Wednesday concert by river - a sunshower right before, but the concert had good weather, with enough clouds to keep reasonably cool (the sun hitting the clouds at sunset made for an amazing show). I made a scallop, monkfish and plum ceviche, and apple/kohlrabi slaw, and carried 2 wines to share with friends
2009 F. Cotat “La Grande Cote” Sancerre
This is very big, somewhat tropical fruit with a bit of heat and a definite touch of sugar, honeysuckle and almond, I’d have preferred more crispness for a picnic with ceviche! Interesting wine, but not what I needed this evening. B-
2012 Muri-Gries Lagrein Rosato (alto Adige)
Fuller style of rose, cherries and flowers, not bad at all B
Heat truly rolled in on 4th. I spent the bulk of Independence Day helping friends who got horribly flooded Monday. My main task was moving 300+ bottles off racks into boxes (and cleaning the bottles from bottom rows) and then upstairs. You really learn to hate fat and tall bottles. Then got the racks outside so the drywall can be replaced. When I was done I went to a friend’s for a lowkey pool party, I carried along the 2012 Edmunds St John Bone Jolly rose - lovely showing, red fruits with earth and a ferric note, full without being heavy, made a couple of ESJ converts. B++
Home to hang with the dog awhile, then to a friend’s overlooking the river for a party and fireworks. Lots of nice grilled food (sausages, tandoori style chicken, burgers, meatballs) , salads, and quite a few wines out:
2010 Montebuena Rioja
Somewhat modern, but good red fruits, a little dill and vanilla, ok. B-/B
2012 Jaboulet P45 Cotes du Rhone rose
a bit dilute and short, but frankly the fact is was cold made it fairly attractive. B-
2011 Donkey and Goat Grenache Blanc
I carried this as it was first US white I came upon, what a nice surprise for a person who normally doesn’t gravitate towards white Rhone grapes. Good acids for Grenache, saline/oyster shells with green apple and plum, good length, very good wine. B++
2011 Vissoux/Chermette “Les Garants” Fleurie - I carried this in honor of Lafayette as most of my US reds weren’t appropriate for a sticky hot night, but it was corked
I regret I couldn’t read the name of a Chianti - started with a T or a J, hard to read script as light faded, but what a crappy characterless wine-wish I could warn people.
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2011 Calcari
White wine (I think Spanish), clunky, funky, and unattractive. Heavy and slightly oxidized. Bad storage or bad wine? C/C-
2011 Umathum Zweigelt
Medium body, red fruits, fun juicy wine. B
Fireworks were great.
Friday with sockeye, caprese, and celeriac puree, the 2012 Navarre "d'Oeillades" Rose. Full, cranberries and cherries, good acids, a bit simple, but I think this was a $10 casefiller and I’m happy with that! B
Saturday after working at office I spent some time cleaning my basement- while I didn’t get the severe flooding of some friends (and my office) Monday, I did get water ingress till sump pump caught up. Just took some time cleaning some silt and making sure everything try, a bit was in cellar so I had to move some stuff out. The thing with overcrowded cellars is sometimes you miss things because they are hard to access. The removal of some boxes revealed a few wines I would have drunk already if I had know, including a couple of 2002 white Burgs from producers with less than stellar premOx reps.
So with grilled monkfish, arugula, and okra, the 2002 Colin-Deleger “La Maltroie” Chassagne Montrachet 1er. With Colin-Deleger’s rep, I expected immediate darkening, but it poured clean and with a good healthy golden color. Not premOxed, or especially tired. However, that doesn’t mean it was a real success- actually a rather boring/dull bottle of white Burg. Sweet pear juice and tropical fruit, a little honey and vanilla, not very long though it is full and fat - I wouldn’t have guessed 11 years old, but that doesn’t mean I liked it. C+/B-
Didn’t I deserve a better wine after a Saturday of work? So I decided to open a half bottle, the 2008 La Pousse d’Or “Les Gravieres” Santenay 1er. Corked! Argghh, I’ll stick with the Chassagne (well, with leftover rose).
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.