No wine opened Thursday, as I had dinner at office before a meeting. Friday was a chicken tagine-ish dish with couscous and the 2014 Domaine des Costes Bergerac rose. Light, fresh, spicy. Nothing complex here but nice foodfriendly pink for $10.B
Saturday the fishmonger at market had first of the season bay scallops- made a white wine /red pepper sauce served with linguine and the 2014 Clos Roche Blanche “#2” Sauvignon Blanc. Quite full bodied, ripe but with a nervy underlay of acidity, grapefruit and melon fruit with wildflowers. No grass, no catpee, but identifiably SB. Shoulda bought more. B+/A-
Sunday went a friend’s 60th. Her husband greeted us with foie gras canapes, salmon on cuke, and the NV Diebolt-Vallois Blanc de Blancs Champagne. Crisp, green apple, snappy, light but fun B
Dinner was a salad, lamb shanks on white bean puree, and roasted vegetable. Several reds made rounds
2006 Crognolo
Softer Sangiovese, black cherry and plum, round. B-
2006 Fontodi Chianti Classico
Fairly structured still, both tannin and acid prominent, but balanced by black cherry fruit. Some saddle leather, hint of underbrush. B+
2007 Vieille Julienne Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Others liked. Hot, a little pruney, jammy, overripe. C+/C
2001 La Rioja Alta Ardanza Rioja Reserva Especial
At first I was a little put off by this, some VA and green pickle notes, but this improved drastically in decanter and glass, dropping the pickle, lowering the volatility, and emerging as a very nice Rioja, red fruited with some spice, sandalwood, & fennel. Quite nice. B+/A-
I had brought cheeses (Stilton, Comte de Savioe, Montgomery Cheddar) and an offdry wine to finish.
1989 Mabilliere Vouvray Demisec
Moderate sweetness, good acids, no Huet but tasty. B
Fun 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.