Saturday was black cod in miso, braised greens, rice. Wine was the 2016 Markus Molitor Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Kabinett. Rather tropical fruit, mango with a little peach, decent acids, light, pleasant without being compelling. B-/B
I went to a holiday open house Sunday, bearing wine, a tray of ankimo on rice cracker, and another of crostini with pickled onion, olives, and boquerones. Hosts had out ham, BBQ chicken, seitan salad, roasted cauliflower, sweet potato/green salad, pear/arugula salad, cheese, and there was a huge assortment of desserts
1978 Ducru-Beaucaillou
double decanted before I went to party, black plum fruit, a slightly green but not unpleasant herb note, surprising tannins. A good enough mature claret. B
2016 Fraga do Corvo Godello (Monterrei)
Citrus blossoms, apple and pear, good saline finish. B+
2016 Bliss Chardonnay
Fruit cocktail, vanilla cream, short. C+
2017 Chave Mon Coeur
Ripe, macerated cherries, smoke, a little hot on backend, others love. B-
2015 Dutraive/Grand Cour “Clos de la Grand Cour” Fleurie
Quite ripe for Beaujolais but able to still seem balanced, ripe cherry and black raspberry, good acids, just enough tannin to prop up. Fun. B+
Home for steak, potatoes, salad, green beans
1985 Certan de May (Pomerol)
Another lovely showing. Black cherry and plum, coffee, hint of anise. Long, lovely, balanced. A-
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.