No wines Monday (pappardelle with radicchio), Tuesday Betsy made beef stroganoff. Recipe called for white wine, she opened the 2015 La Vieille Ferme blanc, I tried when I got home. Good acid for Southern Rhonish white, lemony with a little straw note, decent finish. Good $7-8 wine to have around for cooking. B/B-
Dinner wine was the 2012 Louis Boillot Bourgogne Rouge. Red cherries and cranberry, earth, floral notes. Good grip, nice, good bargain at $20 and free shipping. B+/B
Wednesday was roasted grouper, couscous, and broccoli, wine was the 2013 Jaeger-Defaix “Les Clous” Rully 1er. A little overt oak, sweet apple and pear, stood up to fish but a little obvious by itself. B-
Thursday Betsy made turkey (Serious Eats recipe for spatchcocked with porchetta spices, a do-again) and mushroom jus, I did 2 cornbread dressings (oyster and giblet). We carried those plus some shrimp/mango canapes and taramasalata to her sister's. They had salmon, Brussels sprouts, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, and more.
Rare Wine Company “Le Mesnil” Champagne
Nice bargain blanc de blanc. Pear, green apple, hazelnut, and chalk. Medium bodied, fresh, easy. B
2015 Navarro Gewurztraminer (Anderson Valley)
Tropical, floral, a little soft. I’ve liked this in previous vintages, but this seemed a little dilute and low acid. Usually I find Gewurz the most distinctive variety, but I think with this blind I might have guessed Viognier. B-/C+
2003 Littorai “Les Larmes” Pinot Noir (Anderson Valley)
Black cherry, pomegranate, smoke. Just enough tannin and acid to keep lively, ready and tasty. B+
Good (fairly quiet) thanksgiving!
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.