, Rich raspberry and cranberry fruit, earth, smoke. There’ s some tannin but not aggressive. Good acids, long finish. I should buy mor e Rollin. B+/A-
Sunday some scallops from our local farmers market, rapini and Swiss chard from CSA, pasta with pesto and the 2009 Bedrock “Caritas” . This is a Bdx blend (60 Sem/40 SB). Full and rich, but overoaked. This is my last one, I kept hoping for better integration, but not yet. C+/B-
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 p arty where it was only choice.Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivi ty, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.