Monday Betsy made a wonderful fall dish, a lamb and cabbage casserole from a recipe by Jenise from WLDG, along with a side of kale/spinach (last of our garden). While casserole was in oven, she requested an apertif wine, I rejected an already opened Meursault that tasted hot, and opened the 2007 Donnhoff Oberhauser Leistenberg Kabinett. Lovely, light,and dependable, apples and limey citrus, clean clean mineral notes on finish. Pretty pretty wine. B+/A-
For the casserole, I was thinking Rhone, but the handiest thing was the 2006 Peybonhomme les Tours (1er Cotes du Blaye), a solid old fashioned honest little Bordeaux. Black plums and cherries, a little cedar and earth, not big, but straightforward and fun. Good value ($11 or so) B
Tuesday was roast chicken, cress salad, and leftover carrots and parsnips, I went to Beaujolais, the 2007 Vissoux/Chermette "Cuvee Traditionelle" Beaujolais VV. Classic and lovely, light bodied but with some depth, red berries, what I look for in Gamay. 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.