Betsy was away for a Sufi retreat, I took the opportunity to indulge myself in a food she doesn't care for - liver and onions, aka fegato alla Veneziana. Side of sauteed spinach, wine was the 2006 Domaine Bart Marsannay Rosé, which went well. Strawberry fruit edged with a little cranberry, good acidity, ok length. A bit better than I remembered, not a great rose, but a good backdrop to the food. B
I also opened a 375 of the 2005 Ch. Ferrand Lartigue (St Emilion GC). I'd bought a couple based on price and the fact it was reported that they had dialed back the oakiness. Well, hard to tell from this bottle. Big in your face vanilla and toast, big sweet fruit, big but ripe tannins. Bordeaux in the guise of warm climate Shiraz. Fairly low acid, but I wouldn't call flabby. Fruit is black plum and blackberry, but somewhat
dominated by the oak. I'll put other away in hopes it integrates with age, but for me now, B-/C+ (I think other more fond of oak would like much more). Didn't like any more on day 2.
Sunday I cooked up some venison round steak, along with some blackeyed peas I'd made that AM and a salad. Wine was the 2002 Ogier "La Rosine " (VdP des Collines Rhodaniennes ). This seems to have put on some weight in the bottle, not as light as I remembered. Nice balance of fruit, tannin, and acidity. Rhonish notes of smoked bacon and herbs. Good sturdy blackberry fruit. Quite tasty, and really amazing for vintage. B+/B
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