TN: Burg, Corsica, Wachau, etc

Friday we had a family party, as Betsy’s nephew was heading to college (and niece had just gotten back from 6 months in France). I had visited our new snout to tail butcher /charcuterie. We started with lamb/ramp pate and a great headcheese, along with smoked salmon canapes and the NV Tarlant Zero Brut Nature. Tangy, zippy, full. Fun in a rather austere style. B+

Next up was my gazpacho, followed by shrimp served on Swiss chard and pappardelle with wilted radicchio

2014 Jo Landron “Les Houx”Muscadet
Snappy acids, lemon , a little flint, but not so long. B

2011 Garnier Vaudesir
Lemon meringue, fuller styled, tasty but not really GC to me B

Saturday we had a bit of surf and turf, some scallops and some “Joe Bidens” (sausage made with Dogfish IPA and Old Bay), as wel as grilled eggplant and Mexican style corn. Wine was the 2012 Nikolaihof “Steiner Hund” Riesling. Full, fresh, stony. Citrus and pit fruit, but really dominated by rocky mineral notes. Very good. A-

Sunday we had pasta with clams and cherry tomatoes, squash, and arugula & red shiso salad.
Wine was the 2012 Abbatucci “Il Cavaliere Diplomate d'Empire” Indigenous Corsican grapes. Very full styled, good acidic backbone, peach and herbs, tangy finish. B+/A-

Monday I skipped wine at Mohonk Mountain House, list isn’t too bad but Betsy had a 9 PM concert, and I’d been up since 4 AM and didn’t want to fall asleep during it. Some more hiking and canoeing Tues, then back to Dobbs in time for a little work while Betsy made dinner- duck breast with green beans and almonds. Wine is the 2011 Herve Sigaut “Les Fuees” Chambolle-Musigny 1er. I’ve had a couple 2011 with a bit of the greenie meanies, but this is pretty clean Tangy raspberry/cherry fruit, soil, woodsmoke. With time there’s a pomegranate note to the fruit. Not particularly dense, not one for the ages, but tasty. B/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.

[David M. Bueker]

Oh great, now I need to find some '12 Stone Dog

Wine was the 2012 Nikolaihof “Steiner Hund” Riesling. Full, fresh, stony. Citrus and pit fruit, but really dominated by rocky mineral notes. Very good. A-

I'm sitting here sipping some bubbly, but now I want some of that Riesling. Like David, I'm gonna have to find some. A local high-end market claims to be able to order any wine, so I'm going to put them to the test.

Dale, you have a new dog?

Wow, the food all sounds so delicious.

... We started with lamb/ramp pate...

Where does one find ramps this time of year...Chile?

Bob, unsure if that is a hund joke. If not, no, same dog (she turns 14 later this year). I've used that avatar pic for years- she's actually almost white now. The inside joke is the blue ribbon was for obedience (not her strong suit). At a big Basset rescue event there were dozens of entrants in longest ears contest and the like. Out of 100 hounds only 2 entered obedience contest. Lucy won by sitting, down, and giving paw (treats were hovering). Other dog could do.....nothing. Obedience is not a strength in Bassets.

Mark, I'm sure the ramps were pickled or preserved, would be texturally better.. Fresh ramps would make a strange pate even in season.