Backtracking, I never finished notes on Saturday night. We walked over to some friends for a May Day party, lovely warm night (not to the point of Sunday's heat) bearing a bottle of white (an Albarino I never saw opened, a red (a Bordeaux I opened myself) and a faro/asparagus/feta salad. Nice potluck, with chicken, assorted salads, pastas, and much more. I sampled quite a few wines:
Whites
2008 Jakob Schneider Kabinett (Nahe)
Someone said " a funny shape for Riesling" - I said no, it's a big shape- liter bottle. Nectarine, white cherries, some sweetness but with good acidity. Probably a nice value B
2008 Domaine du Salvard Cheverny
I quite enjoyed this, also. Grassy SB nose, good acidity, not very long but good balance. Kermit import, I liked enough to take a taste from a seconf bottle. B/B+
2008 Clos de Condemine Macon-Villages
Remember- producer, producer, producer. This is one producer I won't be looking for. Simultaneously green/unripe and flat, with a weird chemical aftertaste. Makes one almost want a fat overoaked Chardonnay. C
Pinks
2009 Miquel Cinsault Rose
Lighter, strawberries and bitter cherries, decent acidity, OK. B-
Reds
2005 Leone de Castris Salice Salentino Riserva
Bigger more modern style of Salice Salentino, not really what I'm looking for, but well done and lots of people loved it. B
2006 L'Esprit de Chevalier (Pessac-Leognan)
My offering. Light to medium bodied claret, dark berries, graphite, a bit of vanilla. Edging towards modern end, but who cares at $5 bottle? B
2007 Bogle Merlot
I remember liking the Bogle Petit Sirah years ago, but I don't care for this. Oak-chippy, fat, zipless. Others love it! C+
2008 Shotfire Shiraz
Hey, it's better than the Cali Merlot! Big brawny and a bit jammy, but comparatively straightforward. B-
Nice evening with friends, some of whom we hadn't seen in ages. We met their new neighbors, who have 2 Basset hounds. Lucy looks forward to meeting them.
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.