Friday we went up to Scarborough for dinner with friends. We were greeted with dips and chips, dinner was a vegan chili and salad, all delicious. I furnished the wines
2013 Pinon Vouvray
Doesn’t say Cuvee Tradition, but this is a lovely sec-tendre. Floral, delicate, lovely, a wonder in a vintage that was so rough on the producer. Bravo. B+/A-
2002 Montevetrano
Jim likes bigger reds, this fit the bill. Big dark fruit, cocoa, still tannic. B
Saturday a local church had a Mardi Gras gala, we arranged a table. A reception with a silent auction and appetizers (I liked the crawfish), then a concert with Mark Morganelli and the Jazz Forum All Stars, then dinner. Dinner was Louisiana bouillabaisse, followed by a buffet (jambalaya, shrimp creole, blackened salmon, chicken, red beans and rice, etc). Then I acted (poorly) as auctioneer for the live auction while people enjoyed their Bourbon pecan pie.
The wines poured by church at reception and dinner
NV Jaume Serra Cristalino Brut Cava
Light, apple and pear, straightforward and fruity. B-
2016 Pajot “Les Quatre Cepage” (Gascogne)
Melon and pit fruits, but lacking in acid and interest. C+
2015 Domaine Isle Saint-Pierre
Red fruits, a little spice, round, not bad. B-
I’d brought 2-3 bottles each of some wines I had oversupply of to supplement what church was furnishing for dinner
1996 Fonterutoli Chianti
So I opened the case+ of wine I had brought, set aside one of these as corked. Put way back on table, but after concert realized server was pouring! I stopped the TCA flow. Other bottle was good- black cherry and some plum, a little cedar, leather. B
2003 Domaine St. Benoit Châteauneuf-du-Pape Grande Garde
Ok, on the category of 2003 CdP this is rather restrained, though there is a slight roasted take to the red fruit, it comes across as medium bodied. Red fruits, herbs, not too long. One bottle was slightly horsey, but other not, and I didn’t get the possible brett when I sniffed again. B/B-
2007 Donkey and Goat “Recluse” Syrah
Dark berry, woodsmoke, a little bacony edge. Good. B+
1996 Sandro Fay Sforzato di Valtellina
Dried cherry, red plum, licorice, tar. Some oxidative notes appear, nutty/caramelly, time to drink up. B/B-
2007 Ch. Belair (St. Emilion)
Actually sniffed this for TCA but think I never tasted.
1998 Vieux Chateau Charvin (St Emilion)
midbodied, black plum and cherry, leather, earth. Nice ripe balanced Merlot. B/B+
Plus bottles I brought just for my table
2014 Pepiere “Briords” Muscadet
Long, clean, saliney/briney, bright. A-/B+
1993 Dr. Loosen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett
Surprise of the night- fairly sweet, but strong citric acids buoying up some green apple and melon fruit. Good chalky/minerally finish. A-
1970 Ch. Lascombes (Margaux)
Black plum fruit is holding on, but the structure is a shell- tannins are gone and acids are soft. Folks enjoy, but not what I hoped for. B-/B
1989 Beringer Bancroft Ranch Merlot
Surprise red of the night- offvintage but young and delicious, fresher than a bottle a few years ago, black fruit with mocha and tobacco, quite fun. B+/A-
1999 Falesco Montiano
Surprisingly still rather tannic, somewhat stunted plum fruit, fading a touch, a bit of a disappointment though some at table loved. B-/C+
1983 Bergweiler-Prum Erben Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Eiswein
Good acids, bright lemon custard and apple fruit, a little almond note, tasty but what was gained by aging? B/B+
1998 Tommaso Bussola “TB” Recioto della Valpolicella (500 ml)
Raisins, coffee, caramel. Sweet but with some acid. Enjoyable, but I’d not pay retail for this (got as part of a mixed lot). B
Fun night, good cause, liked the painting we got at auction, had fun except when auctioning.
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.
