Surf and turf isn’t my favorite way to go, but Betsy likes on occasion, and it gives me an excuse to open 2 wines. So Friday I was in charge, I thawed some spiny lobster tails from my brother, and picked up one prime strip steak (local supermarket recently started carrying prime), sauteed some broccoli as well as some squash. Opened (initially) a half bottle of red and a white:
2004 Giovanni Rosso “Serralunga” Barolo (375 ml)
Midbodied, some tannin, black raspberry fruit, just a hint of smoke. Drinks well with a little air, no need to wait in small format. B+/B
2006 Matrot “Perrieres” Meursault 1er
I thought I had drunk these, found recently moving some bottles, knew there was risk (Matrot is a fave producer, but high Pox-rate). For a second after pouring I thought I might have hit lottery, but no- poxed it is. Heavily oxidized, really a shame. C-
2005 Kuen Hof Sylvaner
Viscous, full, good acids, yellow pit fruits and herbs. With time some tropical fruit notes, some chalk. Really fun and delicious wine, drinking very very well. A-
Saturday stirfried Korean-marinated chicken, long beans with pepper, steamed tofu with ginger and scallions, and brown rice with furikake
2009 Billards “reserve Caveau” St Amour
Dark and dense for Beaujolais, this was pretty shut down at first. But when it opens really quite exceptional- structured, ripe, more like a Cote d’Or Burg than Beaujolais. Black cherry, floral and spice notes, sappy, balanced, full and long. Could use a bit more time. A-
Last night duck with pepper and lemon, kale soup with egg, and seaweed salad. Wine was the 2005 Drouhin “Vero” Bourgogne rouge. This is a ripe and pleasant Pinot Noir, red cherry fruit with good acids, but I really don’t see any complexity added from cellar time. 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.