Betsy fried up about 10-12 lbs of chicken and made cole slaw, then tried to relax during party for a change (we hired 12 year old niece to make that possible). I grilled hanger steak, wild Coho salmon, leg of lamb, sausages, pork tenderloin, squash, and spicy Indian-accented shrimp. Others brought a big assortment of salads and sides. Many wines were opened, and I tried to sample them all as I grilled:
Whites
2005 Pepiere Muscadet
No need for more notes re this, still a lovely mineral/rocky QPR winner. B+
2006 Berger Gruner Veltliner
Very good for $9/liter. Crisp apple fruit, mineral/seasalt notes, lively. B
2005 Yves Martin Chavignol Sancerre
A few others were pretty excited by this, I found it a fairly standard grassy Sancerre. Still, the ripe fruit is balanced by a pretty good acidity, and there is some textbook flinty minerality. Good, if not exciting. B/B+
2005 Wild Rock "the Infamous Goose" Sauvignon Blanc
Don't know what the goose did to become infamous, but it's probably more interesting than the wine. Currant leaf/gooseberry with a little tropical fruit overtone, this is bordering off-dry. Low acidity for SB, fairly short finish. B-/C+
2006 Loosen "Dr. L" Riesling QbA
Fairly round, could use a shot more of acidity/raciness, but nice slatey mineralitry behind sweet fresh peach fruit. Good match with the spicy (red pepper flake and garam masala) shrimp.B
Rose
2006 Stringtown Rose (Oregon)
Sweet red fruit, not especially crisp, worth the $7.50 I paid but not sorry I didn't get more. Kirsch and strawberry. Unsure of cepage, doesn't seem very PNish. B-
Reds
2005 Lafond "Roc-Epine" Cotes du Rhone
Bigger than the 2004. Ripe red fruit, a little kirsch in a bowl of ripe berries. Some herbs and earth. Not bad at all. B
2005 Domaine des Souchon Morgon
Fairly strutured for Beaujolais, big red cherry and plum fruit, a mouthful of Gamay. I think something a little lighter might have been my preference for a Beaujolais for a hot day, but this is nice enough for $10. B
2003 Odfjell "Armador:" Syrah (Chile)
Blackberry jam, a little minty note. Very ripe. Not really oaky, but quite sweet. Candy Syrah. B-/C+
1983 Meyney (St Estephe)
Pulled this up from cellar based on the happy confluence of events: 2 members of my local tasting group arrived just as the lamb was coming off the grill (a leg I had butterflied and marinaded with rosemary and garlic). Ready from the first pour, fully mature, just slight memories of tannins. Sweet round cassis fruit, a little cedar and mushroom. Good acidity, more alive and lively than I expected. Mature but not fading. Consumed before chance to check on any evolution. Better than I expected. B+/A-
2003 Nugan Estate "Manuka Grove" Durif
Amazingly 2 different people tell me how much they like this. All I find is a wall of berry tannins wrapped in a blanket of wood tannins. Big black fruit, oh those tannins. Maybe in time, but I'm happy this was my only bottle. C+
Fun time with a crowd of friends.
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