Oops, backlog has grown. A weird couple weeks with lots of distractions- gas leak at office, speeches, late night trip to ER (just a few stitches), meetings, employee terminations (ouch),etc. But some good meals, and some good wines (and some not so good)
2001 Trimbach “Cuvee Frederic Emile 375er “
with some thawed bo ssam. Lovely, pure, long, stony, no worries re longevity here (although longevity in my cellar might be an issue, so tasty!). A-
With the NV Auge “L’Erebe” we made pizza that I divided into 3 sections (margherita, bluecheese and leek, and spinach/mozzarella) and a Savoy slaw. Fresh, fruity, fun, and delightful. B+
Betsy needed some red wine for a salmon dish, and I opened a bottle left as a host gift, the
2010 Immortal Zin (Lodi). Just totally not my style- showing heat despite a very reasonable (for Zin) 14.5%, a touch pruney, more than a touch jammy. Offered to Dave to carry to Brooklyn party where alcohol is welcomed in all guises. C+/C
Luckily the actual dinner wine was the 2009 Coutures Saumur-Champigny.Black raspberry fruit, herbal/leafy notes, light bodied but with a touch of tannin. B/B+
For a dinner party I did canapes with duck breast and a miso shrimp salad, with the Nicolas Feuillatte Extrem’ Brut Champagne. Crisp, austere, makes its anti-dosage statement clear, but not really inviting. B-
With a mushroom/maderia soup (maybe not most auspicious match) the 2011 Huet Clos du Bourg Sec Vouvray. Pretty apples and wax, medium acids, good wine. B/B+
In the Zuni Cafe cookbook the suggested pairing for the chicken bread salad is CA PN, so we went with the 2003 Williams-Selyem Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley). Red fruit, a touch of vanilla, some cola. Others raved, I found a tad disappointing. B-
The 2009 Jadot “150 Ans” Beaune 1er Cru was monolithic and tight, though something nice seemed to be lurking. Really inexpressive, judgement reserved.
A guest had brought the 2009 Norton Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon (North Coast) “for the table”, so I served. Sweet fruit, plummy, others liked more but I found ungainly. B-/C+
Steaks with coffee/cumin rub are a tough match, but the 2010 Baudry “Grezeaux” Chinon did admirably. Red and black fruits, herbs and crushed rock, medium tannins, good acids. B+/A-
With assorted leftovers (chicken leading the way), another good bottle of the 2012 Edmunds St John Bone Jolly Rose. Full and fairly fleshy, but with plenty of acidic verve, nice. B+
At a dinner for a visiting Parisian jazz player, the apertif was the Sparkling Pointe Brut from the North Fork of Long Island. Well, nothing wrong with the flavors- apple and lemon curd, but very one dimensional, and needs SOMETHING to make actually interesting. C+
Ron had made a red sauce with meatballs and brachiole, served over pasta, He had opened the 2006 Paolo Bea Rosso de Veo, a wine I quite enjoyed. Midbodied, cherry meets sour cherry, a bit of tar, good acids, firm tannins. Nice length. B+/A-
I had brought the 1996 Sandro Fay Sforzato di Valtellina- it says “dessert wine” on back label, but while there’s a bit of RS it’s definitely table wine. Smoky, tarry, ripe dark fruits, beginning to show its age, but an interesting and different wine. B/B+
The 2003 Calabretta Etna Rosso was a lovely midbodied wine, just a touch of funk over a solid red-fruited wine with smoke notes. B+
The 2008 Lafon Macon-Uchizy Maranches was corked, sadly and completely.
The 2009 Tablas Creek “Cotes de Tablas” was medium bodied and very floral, without the oiliness I expect in Roussanne/Marsanne. OK match as Dave and I have a dinner of pasta (spinach linguine and savoy cabbage) and pizza (trumpet mushroom with shallot and peppers). B/B-
With salmon, leftover cabbage pasta, and broccoli, the 2011 Chermette/Vissoux “Cuvee Traditionelle” Beaujolais. Full, plenty of pretty red fruit, good acids, nice length. 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.