Friday we had lobster with a kale and cabbage salad, and the 2018 Rapet “Sous Fretille” Pernand-Vergelesses 1er. The ripeness of the vintage shows, but it’s got enough acidic bite to be balanced. Pear, grapefruit, hazelnut, just a touch of vanillin oak. B+
Sat LA style kalbi,rice, salad.Wine was the 2021 Les Fouques” Aubigue” Rose (Cotes de Provence). The wine went well with the dinner, but I found it less interesting than past vintages on its own. Red fruits, herbs, good acids, but not a lot of there there. I have more, hopefully like next bottle better. B-
Sunday grey sole, spaghetti with anchovies, beet greens, caprese. Tried a Sancerre from a new producer to me- the 2020 Gaudry “Le Tournebride” Sancerre.Hey, I really like this, a solid bargain. Lemon, melon, mineral with grass and gooseberry in only trace accents. Full with good acids. B+
A pretty big crowd gathered in our backyard for Independence Day (while the front yard was devoted to the cornhole tournament, somehow the petanque never started).I grilled hot dogs, sausages, ribs, strip steak, clams in garlic, poat dot (Cambodian style corn), & squash. Friends brought and grilled skirt steak, more sausages, flank steak, more hot dogs. Betsy made some pizzettes- white anchovy/green olive, arugula/prosciutto, mortadella/radicchio/gorgonzola, and potato/rosemary. She made broccoli salad, I did guacamole and mango salsa, others brought salads, deviled eggs, smoked salmon canapes, shrimp cocktail. mini strawberry shortcakes, brownies, and many more things I can’t remember.
2017 Il Fortunato Spumante Rosato Extra Dry
Light and easy, this is quite fun! And about $10. B
2021 Jean-Luc Colombo Cape Bleue Rose
Life is too short (and so is this wine) C+/C
2021 Terres Dorees Rose a Folie
Oops, drained before I got a taste.
2020 Lafouge Bourgogne Aligote
Bright and zippy, quite tasty! B
2020 Pepiere La Pepie Muscadet
I usually just buy Briords, but this is no slouch. Saline, seashell, citrus. B/B+
2009 Huet Le Haut Lieu Vouvray Sec
Orchard fruits, grapefruit,chalk. Full, rich, and long, with a foundation of vibrant acid. I really liked this. A-
2010 Huet Le Mont Vouvray Sec
This was opened just before it departed for NYC, I thought it was lovely but tight compared to the ‘09 (which had been open for a while). But similar quality.
2008 Chidaine Clos Baudoin Vouvray (mag)
Despite vintage, this was a little softer than the 09 Huet, apple pie and a little apricot, some wooliness. Very good if not compelling. B+/B
2011 Ch.Montelena Chardonnay (mag)
Nice acids for CalChard, bright lemony fruit, oak is there but less intrusive than a few years ago. B/B+
2013 Rhys Chardonnay (I believe Horseshoe)
One person opined he’d like to stick as a ringer in a Leflaive lineup, I liked, but agreed with Craig this was more like an oakier Meursault. Plush pear fruit with a little butterscotch and vanilla, rich but with good acids. B+
2019 Goodfellow Dundee Hills Chardonnay
I liked more than some others, at least at end (took a while for the matchstick to dissipate). Green apple, citrus, needs time. B+
2018 Morgen Long Chardonnay B
2019 Morgen Long Chardonnay B+
I liked both, probably gave edge to the ‘19 because it seemed a bit more vibrant/tensile.
2020 La Crema Chardonnay
Ah, canned pears with a pat of butter and a drop of vanilla extract! C-
2011 Coudert Cuvee Tardive Fleurie
Initially too cold, really nice once it warmed a bit- Black cherry, coffee, smoke and a long herby finish. A-/B+
2013 Lapierre Morgon (mag)
Pleasant, bright cherry and strawberry, just hint of barnyard. Nice wine to serve cool at a big party, but not much complexity (and ready to go from mag). B
2006 Ch. Magdelaine
Young, full, but quite open, good black plum and cherry fruit, forest soil, a touch of herb. Balanced, taut, long. A-
A pair of wines blind (not to me)
1981 Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon (Sonoma)
One person thought Nebbiolo, Jayson immediately said Cab, first guesses were younger, one guessed Heitz, Craig said “late 70s/early 80s Jordan” once I said Sonoma. Black raspberry, lots of menthol/herbs, a little tar, I liked a lot (and can see where Nebbiolo and Heitz guesses came from). Resolved tannins, bracing acids, nice length. B+/A-
1976 Ch. Pape-Clement
First guess was St Julien, 2nd Graves. First estate guess was DDC, second Pape Clement. Took a while till they got ‘76, not really a vintage folks think about in Bordeaux. Really funky nose at first (one person thought corked, but changed mind).Cigarbox,a little ashtray, some dark fruit but more dominated by the tertiary notes. B/B+
Barbichon 4 Cepages Brut Champagne (disgorged 6/2019)
Green apple, orchard fruits, baking bread. B
Great crowd, I think everyone had fun, good times.
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.
