With Betsy in Texas I opened the 2012 Guion Bourgeuil (the basic “domaine” bottling) to go with my carnitas. Black plums, very light tannin, good acids. Lighter styled, lacy and leafy. Fun little wine and very good value. B+/B
The next night I braised some chicken thighs and opened the 1998 Ch. La Tour Haut Brion, I generally love 98 Graves, but didn't love this. Modest cassis fruit, not a lot of tannin but what there is grainy, and it seems clipped on finish. Maybe in need of time but after an hour I put into decanter, not any more charming after couple hours. B-/C+
Recently at a dinner we had discussed Austrian Chardonnay (I was pro) , thought I’d go with the 1998 Prager Weissenkirchen Smaragd to go with my braised monkfish, This is a weird and not very pleasurable wine- a huge cheesy/lactic thing dominates the sweet (canned) pear fruit. Botrytis in combination with some funky oak? C
Monday shrimp and leeks over pasta, with lemony green beans and a salad, Wine was the
2013 Bruna “Maje” Pigato (Riviera Ligure di Ponente), Citrus, clean and fresh, hint of mint over the lemon fruit, good match with the dish. B
Friends visited for dinner Wednesday with their cockapoo puppy, much barking and romping ensued. The people started with smoked salmon and the NV Diebolt-Vallois Blanc de Blancs Champagne. Lighter styled, lemon and green apple with just a hint of yeast and spice, apparently low dosage, good for inexpensive Champagne. B/B+
Dinner was tuna steaks, with a side of cauliflower & beans (cauliflower ground in food processor, sauteed, then the beans and sofrito added), some asparagus, and a salad.
2002 Coste-Caumartin “Les Chouacheux” Beaune 1er
Lean for 2002 at first, opens and fills out, good black cherry fruit, some cocoa and smoke. Nice PN, though not very complex, but others liked a lot. B
2001 Lafarge Bourgogne
Pretty if light, crunchy. Raspberry and cranberry fruit, brambly, cumin-y spice notes, I like more than fruit-centric friends. Holding quite well for Bourgogne AC in a tough year in the CdB. B/B+
Cooking wine was the 2013 Chidaine Sauvignon Blanc (Touraine), a negociant wine. Crisp citrus and green apple, a hint of jalapeno, fresh. Thursday I didn’t have wine (dinner at office before a meeting) but a glass of the Chidaine when I got home was still crisp and refreshing. Good value. B/B+
Friday I thawed some leftover Christmas goose, with the end of the cauliflower/beans and some sauteed spinach. I opened a dubious bottle of 1992 Jadot “Chouacheux“ Beaune 1er Cru (2 Chouacheux in one week!). This had signs of seepage (part of a mixed lot with more desirable wines) so low expectations. Yep, shrill, caramelly. I went to backup bottle, but a few hours later tried again before I dumped into vinegar crock. Actually this was showing much better- black cherry fruit, smoke, though still a hint of maderization. C- on opening, B- with air. I held off and tried again next night, but dead by then, and into crock.
Backup was a half bottle of the 2006 Ch. Lagrange (St Julien). Drinking quite well from 375 ml, cassis laced with St Julien tobacco, coffee, and flowers. Good structure- both tannin and acids- but approachable. B+/A-
Saturday was cod braised in a chipotle/tomato/chickpea broth, with brussels sprouts and barley. Wine was the 2011 Leitz Rudesheimer Magdalenenkreuz Riesling Spatlese, This seems zippier than I remember, really crisp electric acids, green apple and lime fruit, long minerally finish. Nice! B+/A-
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.