Last night we had dinner planned with friends; one couple cancelled in the morning due to illness. We decided to just go with six. Then in the afternoon the NJ couple called to say their son was running a high fever; now we were looking at 4. But a quick phone call secured a replacement couple, and Betsy got back to cooking.
I put out pork/port pate and some bacon/chevre/date rolls, greeting wine was the NV Pinon Vouvray. I really love this stuff, bright and feisty with baked apple fruit accented with lemon, and just a touch of yeastiness. B+
Dinner was penne with a gorgonzola walnut sauce, followed by a Roman lamb stew (lamb braised in red wine vinegar and white wine, seasoned with rosemary and chili) and green beans with tomato and garlic; then a mushroom/celery/Pecorino salad. All recipes from Biba Caggiano cookbook. I put out three dinner wines, one white and two red:
2005 Pertinace Roero Arneis
Pleasant sweet pear fruit with a little grapefruit zippiness, a bit of nut and vanilla (oaked Arneis?). OK, but why not spend the extra $5 and get Giacosa? B
1997 Batasiolo Barberesco
Shows the strengths and weaknesses of the vintage. Plenty of ripe red fruit, open and forward, but a bit lacking in tannic or acidic structure. OK for a bargain Barbaresco, but nothing to look for. B
1991 Ridge Cabernet (Santa Cruz Mountains)
This would be worth looking for. Resolved tannins, big dark fruit with a potpourri of earth, leather, flowers, and damp moss. Continues to evolve in the glass, with cedar and mint aromas; fruit seems to actually build with some distinct cassis character. If this is the Santa Cruz bottling, what is the Monte Bello like? A-
Betsy served a Meyer lemon sorbet (she brought back about 40 lemons from CA); I put out a cheese platter with Epoisses, aged Gruyere, and Great Hill Blue. In addition to the dinner wines, a couple of 375s were opened:
2002 Jadot "Les Chouacheux" Beaune 1er
Very tight at first, with just a hint of red berry fruit. More of a black cherry turn with air, some mineral notes under a nice medium bodied Burg. B+
2001 Ch. D'Aubrin Ste. Croix du Mont
Sometimes these "little" appellation stickies can be good, but this was rather boring. Surprisingly flat acidity for a 2001 dessert Bdx, heavy but without depth, dull. C+
Nice night, even if cast wasn't the original plan. The psychiatrist/amateur rock drummer got some tips from the professional jazz drummer, we all commiserated/celebrated having teens, and the dog enjoyed her bone.
Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. 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.