With a slow cooker chicken tikka masala, brown rice, and salad, the 2008 Clemen-Busch Marienburg Riesling Grosses Gewaches. Long, full, nice acids without any austerity or “screech.” Peaches, apples, spice. Very long, I shoulda bought more of this. A-
With (incredibly good) meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and sauteed red mustard greens, the 2000 Ch. Dassault (St Emilion). With comments about less expensive B2K crashing, thought this was a good time to visit this. Nice in a mid-modern style ,ripe plums and mocha, rather lush and low acid texture, pretty mature (I think you’d be fine over next 5 years). Very Merlot-y, nice for what it is. B+/B
Some old friends (and their pup) came to dinner, dogs got marrow bones while the people had canapes of smoked duck breast and salmon. Opener was the NV Castellroig Cava Brut -crisp, nervy/steely, not very fruity, good value. B/B+
Main course was bouillabaisse , with an asparagus side and a sorrel salad. For varying tastes, I put out three wines
2011 Clos Roche Blanche “#2” Sauvignon Blanc
Lovely dynamic between the citrusy fruit and the minerally finish. Vibrant, good length, buy more. B++
2012 Domaine des Costes Bergerac rose
Light, easy, pleasant and a good match with the bouillabaisse. B
1997 Beringer Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
This bottle seemed much more advanced than others from same case- the vagaries of cork. Plummy fruit, leather, ashtray, tired. B-/C+
Friday I had leftovers (primarily meatloaf), with the 2011 Baudry Chinon (this is the domaine bottling). Black cherries, light tannin, a tantalizing whiff of green herbs/green tobacco leaf. Drinking well, nice. 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.