With fried calamari, lemon, and mushroom over salad, the 2009 Francois Cotat “Les Monts Damnes” Sancerre. Big, full, ripe, yet with enough acids to keep it lively. Sure this will age, but I’m drinking them too fast. B+
Saturday Betsy’s mom came to NY for a week, I was in charge of dinner- made a Moroccan chicken stew, couscous, and braised cabbage in wine, with the 2010 Lafouge “la Chappele” Auxey-Duresses 1er. Fresh, some tannins but not harsh, clean acid, red fruit with rocks and earth. B+ with A- potential
There was also the 2010 Brezo (Bierzo) used partially for cooking wine. This is Dona Blanco (new grape to me) and Godello. Full, long, somewhat fleshy fruit. I liked, but think I’ll stick to the slightly cheaper Benanza Godello. B
Sunday was teriyaki salmon, rice, grilled trumpet mushroom, red cabbage with wine and nutmeg, and the 2005 Arcadian “Fiddlestix” Pinot Noir. Good acids, full black cherry fruit, slightly raspy tannins, a little clipped on finish. Smooths out with air (and seems to lengthen), but never love this. . I think this might well be a bit shut down, but this was only botlte so I’ll never know. B-
Monday Betsy’s sister took their mom with her to opera, we had a quick dinner of hiyayakko, veggie stirfry, and sauteed arugula, but no wine as I was going to a tasting. Tuesday AM I made a cheaters cassoulet- 45 minutes of active time- tarbais in a pressure cooker, meanwhile brown some pork, lamb shanks, duck/armagnac and lamb merguez sausages in duck fat, combine all with confit leg and some liquids in a slow cooker. OK, they won’t make me mayor of Toulouse, but pretty tasty for our dinner. Served with a watercress salad and the 2000 Edmunds St John “Wylie-Fenaughty” Syrah. Much better than a previous bottle which I suspected was off- dark fruit, bacon/meat, medium bodied with a long finish. Some spice and smoke. Drinking quite well. B+/A-
The cooking wine was the 2011 Litaud Macon-Vergisson. I’ve liked Litaud before, and generally like citrusy Macon, but this is one note, and that note is lemon. B-
With lemon sole, baked potato, and broccoli, the 2010 La Tour St. Martin Menetou-Salon. Lots of gooseberry and grapefruit, a little grass, straightforward. I like ok, but David B would hate this. 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.