Saturday was swordfish with brown rice and salad, wine was the 2013 Leo Steen Chenin Blanc (Dry Creek Valley). Is this really a US producer named Steen who makes Chenin?
Pretty good, nice acids, green apple. Not sure I’d guess CB but maybe I am just looking for Loire terroir and mistaking it for CB.. Something to ponder. B
Sunday we had a nice group for dinner, with conversation about Asian art, bowmaking, and Chinese history. The other wine guy there (Betsy’s bowmaker) has always been generous, so I wanted to please him, gave him some choices- he was clear he’d rather try something new that me try to match his tastes/cellar. A good sport!
On the patio with smoked duck and smoked trout
2002 Pol Roger Brut Champagne
Midbodied, fine mousse, brioche and ginger apple on the palate, nice finish B+
2001 Leitz Rudesheimer Kirchenpfad Riesling Spatlese
Fairly sweet, moderate acids, tasty but I think a bit simple. I’m a huge 2001 German fan, but seem to find less excitement in Rhine and Pfalz than Nahe or Mosel. B-
Lobster/corn/tomato salad
2009 F. Cotat Culs de Beaujeau Sancerre
A bit big for the dish (I actually thought I had grabbed the tauter 2008, oops) full melon and citrus fruit, powerful, long. B
Next was lamb rib chops, potato salad,and a green salad
1989 Ch. Gazin
Decanted an hour before dinner, but still a bit withdrawn, some tannin, fruit in background, best during dishwashing. By then plums, smoke, and leather. During dinner B-, after dinner B+
2000 Ch. Cantemerle
Nice balanced claret, coming into its own, midbodied with cassis, cigarbox, and earth. B+/A-
Betsy had made a peach tart and we had cheese as well
1988 Anselmi Recioto dei Capiltelli (Recioto di Soave)
Dense, honied, orange marmalade, good acids. But a little clipped on finish, and gets a little metallic. Interesting to try. B-/C+
Nice night
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.