WTN:NewYear-ESJ,Sadie,Jaboulet,Goodfellow, bubbles, Bdx,Bojo

With coriander chicken with Brussels sprouts, the 2017 Lapalu Beaujolais-Villages. Just a hint of fizz, cranberry and cherry fruit, a little leathery note, fun. B

A fun “fusion” dinner - Gravlax rice bowl (avocado, kombu, ikura, Japanese pickles, etc)’
2018 Caves Naveran “Dama” Cava
Just a hint of RS, apple, mint, at $20 no bargain for cava. B-/C+

New Years Eve was just us with dry-aged steak from Blue Hill Stone Barns, potatoes in truffle butter, broccoli

NV Agrapart “Terroirs” Blanc des Blancs Champagne
Crisp, zesty, lemon over pear, nice chalky finish. B+/A-

1982 Ch. La Dominique
Mature, not tired, soft resolved tannins, dark fruit with a little cocoa and cigarbox. B+

On New Years we invited another couple- separate tables in separate rooms facing a doorway, air purifier between us, windows cracked with fans (I am SO tired of this).
They brought shrimp deviled eggs, tourtiere, Linzertorte.
We had salmon mousse, bluefish pate, potatoes with creme fraiche & ikura, roast duck, blackeyed peas, collard greens

NV Roederer Premier Brut Champagne
Rich style, apples and almond, fine mousse, good value. B+/B

1983 Jaboulet “La Chapelle” Hermitage
Elegant, mature, midweight, quiet black fruits, roast meats, herbs. A-/B+

1999 Jaboulet “Thalabert” Crozes-Hermitage
Plenty of fruit, a little smoke and bacon, slightly clipped finish. Others liked more than the La Chapelle. B-

Saturday was oysters, skate with brown butter, Japanese yams, mushrooms (pioppini and oysters sauteed with dashi), Swiss chard
2018 Goodfellow Dundee Hills Chardonnay
This is a bit richer than a recent Ribbon Ridge, pear with a little oak note, some matchstick/sulfur, opens up, very nice length. B/B+

Lamb stew, salad
1996 Edmunds St John Syrah
This is the basic California, not the Durrell or any other vineyard. But nothing basic about the wine- warm black fruits, smoke, white pepper. Nice length! A-/B+

Rice bowl redux during our Zoom call, with the 2019 Sadie Skerpioen. South African cult wine!
This is a field blend, about 50% Chenin Blanc and 50% Palomino. I have almost no experience with table Palomino, and this didn’t taste very Chenin-ish other than a hint of wooliness. Very pale, very young. Interesting wine that developed over the evening. Good acids, citrus and honeydew, good finish. Interesting wine and I would love to see how it develops. B/B+ for now.


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.

...separate tables in separate rooms facing a doorway, air purifier between us, windows cracked with fans (I am SO tired of this)...

Yes, I can see how these arrangements would get tiring. But, your efforts have been heroic! We haven't had anyone eating with us since last February. I haven't minded all that much, as long as we can still do other types of outdoor socializing. But, I think entertaining has always been a more regular part of your lifestyle.

That said, it will be nice to return to old-fashioned dinner parties.

[David M. Bueker]

Curious about the coriander chicken.

[Jenise]

I've had a few of those Sadie field blends--always interesting.

Rahsaan, I'd say before pandemic we averaged 1 or 2 dinner parties per month, couple of dinners with one other couple a month, dining at friends a couple of times per month, dining out together 1 or twice a month, and I'd do 1-3 wine dinners per month. In summer might substitute big (25-50 people) party about once a month for dinner party. So this has been a big change.

David, can you read NYT cooking?
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018590-sheet-pan-coriander-chicken-with-caramelized-brussels-sprouts?action=click&module=Local%20Search%20Recipe%20Card&pgType=search&rank=1

Jenise, the people who had been to South Africa raved about winery. But lots of the stuff is maybe a few cases to US total.

[Jenise]

It wasn't for me, but I like that the chicken recipe includes this information about the brussels sprouts: When the brussels are blasted with enough heat, they get intensely sweet, losing the mustardy, cabbage-like bite they have when they are cooked to a lesser degree. So jmany BS haters would think otherwise if they understood this and enjoyed them properly cooked.

[David M. Bueker]

David, can you read NYT cooking?
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018590-sheet-pan-coriander-chicken-with-caramelized-brussels-sprouts?action=click&module=Local%20Search%20Recipe%20Card&pgType=search&rank=1

Yes. Saved to my recipe box. Thank you.

Glad you are continuing to enjoy the Goodfellow wines. I am noticing a lot of match stick in his Chards as well as other Oregon Chards.

MAtchstick doesn't bother me (I love Coche!) as long as it's not overly sulfuric.
I just assume a slightly reductive winemaking style (though I'm terrible with tech stuff(

Rahsaan, I'd say before pandemic we averaged 1 or 2 dinner parties per month, couple of dinners with one other couple a month, dining at friends a couple of times per month, dining out together 1 or twice a month, and I'd do 1-3 wine dinners per month. In summer might substitute big (25-50 people) party about once a month for dinner party. So this has been a big change.

Roughly 10 social dinners per month. One out of every 3 days. Indeed, that is a big change. Our modal number of dinner parties/restaurant meals was 1 per month!

Regardless, while it might not feel that way yet, we've turned the corner and the days are getting longer, spring will soon be here!

[David M. Bueker]

MAtchstick doesn't bother me (I love Coche!) as long as it's not overly sulfuric.
I just assume a slightly reductive winemaking style (though I'm terrible with tech stuff(

I discussed the match stick thing with the folks from Division the other day. They are not doing reductive winemaking, and still get it. They ascribe it to the vineyard sites.