With broiled sole with an Asian edge (ginger and soy) , the 2012 Trimbach Riesling (basic yellow label). Great acids, some citrus but more minerally than fruit, not especially complex but honest and pleasing. B
I had a speech Wednesday and got in late, with an assortment of leftovers the 2013 Edmunds St. John “Bone Jolly” Gamay Noir. A little hint of spritz, fresh ripe cherries and plums, a little spice, fresh and easy. B
Friday I took Betsy to dinner for her birthday in Tarrytown (as I had been eating truffles on her actual bday). We enjoyed our starters (a malabar spinach salad with nuts and Bayley Hazen, incredible rabbit meatballs with kale ), Betsy had a wonderful duck lasagna with a fried egg, and we had main courses of chicken with stuffing and mushrooms as well as pork with a rutabaga puree and red cabbage (sides were great, both roasted proteins were a bit overcooked). Nice attitude and service for BYO. Wine was the 1997 Edmunds St. John “Fenaughty” Syrah. Wow, nice showing. Ripe but balanced, tannins resolved, excellent length, pretty fruit framed by herbs, smoke, and flint. A- (CT shows as Wylie-Fenaughty, but I could have sworn this label was Wylie-less).
Saturday we went to a Nikolaus party, moved indoors due to heavy steady rain. The traditional mulled wine was main event, but a couple of us managed to bring bonus wines (on theme for our German host)
There was a 2000 Nahe Kabinett I neglected to note details on (think producer was Anheuser) on. Good acids for 2000, lemon and green apple, light, easy. 7% abv. B-
1992 Fritz Haag “Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr” Riesling Auslese. Great showing. Moderate (compared to modern Auslese) sugars, zippy acids, long. Apples, ginger, cinnamon, minerals. Better showing than I remembered. Quickly drained. A-
Betsy and I returned home to dinner I had almost ready- chicken in a tomato/olive sauce, pasta, roasted radicchio, and roasted cauliflower. Opened the 2011 Graci Etna Rosso. Spritz, a bit sharp, calmed down a bit. Redder fruits, a bit simple. I liked their white more. B-/C+
Betsy had a concert following day so stayed home, I walked in rain a few blocks to a BIG 50th birthday party for a friend. A buffet (roast beef, vegetables, etc) plus passed appetizers (my favorite was seared tuna tacos on what were actually potato chips, but also liked lamb, dumplings, pumpkin ravioli, etc) . Couple of bars set up
2013 Lauverjat Sancerre
Crisp, bright, apple and lemon, a little stone. B
2011 Cabrini Malbec
Tannic, fruitloopy, jammy, short. C+
2012 Sean Minor Pinot Noir
Low expectations, this isn’t too bad. Decent acids, a hint of oak, red cherry fruit. By standards of big catered events not bad at all. B-
Sunday red snapper, choy sum, and brown rice with furikake. The snapper was baked in white wine with capers, wine was the 2012 Sartarelli Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico. Floral, peach fruit, good acids, simple, happy to have well under $10. B/B-
Dinner wine was the 2013 Pinon Vouvray. I had bought the support Pinon 6 pack, put away and forgot there was a regular Vouvray mixed in with the stickies. A note on this from the good JayM reminded me, dug it out (and discovered a nice note from Francois Pinon to customers). Fresh, traditional sec-tendre styled wine, apples and flowers with a slight honied note and a hint of wool. Fresh, appealing, too bad there is so little of this in 2013. 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.