Tuesday I got home to find that Betsy had just found out her beloved aunt had died about an hour before. Expected, perhaps even appreciated, but still hard. Betsy had made her peace before, and just needed a hug. But then as I started making dinner she asked did we have a wine to make a toast to Betty Lou. The 2005 Drouhin "Vero" Bourgogne rouge was on the counter, and we toasted with it. Neither of us was really thinking about the wine, but I paid a little attention later. Ripe red cherries, a little spice, a little earth. Some light tannins. I've seen some notes calling this thin, but doesn't seem so to me. Pretty classic Burgundy. By end of night, it's shut down pretty tight- tannins and acids, not much fruit. Revisited tonight back to its open mode- cherries and raspberries, a little sandalwood. Nice wine for level. B+
I had marinated some cod (regular, not sable) in a miso/mirin paste, roasted beets, made a salad, and reheated some leftover leeks. For dinner I chose the 2008 Piesporter Grafenberg Riesling Kabinett (MSR). Limesicle, anyone? Great limey/citric fruit, minerals, lively acids, moderate sweetness. Quite long. I want more of this . A-/B+
Today Betsy had a solo concert in White Plains (Indian music, Arvo Part, the Bach/Gounod Ave Maria) but still managed to put together a nice dinner. Pierre Franey's scallops in a cream/mushroom sauce, baked rice with pine nuts, salad. I pondered a white Bordeaux (01 La Louviere), but went with the easy match, a white Burgundy. The 2007 Paul Pernot Puligny-Montrachet was lovely and classic- nutty, minerally,pear fruit with bright acidity. Nice mouthfeel, good length.Maybe something a little fuller (a Corton-Charlemagne or maybe Meursault) might have been a slightly better match, but this was a good match and a very good wine. Sweet fruit, acidic spine to keep lively, I'll look for more of this, too. 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.