So since I worked every Sunday in January, Betsy convinced me to take a couple days off and head to the Adirondacks. Got my assistant started on Monday AM, then we drove to Lapland Lake in Benson. A really cold couple of days, with lows around 0°F and daily highs around 12F. I discovered I'm as big a klutz on x-country skis as I was on my one downhill experience, but we enjoyed snowshoeing, quiet time, and being together. Our "tupa" (Finnish for cottage) was a bit rustic but with a fully functional kitchen, but Betsy had prepared most of the food in advance.
Monday night was beef Bourguignon with mashed potato and salad, accompanied by the 2000 de Courcel "Grand Clos de Epenots" Pommard 1er. Big wine for the vintage, with sturdy tannins and good acidity. Black cherry and raspberry fruit, lots of earth and some Bdx-like cigarbox, long finish. This is one 2000 that could use some time. Really tasty, and even better as an apertif the next day. A-/B+
Next night Betsy made fondue (we carried the whole fondue set up there). A combination of Comte, Gruyere, and Emmenthaler (the Gruyere was pinchhitting for Beaufort). The cooking and drinking wine was the 2005 Pierre Boniface Apremont (Savoie). This is alway light, but here it just seemed dilute and thin. A tad floral, a big hunk of boring. I've usually liked this wine a lot, a disappointment. B-/C+
We got in one last snowshoeing trip, then came home today. I went to work, Betsy home. She had made a big recipe of the beef Bourguignon Sunday, left a lot for Dave. As there were plenty of leftovers, we decided to have that with some spinach for dinner. I opened the 2005 Paul Pernot Bourgogne Rouge. I wasn't so thrilled with the 2004 of this, but found this on the level of the Pernot whites. Good bitter cherry fruit, sharp refreshing acidity, light-bodied but with a decent finish. B+/B
Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. 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.