Wines with friends, home alone with the dog, and eventually with Betsy
2009 Diel Riesling Kabinett
No vineyard designation. Limeade and green apple flavors, decent acidity, nice length, at the $11 PC price I’m happy, but I’m not generally a buyer of Diel at regular retail, and this wouldn’t change that. B/B-
2005 Bitouzet-Prieur Bourgogne
Hard and ungiving first night, bitter edge to the fruit, sweeter on night 2, night 3 fruit is fullest but by then lots of caramelly oxidative notes. B-
2009 Knoll "Loibner" Blauer Burgunder Federspiel
Rose with the cool old-fashioned Knoll label. Fuller style of rose, more like a Sancerre than anything else I can compare to, but herbier. Good with grilled chicken sausage and squash. B
2009 Rosenblum “Vintner’s Cuvee” Chardonnay
I had carried some squid marinated in lemon/garlic/EVOO/pepper flakes to friend to be grilled as an appetizer, this was the white they had opened. Decent acidity for CalChard, not much evident oak, this isn’t a stereotypical butterbomb, but it could use more definition and length. I’d have preferred something like a Loire SB with the squid, but this was ok. B-/C+
2005 Ch. Larose Trintaudon (Haut Medoc)
Pretty good argument for 2005, drinking well for a cheapie chateau, this has good ripeness but a pretty solid structure underneath. Cassis, plum, and a bit of earth. Went well with braised short ribs. B
2009 Mapema Malbec
This was a bit much for me, all jam and oak, big and frooty. I found hard to take with food and much preferred the Bordeaux, but as an after dinner drink it was about tolerable. C+
2009 Adam Hofberg Kabinett
Betsy’s return to our kitchen was a bit eclectic- fish tacos, artichokes, and matzoh ball soup. Big Kabinett, sweet but fairly balanced, Mosel apple with slate/mineral finish. 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