Kitchen is 95% finished, Betsy is in VA so I didn’t want to do my usual big (40-50 people) Memorial Day party, instead invited about a dozen friends. Morning was cloudy but sun peeked out later, with very comfortable temps. I made lobster salad, pork ribs, beef (deckle and culotte), currywurst, bratwurst, guacamole, squash with za’atar. Others brought black bean hummus, quinoa salad, beets with tarragon, almond cake, and a lot more. Wines were all mine
2007 F. Cotat “Culs de Beaujeau” Sancerre
I had a rather advanced bottle of 07 Pascal MD from same box couple months ago, but this couldn’t have been fresher. Full lovely and long, rich fruit, good acidic cut, minerally. A-
2008 Trimbach Cuvee Frederic Emile Riesling
Wet rocks, citrus fruit, fantastic electric acids, great length. Delicious but will get better. A-
2015 Bzikot Bourgogne Blanc
Fatter style, sweet fruit, needs more cut but tasty. B-
1982 Ch. Mazeyres (Pomerol)
Black plum, coffee, tobacco but sliding towards ashtray. On downslope, though still some interest B-
2010 Drouhin Fleurie
Cranberry, lots of herb, fun. B
1996 Ca' Rome' di Romano Marengo Barolo Rapet
So I decanted this and told folks to leave alone, very tight. 45 minutes later I found decanter almost empty, the memo didn’t get around. Medium bodied, some hard tannin, a little tar. Not a lot of pleasure, wish I had tried with more air. B-/C+ as a PnP
2006 Chanrion Cote de Brouilly
.Spicy red fruit, exotic nose, fun, B+
1978 Ch. Beychevelle (St Julien)
Very good with a quick decant. Red plum and cherry, cigarbox, a light touch of Sociando-like green, Good acid, resolved tannin, clean if modest length. B+/B
Great fun!
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.