2004 Paul Hobbs Chardonnay (Russian River Valley)
15 years old, still dominated by oak. Vanilla, butter, and sweet canned pear. Just not my style. But it’s not tired. Opened backup, next day put out at a party, the first person to say they liked got my remaining bottle. C+
2017 Pepiere “Briords” Muscadet
I’m going through these too fast, but damn what a bargain (as usual)/ B+/A-
Saturday was lovely, as we’d had to scale back Labor Day invited some friends. Lots were spending day running a charity sale, so I said I’d handle food, though a few brought food (a beautiful beet pesto pasta, a sauteed cabbage dish, and more). I did ribs, hot dogs, grilled clams with garlic, cheap steak in fish sauce marinade, tomato/feta/cuke salad, grilled napa cabbage slaw, grilled leeks with mustard/caper sauce, elotes, salsa, guacamole
2018 Edmunds St John “Bone Jolly” Rose
Red fruited, bright, a little floral/herby with air. B+/B
2015 Ch. Simone Palette Rose
Someone questions the Grand Cru on neck label, didn’t think rose from anywhere could be GC.
Fairly deep color, tart raspberry with orange zest, very herbal. Almost a light red. Divisive, but I enjoyed. B+
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2003 JJ Prum Bernkastler Badstube Spatlese
Surprisingly a touch of spritz still on tongue, the ripeness shows in the Auslese+ weight as well as tropical/melon bent of the fruit, but there is surprisingly good acids, a tangy finish, and some petrol with air. B/B+
2018 Hippolyte Reverdy Sancerre
Good acids, bright nose of grapefruit and flowers with a little grass, originally a bit muted on palate but opens. B/B+
2015 Fleur Pinot Noir (Monterey)
Some really liked, I thought sweet and anonymous. C+
1998 Ch. Dalem(Fronsac)
I was planning on blinding Mark with this, but corked/ $9.25 down the drain!
1990 Ch. La Lagune
Just a little roasted note, but meaty and ferric, deep dark fruits. B+
2016 Pirolette St. Amour
Black cherry, coffee, smoke good tangy finish. B+/B
2009 Lucien Boillot “les Angles” Volnay 1er
Nice bring by Mark. Black cherry, earthy, citric note, just a hint of animal. Almost everyone’s WOTD. B+/A-
Sunday Betsy was back and we had a couple of friends who couldn’t make it Sat. Toulouse and Italian sausages, grilled scallops, corn, zucchini
2011 Gusbourne Blanc de Blancs (Kent)
Very bright, Granny Smith and lime zest, biscuit. . Fun, it not a bargain. B+
2015 Lambert “L'Ame d'Antan” Chinon
Funny bulbous bottle, Raspberry, plum, tangy B
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.