WTN: Burg, Sauternes, Loire, Sicily, Penedes, Tuscany

Mostly good wines on an ugly weekend (weather was fine, the world....)

Friday we were having spatchcocked chicken on the grill, grilled sweet potato/scallion salad, and green salad. Betsy had originally said roast chicken, and I was thinking white Burgundy. But then turned out she had a fairly spicy dry rub. So I opened the white Burgundy, and a rose that matched better

2010 F. Carillon “Les Referts” Puligny-Montrachet 1er
Delicious, not shy, rich pear fruit with integrated oak notes. Good acid, full, nice finish. Holds well over couple days. B+/A-

2019 Bonavita Rosato (Sicily)
Really looks like a light red. Plenty of red fruit (cherry and cranberry), a little ashy note, fairly full, good food wine. B

Socially distanced time in backyard with friends -smoked mackerel, smoked scallops, saucisson sec, leftover wines from night before plus

2019 Castellroig Roselles Rosat
Quite pale (especially next to the Bonavita), quieter red fruit (raspberry and a little cherry), nice snappy acidity. B (B++ for value)

Sea bass crudo, pan roasted scallops, trumpet mushrooms,. rice with spinach, salad
2014 Pepiere Clisson
A little tight at first, opens up. Beautifully balanced, saline and lemon, great acidic spine, long finish. Even better on second day. A-

Beef & chicken liver ragu over pappardelle , broccoli rabe
2012 La Poderina Brunello di Montalcino
Kind of a mid-modern BdM, rich black cherry and plum fruit, a little anise and vanilla, hint of leather. Not really exciting, but ok for $25 sale price. B

No wine with early dinner Mon (sourdough discard Korean pancakes, slaw, sauteed squash in kimchi) but then a Zoom tasting with the 1983 Ch. Suduiraut. Some of the others had a Coravin, but I don’t, so just opened bottle. Nice young color for age, apricot and bitter orange, botrytis is apparent without being intense. Some good acidic lift, I enjoyed but as usual about a jigger of Sauternes is all I really want. Others liked much more. 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.

[David M. Bueker]

That 2014 Clisson sounds good, but I have enough of the 2012 for a while.

[Jenise]

Never see the Clisson bottling up here, don't know why. Maybe one of these days....

So 2 weeks later the Sauternes did very well as cooking wine- Patricia Well's Duck braised in Sauternes

[Jenise]

So 2 weeks later the Sauternes did very well as cooking wine- Patricia Well's Duck braised in Sauternes

I like the sound of that! I have several of her books--better look this up.

It was pretty good. Just used 6 duck legs, and apples were I think Crispins.

Ingredients
1 duck (3 to 4 pounds/1.5 to 2 kg), rinsed, patted dry, cut into 8 to 10 pieces
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 carrot, peeled and finely minced
1 onion, finely minced
2 cups (50 cl) Sauternes
2 cups (50 cl) duck stock or chicken stock, preferably homemade
Bouquet garni
4 Golden Delicious apples
3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces/45 g) unsalted butter
Instructions
Make a bouquet garni out of 12 parsley stems, 8 peppercorns, 1 imported bay leaf, 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon fennel seed tied in a double thickness of cheesecloth. Season the duck breast pieces and duck legs liberally with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a nonreactive deep-sided skillet over medium high heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the duck breasts and brown on the skin side only. Brown the legs on both sides. Remove the duck from the skillet. Add the carrot and onion and brown for 3 to 4 minutes. Return the duck to the skillet. Add the wine, stock, and the bouquet garni. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer gently about 40 minutes. Remove the duck pieces to a dish and keep warm. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve. Pour the sauce over the duck. Adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Peel and core the apples; cut lengthwise into eighths. Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the apples and saut\xe9 over medium heat until lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Divide the apples among 4 heated dinner plates. Place a piece of duck on each plate and cover with the sauce. Yield: 4 servings