Friday I took 4 empty bottles, 4 bottles of 2005 Hudelot-Noellat Nuits St George, and voila- portions for 8. Everyone was local (Dobbs Ferry or Irvington), so I spent 30 minutes driving around town.
For dinner Friday we had a quick bouillabaisse (monkfish, clams, shrimp) with the 2019 Bagnol Cassis Rose. Pale and precise, red fruits (strawberry and raspberry) with citrus zest, mineral finish. Good acids, lovely (and most importantly Betsy loved). B++
OK, back to the 2005 Hudelot-Noellat Nuits St George, turn on the computer, Google Meet.
Our local groups’ first tasting since COVID19 struck. The 2005 shows the vintage structure, but with some air this was quite drinkable. On the elegant side of NSG, black cherry accented with coffee and sandalwood. Nice acids, plenty of tannin without any grittiness, nice length. Wasn’t planning on going through 4 at once, but life is different these days! B+
When I delivered his Burg one friend had given me the rest of a bottle of the 2016 Sylvain Gaudron Vouvray. New producer to me, on dry side with good acid, a touch of wool, apple and pear. B/B-
Saturday we had a family (who survived a COVID bout) over for a socially distant snack. We had bresaola, hausmacher pate, & smoked mackerel on Theirs and Ours platters, and I put half of a bottle of NV Taittinger “Cuvee Prestige: Brut Champagne. New bottling to me. Very light and crisp, elegant fine mousse, apple with just a little brioche. Enjoyable in lighter style. B
2016 Bzikot Puligny-Montrachet (375 ml) Surprisingly ripe, a tad flabby, I’ve like Bzikot in past. B-/C+
That night Betsy fried squid with a Sichuam pepper/ salt crust, with bok choy, steamed silken tofu with ginger, Japanese eggplant, rice. Wine was the 2001 Trimbach Cuvee Frederic Emile Riesling, and this showed great. Wet stones, grapefruit, a bit of petrol. Vibrant acids, plenty of body, long finish. A-
Sunday fried chicken, potato salad, and kale salad with feta and the NV Andre Beaufort Grand Cru Rose Champagne. Noticeable dosage,cherry/kirsch with lemon zest, big but that works with the chicken. Nice mousse, tight bead, I like but glad I didn’t serve as an aperitif. B+/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.