Thursday was grilled chicken breast, tomatillo salsa, pesto quinoa, salad, with the 2011 Steinmetz “Dhroner Hofberg GD” Riesling. OK, I confess I bought this from a closeout bin and actually thought it said GG. Not GG, but it was dry, and it was tasty. Apple, pear, ginger, and floral notes. Pretty big, pretty long. I like it though it drinks more like Wachau than Mosel. B/B+
Friday I made dinner as Betsy and her sister came back from the beach, her BIL joined us, we had a nice dinner on the patio. Started with pate grandmere and the 2015 Pampelonne rose (Cotes de Provence).Pale, cherry and mineral, moderate acids. Typical, tasty, unexciting. B/B-
First we had lobster salad (citrus dressing, tarragon, arugula), wine was the 2009 F. Cotat “Les Culs de Beaujeau” Sancerre. 15%, maybe just slightly hot on its own, but comes across as balanced with the food. Citrus, floral, and earthy notes, full and long. B+/A-
Main was skirt steak, squash, &caprese. Wine was the 1998 Leoville Poyferre. Red currant and plums, a little tobacco, not bad but with some rather tacky tannin. OK, but I almost never find Medoc 98s to have a wow factor like the Graves and RB wines. B
Saturday we had carbonara (bucatini and guanciale), spatchcocked chiclen with a fennel/herb/lemon rub, haricots verts, and salad.
2014 La Bettigna Vermentino (Colli di Luni)
I like Ligurian whites and thought that this might go well with the fennel rub on chicken. It did, but I didn’t care much for the wine. Good acids, but odd (oxidized?) notes to the fruit, and rather short. Oops, have a couple more. B-/C+
2006 Trimbach “Cuvee Frederic Emile” Riesling (375)
Opened as I didn’t love the Vermentino. I like ‘06 CFE, but by now I should have learned how poorly Trimbach dry wines do in halves, unsure why. Advanced, petrol and oxidation, C+/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.