David goes back to school in Scotland next week, so we invited his paternal grandparents for dinner. Assorted antipasta, then we moved outside for pappardelle with radicchio, tomato and fig salad with balsamic, fresh fruit, and the 2009 Thierry Navarre "Vin d'Oeillades" Rose. VdT de France, but I'm sure South. Midbodied, fresh acidity, cherry and red berries. Nice wine I'll buy again. B
Tonight's dinner (on the patio, with gusty breezes a great night to be out) was not exactly easy/consistent for matching. Grilled rib lamb chops with a harissa I had made during garden pepper overload, radichio with proscuitto, squash with pesto, more tomatoes. So I went instead with what do I feel like, and the winner was the 2009 Dupeuble Beaujolais AC. Actually it did very well, both as a match and as a wine. New producer to me, but the Kermit label got me to try one, as KL does seem to do well in Beaujolais. Solid medium bodied wine, red berry fruit with ferric and earth notes, some smoke, some spice. Must get more, $12. 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.
