Saturday we loaded up the dog and went to visit friends for dinner. 3 couples (with bbq chicken, corn, cucumber/dill soup, salad), 2 dogs (with big marrow bones), and a couple of wines:
NV Renardat-Fache Bugey Cerdon
It's usual fun self. Low alcohol, lightly sweet, crisp, refreshing. Strawberry pop for adults. B/B+
2007 Giovanni Rosso "Le Quattro Vigne" Dolcetto d'Alba
Friendly, fruit forward, rich plum and black cherry fruit, low acids, some tannins on bad end. Very pleasant and easy to appreciate wine. B
Really lovely night, great food, a little wine, nice company.
So Dave made great fish tacos for lunch today, but when we went to an afternoon high school graduation party for daughter of some good friends, I still made room to try some ribs, sausage, salads, and raw oysters. A 6 piece mariachi band played, and I did sample a few wines, though it was hot as hell and I mostly drank mineral water:
2006 Ch. Magence (Graves)
Reasonably clean white Bordeaux, could use a bit more acidic zip. B-
2009 Chateau de la Chesnaie Muscadet
A bit more lively, apple fruit with a briney edge, it's not Pepiere but it works on a hot day. B/B-
2008 Relais de la Cavalier rose (Cotes de Provence)
First one I taste is corked (I tell Alex and he quickly pulls and gets out more). Replacement is a tad sluggish, strawberry and red cherry, needs verve and depth. Maybe better last year. C+
I should note that the host/father, knowing he had a busy workweek, had ordered 4 cases of wine recommended by an ITB friend, and only realized late Saturday it had never come. The above wines came from a last minute panic trip to the wine store at Stew Leonards. There was also a tasty bottle of 2007 Drouhin St. Veran I brought, but I just took a sip to ensure it was correct, when I went back it was drained. There were also red Bordeaux opened, but I didn't have the heart in the heat to even try.
Home to do some chores, we eventually had leftover wheatberry/feta salad for dinner,with the 1991 Zilliken (Forstmeister Geltz) Saarberger Rausch Spatlese. High acids, light, I'd have guessed kabinett blind. Floral/petrol nose, on the palate green apples, lime, peach, a bit of slate. Other than the petrol notes showing as quite young. Nice, should hold well, but not really coming across as especially complex. 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.