Tuesday no wine as I was picking up Betsy from a late flight, so Wednesday happy to open the 2011 Heidi Schrock Weissburgunder. Dinner was clams and shrimp cooked in a tomato broth, with brown rice and salad. Clean pear fruit, slightly waxy, quite floral. I like this, but something just a little crisper and less rich might have been a better match. B/B-
Thursday a turkey ragu with 2013 Grange Cochard Morgon VV. New producer to me, more on the rich dark fruited side. Black cherry, mocha, some slightly coarse tannin, good acids. Good but I think a few years would do some good. B
Friday was crab with sorta gazpacho followed by grilled chicken, eggplant, and corn, with the 2013 Nikolaihof “Im Weingebirge “ Gruner Veltliner Federspiel. White peach, pepper, a little pineapple, rich for a Federspiel yet a steely on finish., very good length. B+/A-
Saturday was duck with sauteed grapes and purslane, pasta with radish pesto, and caprese
2014 Clos de la Roilette (Coudert) Fleurie. This is surprisingly stern for the regular Fleurie, some grippy tannins over somewhat subdued fruit. Not quite what I expected, but think it will be fine in time. But for this night B-
Sunday we had some friends over. Greeted with tomatillo guacamole with semi-homemade chips, olives, and the NV Pierre Gerbais “l’Audace” Brut Nature Champagne. At first the austerity of the low dosage pushed me back, but as I re-sipped this grew on me. Big, full,structured but with a sense of grace. B+
One friend doesn’t like bubbles, so we also opened the 2013 Weszeli Gruner Veltliner. Nice pea and pepper GV notes, moderate acids, I found disappointing mentally comparing it to the Nikolaihof but that is unfair comparison, a bit simple but fine for $14 GV. B-
Moved to table for honeydew soup with crab and avocado, plus ricotta-stuffed zucchini flowers
The 2013 Pinon Vouvray is really a nice match, sec-tendre with bright acids, snappy Granny Smith fruit, enough wooliness to announce it’s Chenin-ness. B+
Main was skirt steak in an Asian marinade, herb-stuffed tomatoes, and corn
1993 Lindemans Limestone Ridge Shiraz/Cabernet
Blinded Alex on this, he had no clue, don’t think I would have gone Aussie at all. 13.0%, sweet black cherry fruit with a hint of vanilla, a little smoke and meat, ripe but not at all overbearing. Not especially complex, but tasty. B
2013 Mosse Anjou Rouge
I’ve been a fan of Mosse whites, but I should pay more attention to the reds. Fruit-driven without being “fruity”, some soil notes, tangy acids. clean finish. 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.