Thursday hot butter shrimp, rice, and yu choy. Wine was the
2006 Donnhoff Norheimer Kirschheck Riesling Spatlese. Good news was this was still quite alive and lively, but the flavor profile was a little heavy/cloying. Tropical fruits and ripe peach, with an overlay of canned apricots. Just not my favorite, I prefer a racier wine with some citrus notes, as I remember this wine was younger. B-
Friday grass fed strip steak, sweet potato, squash, and salad, with the 2005 Ch. Beau Soleil (Pomerol). Not really an estate I know, but apparently I bought 3 of these for $27. For $27 Pomerol it’s not bad Red plums, cocoa, a touch of tobacco. Still some tannin, but not hard, with soft acids and a long plush mouthfeel, You’re not going to mistake for Trot or VCC, but worth what I paid. B
Saturday oysters, grey sole, green beans in a bagna cauda-esque sauce, pappardelle with ramps (we had made a harvesting hike in afternoon). Knowing no wine next few nights, I did a comparison of two recent acquisitions from same producer in Rías Baixas
2017 Zarate Tras da Vina Albarino
Racy, lime and blood orange with a hint of grass. Snappy, fun. B+
2018 Zarate Balado Albarino
This was like the Tras de Vina with the complexity turned up a notch. Zippy, saline, mineral, long. A-
Sunday was a fast day (those over 50 will be familiar), dinner beverage was Gatorade (blue and yellow) with Miralax. Sweet , empty, but with a powerful finish,. No wine Monday after brief anesthesia, but salmon, sugar snap peas, and rice were delicious.
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.