Betsy's dad was visiting from CA this week, Thursday Betsy made us spaghetti and meatballs, broccoli, and salad. Apertif wine was the newly delivered 2010 Donnhoff Oberhauser Leistenberg Kabinett. An annual favorite, this shows well, citrus, green apple and melon,but more mineral than fruit driven. Striking but not overwhelming acidity, nice length, great potential but tasty now. B+/A-
Dinner wine wasn't Italian but the 2010 Clos de la Roilette (Coudert) Fleurie (went fine with pasta and meatballs). Black raspberry and cherry, earth, smoke, a bit leaner than 2009 but equally delicious. B+/A-
Friday was flounder, with the 2005 Carbonnieux Blanc (Pessac Leognan). This seemed a bit tired and oxidative at first, I was quite worried, but it seemed to shake it off. Rich almost tropical fruit, a waxy/oily edge, a hint of honey and vanilla. Good. B
Who expected a snowstorm before Halloween? Frantic day as trees and power lines came down, I was constantly rearranging plans for my groups as folks found out that roads were impassable. By 7 PM things had calmed a bit, we headed to local historical society where my friends Fred and Alex were having their dinner club.
We sloshed to Mead House, where we were greeted with cheese and herb stuffed mushrooms, along with crostini with grilled pear, Brie, honey, and herbes de Provence. Wine was the 2010 Dr. Konstantin Frank Riesling (Finger Lakes), Fairly dry, crisp, apple with a slatey note. I enjoyed this. B
Fred also brought me a glass of a blind wine, clearly not Riesling, there's a rich honied feel that made me think Pinot Gris, but good acidity that spoke of Loire switched my guess to Romaratin, I missed the pretty obvious Chenin Blanc character. . 2009 Domaine de la Noblaie Chinon blanc. B/B+
First sitdown course was roasted pumpkin (actually kabocha as Irene floods ravages sugar pumpkin crops) soup with cider cream. Accompaniment was the 2008 Ravines Cellars Cabernet Franc (Finger Lakes). Light, fruity, just a hint of herb, don't think I would have called this CF blind, but a nice easygoing wine. B
2005 JM Raffault "Clos des Capucins" Chinon
Bigger brawnier style of CF, some tannins, rich black fruit, a little green pepper, but a tad short. B-
Main was coq au vin with celery root and potato puree, followed by an apple-quince tart
2009 Chateau Tire-pe‘Per diem' (Bordeaux AC)
Light, fresh cherry fruit, not very claret-like but a nice easygoing red wine. B/B-
1998 Ch. du Tertre
In a good place. Not a jawdropper, but fairly classically styled Margaux, perfumed nose, cassis fruit, a little cigarbox. Mostly resolved tannins, bright acids, good length,. B+
Sunday started fun as I rose at 3:30 to shovel and wovel so we could get her dad to his early AM flight from JFK. A morning of shoveling, and then a quiet afternoon before heading a roundabout route to a dinner. Appetizers of sundried tomato with roasted garlic, parmesan bread twists, and a salad with goat cheese crostini; main course of lamb tagine with couscous.
NV Gruet rose
Sweet strawberries, a little yeast, not bad but not my fave of Gruet lineup. B-
2009 La Cartuja (Priorat)
Others liked a lot, this seemed a touch jammy and short to me. Less brawny than some Priorats, but without much freshness. B-/C+
2009 Texier Saint-Julien-en-Saint-Alban
Really nice, blackberries and smoked meat, well balanced, very nice wine that I should get more of. A-/B+
2009 Bodegas Torremoron (Ribera del Duero)
Fairly straightforward, medium body, decent acids, red fruit and flowers, no obvious oak. B/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.
