A friend organized a 3 couple virtual dinner on Zoom. I was skeptical, but ended up enjoying. We didn’t try to coordinate food, just timing. Betsy made a bone-in leg of lamb roast, slathered with an anchovy/garlic/parsley paste, roast vegetables (potato, turnip, onion, carrot) and a spinach salad. I felt like sharing wine, and Alex (French) loves Bordeaux. So I decanted 2 bottles of claret- then returned 8-10 oz to each, and poured 2 oz into 2 glasses. I dropped the bottles on Hilary and Alex’s back porch, and then the glasses on Susan & Kathy’s front porch (Kathy doesn’t drink).
1978 Ch. Gloria (St. Julien)
Welcome to pyrazine city. I was expecting that this might be very tired, but while fully mature it held onto to some cassis fruit and good acids. But what an overwhelming bell pepper meets pine needle nose. I drink a lot of Chinon, but this is too green for me. Others liked more. Gloria is sentimental to me, the ‘82 at about 10 was my wakeup wine, and Hilary said it was a mainstay of her dad’s cellar so it tugged at her. C+/B-
1975 Ch. Gazin (Pomerol)
Like everyone else I think Pomerol was the sweet spot of ‘75 Bdx. Those ‘75 tannins are just a trace now, pretty black plum fruit with plenty of lush black plum fruit, and prominent tertiary notes of leather, cigarbox, and mushroom. Good length, nice acid balance, satisfying. B+/A-
2018 Gaspard Touraine
Cooking wine for the lamb and veggies. Mildly grassy Sauvignon Blanc, some gooseberry and pit fruit, nice balance, light. Not for David B! B/B-
A good night in a tough period. Zoom does not replace a full dinner table, but still felt good to have a real discussion rather than a duologue/trialogue. Even if conversation was often grim. Friends matter.
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.