With fresh mozzarella crostini topped with grated bottarga:
NV Pol Roger Vintage Brut (Extra Cuvee de Reserve) Champagne
Skunky, Heinekkin beer nose is offputting and disappointing, yet all seemed right on the palate. So we drank it--but what an odd experience.
With asparagus-black truffle vichysoisse:
2012 Bernardus Winery Sauvignon Blanc Monterey
A big and rich style of Sauvignon Blanc with plenty of acidity and structure. Impressive, drinks well above it's price.
2012 Château La Louvière Blanc Pessac-Léognan Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend
Outstanding nose. Vivid notes of white grapefruit, gooseberry and tarragon carry through to the palate. Drinks well now, but will be even better in two years.
With cold bouilliabaise terrine:
2012 Domaine Charly Nicolle Chablis 1er Cru Les FourneauxA fruitier style of Chablis. Lacks the steely notes I crave, but shows enough background flint and wet rocks to be recognizable. Quite charming, actually, for $19.
2012 Stolpman Rosé Santa Ynez Valley Rosé Blend
Earthy notes with rose petals and blood orange. Terrific balance and finish. Very Bandol-like. Will be a favorite of our summer.
With "pork 'n beans" (sous vide pork roast and seared pork belly on herbed white beans with demi glace drizzle):
2006 Bodegas El Nido Jumilla El Nido Red Blend
Lambert's bottle. Decanted two hours. Outstanding nose of dark fruit and leather, velvety on the palate with hints of fig jam and orange rind. Wow.
2005 Tranche Cellars Slice of Pape Columbia Valley Red Rhone Blend
Was blown away by this wine, having had a weaker and more recent vintage (2011 maybe?) that I didn't care for at all. Would never mistake it for a CdP, but it's a big deliciously fruited new world GSM that, were I so lucky to own it, I'd happily let rest another five years.
2005 Den Hoed Marie's View Wallula VineyardHorse Heaven Hills Red Blend
Concentrated black and red fruits with notes of black coffee and iron. Very little in the way of secondary development even at age ten, but all the same it presents like the expensive wine (for WA) it is. Impressive.
2012 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon 40th Anniversary Napa Valley
Confected nose of vanilla bean and marshmallow (both of which I detest). On the palate, lush and rich dark fruits and root beer float. Silky with soft tannins. Too sweet for this Bordeaux lover, but sweet-toothed wine drinkers raved.
2009 Betz Family Clos de BetzColumbia Valley Red Bordeaux Blend
Medium bodied with minerally red fruit on the nose and palate. Savory in the Betz style and a lovely refuge from that Caymus 40th Anniversary wine on the table. No, Virginia, they don't have to all be like that.
2009 Reynvaan Family Vineyards Syrah The Unnamed Walla Walla Valley
Funky, animal nose in a big way--so odd, in that this quality was not present or even hinted at on the bottles we had one and two years ago. I love that quality but my guests did not care for it at all. This was bigger bodied and deeper colored than previous bottles as well. Drinks well now, but no rush.
2007 Forsyth Brio Cabernet Sauvignon Red MountainDon's bottle. En pointe cabernet sauvignon for Red Mountain and has a good resolution of power and finessse for a 2007--didn't taste as ripe as most do, yet it wasn't a weakling. Was surprised to taste so good a wine from a producer I've not heard of before.
2007 Bernardus Winery Marinus Signature Carmel Valley Red Bordeaux Blend
Not nearly as far along as the bottle opened a month ago. That one I would have said drink up by 2017, this one has--er, had--until 2020 or beyond.
2006 Long Shadows Wineries Pirouette Columbia Valley Red Bordeaux Blend Did not show as well as a bottle a few months ago, but wasn't flawed. Just tighter, less giving on the midpalate and therefore showing more tannins on the finish. If this typical, wait another year.
With raspberry-lemon tart:
2004 Château Climens Barsac Sémillon
Not as viscuous or honeyed as some vintages, but therein lies it's charm. Bright and clean, with quince, loquat, lemon and apricot.
1988 Chateau Climens Barsac Semillon
The toe tag on this bottle said it was a 1996. Didn't realize until I saw the leftovers in the fridge the next day that it was the '88 I'd been hoarding to serve with an '88 Y'quem I also own. I want to kill myself. That aside, it was majestic. Golden orange color with honey, orange rind, loquat, spice and peach butter.