Betsy was away in Maine most of the week.I sampled several wines, alone and with friends
2015 Domaine de Pere Caboche rose (Vin De Pays de Vaucluse)
Soft sweet and empty, this is what I’m not looking for in rose C/C+
2015 Pepiere “Clos des Briords” Muscadet
Crunchy saline and nervy/vervy, this is what I’m looking for in Muscadet. Maybe not quite the depth of th ‘12 or ‘14, but delicious and a super value. B++
2015 Richter “Wehlener Sonnenuhr” Riesling Kabinett
Zippy acids, grapefruit and earthy elements, sweetness well-balanced by the acids, fine value at $16 B++
2015 Donnhoff Qba Riesling
Sweet apple, some slatey mineral notes. Nice easy drinking, but finishes a little sweeter than my ideal. Still a very good wine for the level. B/B+
2012 Pavelot Savigny les Beaune
I’m a huge Pavelot fan, but this left me a bit unimpressed. Modest black cherry fruit, light tannins, ok finish. Maybe this is just a little shut down? B- for this bottle
2014 Cavallotto Langhe Nebbiolo
Apparently 2014 was a tough vintage in Piedmont (lots of late rain I think) and Cavallotto was down so much they put all of the harvested grapes (including what is usually single vineyard) into the generic Nebbiolo. Pretty good stuff, in a medium-bodied ready to drink style. Crunchy red fruits, a little spice and tar, not much tannin. B/B+
So Saturday was my birthday. With Betsy having a concert Saturday in Maine, I said we’ll skip my birthday dinner this year, and she could make me dinner Sunday. A friend brought over red sauce with meatballs and sausage for Sat dinner. I opened the 1995 Montevertine “Il Sodaccio” - mature, maybe getting a little tired, black cherry, leather, dried flowers. B/B-
Sunday Betsy said she’d make a Rosh Hashanah dish of flanken in a pomegranate sauce - so we’d have leftovers later in the week. She cooked and set the table for 2. I picked up some Copps Island oysters to start, I shucked and we had those with a small glass of the 2014 Fevre Chablis (from 375ml). Very good for Chablis AC- granny smith, citrus, and a little seashell note. B/B+
For the beef I decanted a claret. Then there was a knock on the door and Betsy asked me to get it, where I discovered 7 hungry friends (local and from an hour+ away). Total surprise. The friends were bearing squash, rice, cheeses, appetizers. Betsy put them to work adding leaves to table and resetting, I was told my only job was choosing wines. My favorite job
1979 La Lagune
This is the wine I had already decanted. Red and black plum, lots of tobacco, structured more with acid than tannin. Lively and popular. B+
1981 Pichon Baron
This is considered a weak period for P-Baron, but this is actually a very nice, mature, elegant wine. Black currant fruit, laced with cedar/cigarbox. Midbodied, just a touch of tannin remaining, good length. Pleasant surprise. B+/A-
2006 Fontodi Chianti Classico
Big styled Chianti, brawny, black cherry and leather. B
1983 Le Bon Pasteur
Still some fruit, but driying tacky tannins, some brett, short. C+
2001 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc
Last bottle was poxed, but this is quite young and fresh. Oak still overlaying everything, but there’s enough stuffing that it doesn’t overwhelm. Pear, citrus zest, and vanilla, well balanced, big and long. B+
2015 Kofererhof Pinot Grigio
Big but with lively acids, pit fruits and a little grapefruit, pleasant floral note. If I need to drink PG, might as well be from Alto Adige. B+/B
Fun night, total surprise.
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.