Gorgeous night for final jazz concert of the season- perfect weather, clear skies and a pretty sunset over the Palisades. We had invited friends and supplied the picnic- crab salad with gazpacho, tongue pastrami, beef pate, D;Artagnan chicken/mushroom sausage, salad, squash, homemade pickles (dill from a kit, plus Japanese). We had some wine and traded with friends as well:
2011 Tessier Cour-Cheverny
Rich Romarantin fruit, a little wool over peaches. B/B+
2015 Dutraive “Clos de Grand Cour” Fleurie
Bigger style, fleshy red fruits but with balance, cherry and raspberry accented with floral notes. Nice texture. B+/A-
2015 Riotor rose (Cotes de Provence).
Light, strawberries and cherry, easy to drink in a s\imple style. B-/B
2015 Pacherhof Pinot Grigio
Don’t think you’re going to confuse this and SantaMarg. Steely, but with a full texture. Apples, vanilla, almonds. B/B+
2015 Dinocheau Pineau d’Aunis
Herby, piney, bright acids, some funky notes. B
2013 Trimbach Pinot Blanc
Hint of sweetness, easy and light. B-
NV Laherte “Ultradition” Champagne (375 ml)
Bright, fine mousse, good. B/B+
2014 Bogle Merlot
Black plum, a little pruney, vanilla shake., a little hot (surprised to see only 13.5%). Short, sweet and bitter at same time, a little abrasive. I remember years ago thinking at least the PS was a decent value, I wouldn’t buy this at any price. C
Thursday no wine and no meat (delicious dinner- Cape gooseberry/corn/cuke salad,
Gingered chickpeas with eggplant, spinach, and tomato, Bhindi raita (okra in raita)
Lemon/cashew rice.
Friday Betsy made grilled clams and bucatini all'amatriciana, wine was the 2011
Melini “La Selvanella” Chianti Classico Riserva. Black cherry, dried cherry, saddle leather. Nice CCR with enough tannin to age a bit. B+/B
Saturday Betsy’s brother-in-law’s mother (or should I say her sister’s mother-in-law) was in town and we had their family over for dinner.
We opened with the Gerbais “Cuvee de Reserve “ Extra Brut Champagne. Nervy, not austere, rich apple fruit, maybe mousse is a bit coarse but good wine. B
Cal brought pumpkin ravioli with sage butter, served with the whites
2014 H. Boillot Bourgogne blanc
Full for Bourgogne, pear and hazelnut, a lemony edge. B+
2010 Jadot Pouilly-Fuisse
Round, a little tired, surprising oak notes. I didn’t enjoy this as much as I would have expected. B-/C+
Main was grilled salmon with an Asian marinade, Mexican corn, & salad
1996 P. Bourree Chambolle-Musigny
More acid than tannic backbone, tart black cherry fruit, spice, earth. Very popular. B/B+
2015 Lapierre Morgon (S)
Fresh and juicy, big but not overdone, black cherry and plums, floral. There’s some tannic backbone, this could age but I thought very nice with salmon right now. B+/A=
Finished with a lemon pound cake with peaches and whipped cream
Sunday I was out all day running a big picnic for our homeless friends. Betsy and the hound came too, but left early to start dinner. I was wiped, but happy to have a nice dinner of chicken with figs, tomatoes with oregano and squash, and salad. Wine was the 2014 Pinon “Deronnieres” Vouvray. Fall apples, wax, flowers. Light sweetness pairs well with the figs, nice length, tangy acids. B+/A-
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.