Betsy made a quick bouillabaisse (cod, shrimp, scallops and littlenecks) and I opened the
2013 Matthiasson Rose. I think my first Matthiasson wine, and I really enjoyed. No clue re cepage. Very light (just a hint of copper) color, fresh, bright, wild strawberries and citrus peel. Very like a good Provencal rose, and a good match. B+
I made pork chops in a porcini/cremini sauce, served with lentils, broccoli, and the 2004 Aldo Conterno Barolo. Modern, approachable though there’s definite tannin, red fruit with a little tar, just a little wood (less than I would have expected with A. Conterno), tiny bit of heat (14.5%). While not my preferred style, tasty overall and surprisingly ready to go. B
Over for my local wine group’s look at Beaujolais. Alex was just back from helping his parents after their move from Paris to the south of France, and had brought some goodies back- a dry sausage with truffles was my fave. There were also cheeses, hummus and baba ganoush, olives, duck breast, foie gras mousse.
He had a Beaujolais blanc out, I had also brought one I had used for mushroom sauce
2013 Brun/Terres Dorees Beaujolais Blanc
Good acids, medium bottles, white fruits with chalk and flowers. Good vintage of this. B+
2012 La Jacarde Beaujolais Blanc
Served a bit cold, I liked more on revisit. Not a producer I know. Fresh, clean, no apparent oak, yellow flowers over pear fruit, a light nutty note that reminds me more of Italian whites. B
On to the reds. These were blind, but I didn’t do much guessing except vintages (I really don’t know the Crus well enough to guess with confidence, and everyone else knew less than me).
2013 Lapierre Morgon
My bottle. I thought fresh, lively, spicy, and delicious. One person guessed it might be older, but I think that was only because it was my wine and I’m usually the guy bringing the senior citizen. Even better on revisit. B+/A-
2012 Mas des Tines St Amour
New producer to me, Alex had brought back from a Provencal farmers market. Good, fresh, floral. B+
2005 Chateau de la Perriere Brouilly
Very ripe, approaching jammy, big, not especially gamayesque. My first guess was 2009 and second was 2003. C+
2012 Jadot Beaujolais-Villages
Pleasant, lighter, red fruited. B
2011 Pignard Regnie
Another new producer to me. Medium bodied, soft acids, fuller than my impression of Regnie. B/B-
2009 Joel Rochette “Cuvee des Braves Vieilles Vignes” Regnie
Riper style (this time I got vintage), big fruit, soft, others liked more than I did. B-
Good times, and a good thing I was walking home.
Last night skate in a green herb sauce, butternut squash, leftover lentils,and salad. Wine was the 2011 JM Boillot Bourgogne blanc, Fairly large framed for Bourgogne, but enough acids to balance the ripe fruits (melon, peach, apple). A little hint of oak. Good dinner wine, decent value (I think $21), I enjoyed without really thinking I need to source more. B
Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C drinkable. 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.