Thursday was gorgeous, we decided dinner would be on grill, so I threw on 2 small branzino, some sweet potatoes and scallion, a portobello, and green beans (yes, grilled green beans). Wine was the 2009 Pascal Cotat “La Grande Cote” Sancerre. Big and quite ripe, but there is still some crisp acidity. Citrus, mineral, full and very long. B+/A-
Friday dinner was rack of lamb and cut some double chops which I coated with a garlic/rosemary/mint mixture, grilled and served with sauteed arugula and leftover broccoli and sweet potato. I opened the 2008 Duo de Conseillante (Pomerol). Oak is sticking out a bit, cocoa over blackberry and black plum fruit, could probably age a bit. B
After dinner I took the leftover Duo plus its big brother to Fred’s for our local group’s look at Right Bank Bdx. The Duo and two whites were the unblind opening wines:
2006 Carbonnieux blanc
Quite good, citrus, a little wooly, honied edge (though dry). Good length, very enjoyable. B+
2009 Roger Neveu Sancerre
A bit fat for Sancerre, but also a tad dilute and short. Clean is best you can say. Lots of better options in Sancerre out there. B-/C+
Then on to the blind wines:
Blind Red Right Bank Bordeaux #1
Pleasant, cedar and red fruit, plummy texture, I’m thinking possibly 2000 Fronsac. Nice wine (I’m surprised when it’s 2002, where I tend to favor Medoc). 2002 La Violette (Cotes de Castillon). B
Blind Red Right Bank Bordeaux #2
Not blind for me. Redder fruits, cigarbox, a ferric mineral note. People get it’s older, but the guesses are 10-20 years. No one thinks it past it. For the record, in ‘83 Parker gave it a 78, calling it light and unsubstantial, and needed to be drunk in 5 years. 1979 La Conseillante (Pomerol). B/B+
Blind Red Right Bank Bordeaux #3
Softer, low acid, cassis, there’s an herbal greeness that leads me to suspect CF and therefore guessed St Emilion, 2003 Ch Sansonnet (St Emilion) B/B-
Blind Red Right Bank Bordeaux #4
Thinner fruit and some hard tannins, quite short, not my cuppa. 2005 Les Grands Champs (Lussac St Emilion). C+
Blind Red Right Bank Bordeaux #5
Clearly modern, but very well done. Lush texture, ready, just enough tannin and acid to provide support to the fruit. 2001 La Vieille Cure (Fronsac) B+
Blind Red Right Bank Bordeaux #6
Some people really liked this, but I think it a modern mess. Oak, hot (I said this has to be over 14%, it’s 14.5%) clipped., 2009 Les Grands Marechaux (Blaye- Cotes des Bordeaux). C
Blind Red Right Bank Bordeaux #7
I think I just lost concentration here, got more involved in conversation, but think this was quite pleasant if not enthralling. 2006 de Sales (Pomerol). Not graded but I liked.
Blind Red Right Bank Bordeaux #8
This is pretty austere and hard, but under the tannins some nice dark fruit and earthy notes.
1994 Beausejour Duffau (St Emilion). B-
Fun night
Saturday we went up to Ossining to visit some old friends. We snacked on hummus and bruschetta, then moved to table for wild salmon, asparagus, and a pilaf. Couple of wines sampled:
2008 Green Truck Sauvignon Blanc (Lake County)
Soft, a hint of sweetness, melon, just a hint of grass to make me think SB, innocuous. B-
2010 Garnarcha de Fuego
Jammy, sweet, sure this is popular with many but not my style. C+
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.