Sunday we had a friend (and her dog) over for dinner, we saved a plate for her husband who joined us late after a gig in PA. Welcoming wine was a half bottle of the NV Godme Rose Champagne -very tasty with strawberries, chalk, and toast notes. B+
Dinner was porterhouse, sweet potato, broccoli rabe, and a slaw with roasted chickpeas. We tried a couple of reds
2008 Guion “Cuvee Prestige” Bourgueil
Red fruits, tobacco and green herbs, midbodied, nice acids, good. B+/B
2003 Chave “Offerus” St Joseph
Very ripe red fruits, light roasted notes, there’s surprising acid for vintage but seems a bit unintegrated. Others liked more than I did. B-/C+
Monday I veered toward Indian- dal with vegetables, a cabbage/onion combo, rice, and
broccoli with Indian spices; wine was the 2012 Philipp Kuhn "Vom Kalksteinfels" (Pfalz). Big and powerful, but not ungainly, lemon and green apple, minerally. I like this a lot. B+
Tuesday was duck legs, a quinoa/rice mix, and asparagus, wine was the 2010 Bachelet Bourgogne. Takes a little white to shake off its tightness, but what a pretty young wine when it does. Black cherry and floral notes, a little hint of mocha, enough structure than it should age nicely on the short-mid term, but tasty now. 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.