Sunday was halibut in a lemon/rosemary marinade, and the 2008 Roulot Bourgogne Blanc. I picked up a couple of orders at Zachys on weekend (1 of which I had actually forgotten about) and was bemused to see I had ordered the same wine twice. Then I realized one was a reorder of the '07, and one was actually the '08. So decided to try the new one. Fresh, bright, lemony, more of a Chablis style than the more Meursaultish 2007. Good length, very food friendly, very good. B+
Monday it was actually cool enough I could envision using stove, made squash and mushrooms over pasta , had with some black bean salad (leftover from lunch). My friend Fred, a Loirehead, came over to pick up some wine, and so I opened the 2010 Clos Roche Blanche Pineau d'Aunis rose. Clean strawberry and raspberry fruit, black pepper, just a hint of that pine needle flavor that can sometimes overwhelm me with pineau d'aunis (reds usually). Fun and food friendly/ B+/B
Tuesday was sockeye salmon in a miso/mirin/ginger marinade,
broccoflower, and Caprese salad, wine was the 2010 Clos de la Roilette (Coudert) Fleurie. This is regular bottling. Clean, nervy, minerally, crunchy red/cranberry fruit, very attractive. B+
Thursday I was a bit bleary from a longer than expected trip to city Wednesday (who expects a traffic jam at 1 AM- thruway paving, arrggghh) but happy to have Betsy back in kitchen and friends coming over. Not too warm to eat outside. We started with empanadas, then Ron grilled octopus which was served on a white bean/frisee salad, then Betsy's cold lamb in a lemon/fennel sauce with cheesy polenta, broccoli rabe, and grilled vegetables. An assortment of wines:
NV Pibaleau "La Perlette"
Sparking red/rose Grolleau. Tart, clean, a tad less interesting than I remembered. B-
2010 Pepiere "Clos des Briords" Muscadet
Full, less overt fruit than last years, seasalt and dry lemonade. Very long, excellent (though I seem to be only one enraptured). A-
2005 Montoni "Vrucara" Nero d'Avola
Full bodied but lively, rich dark fruits, earth, lemon peel. Good acidity, tannins seem rather smooth, good length. Very popular. A-/B+
2007 Monpertuis "Cuvee Counoise" (Vin de Pays du Gard)
Not sure I've ever had varietal Counoise before. Ripe Rhoney notes, red fruits, olives, herbs. Comes across a tad simple compared to the Sicilian, but good value. B
Pretty good batting average, and Betsy back to boot.
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.