Finally a Wednesday where the rain held off. We went to park concert to meet friends bearing smoked duck, smoked bluefish, and a delicious chicken/mango/soba salad
2018 Baudry Chinon rose
Pale, sweet red fruit, some citrus peel, good stony finish. Not quite as lithe was last year, but still a fun pink. B/B+
2007 Trimbach Cuvee Frederic Emile Riesling
Dry peach fruit, lots of citrus, floral and rock notes. Nervy without being hard, young but drinking well now. B+/A-
Thursday a nice porterhouse, sweet potato fries (smoked paprika, sumac), tomato salad with shallots and sumac (Betsy has a new Ottolenghi “Simple” book), kale salad.
It was our 19 anniversary of being together, so opened the 2000 Ch. Lafleur-Gazin. Soft plush and easy, this has red plum fruit with some cocoa and coffee. Ripe but not roasted, this is fine but is fairly generic Merlot with resolved tannins. Sure it will hold for a while but why? Will locate my other bottle and drink soon. B-
While looking for something else discovered a lone forgotten half bottle of 2001 Trimbach “Cuvee Frederic Emile” Riesling. I wasn’t excited, as almost all of the 375 mls I had of this were oxidized. I thought I had drunk all up. Well, I’m glad I hadn’t - steely, stony, studly! Full and minerally, crisp and fine. Great showing, and was fine next night as well. A- for a half bottle!!
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.