WTN: Champagne, Chards, Gruner, Riesling

Halibut with a basil vinaigrette, farro, Swiss Chard. The 2021 Piuze Terroir de Fye Chablis was fairly ripe, peach and apple with a little mineral twist on finish. Pleasant but not compelling. B/B-

No wine with harissa chicken with dates and shallots

Gochujang shrimp, green beans, and peppers, with brown rice and the 2019 Brundlmayer Ried Loiserberg Gruner Veltliner. Pear, lime, and sweet pea, but more minerally than fruity,. Good length, good wine. B+


Betsy’s sister and BIL came over for St Patricks. Started some crudites with a chipotle black bean dip and hummus, some canned pulpo.

NV Gonet-Medeville Tradition 1er Cru Brut
Apple, canned pear, a little toast, label says 6 g/l dosage I would have thought more. B-/C+

Corned beef, cabbage and potatoes (followed by a whiskey/clove chocolate cake).

2018 Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt Riesling Josephshofer Kabinett Feinherb.
Sweet for Feinherb, but good acids, good length, B

Also opened a previously coravinned 2013 Chevillon Nuits St George Vieilles Vignes. Similar to last week, medium bodied and friendly.

Saturday bluefish Dijonaise, brown/wild rice, cauliflower shawarma, salad
2019 Goodfellow Richard’s Cuvee Whistling Ridge Chardonnay
Minerally, crunchy, young- lovely white fruits with minty herbs and citrus zest, excellent length. Can age but I really like now. B+/A-

No wine Sunday with pork loin chile verde.

Monday glazed salmon hand rolls (quinoa, cuke, avocado, shiso, wasabi or ume paste)
I like Champagne with sushi, and rose with glazed salmon, so opened the NV Gosset Grand Rose. Actually didn’t work that well as a match (shiso or something made the wine a little metallic), but afterwards the wine was great. Crisp, cherry/apple pie, dry with a long yeasty finish. B+/A-

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]

You didn’t find the Goodfellow to be overly reductive?

I struggle with recent vintage Goodfellow Chardonnays.

I've gotten some matchstick on young GF whites, but for me it tends to blow off. This I opened 30-45 minutes before I poured first glass, matchstick was minimal and then gone to my perception

[David M. Bueker]

I've gotten some matchstick on young GF whites, but for me it tends to blow off. This I opened 30-45 minutes before I poured first glass, matchstick was minimal and then gone to my perception

Good to hear. I had a 2017 Whistling Ridge & 2017 Durant that were both incredibly reductive and it never blew off. Maybe just duff bottles, or a vintage artifact.

My sample size of the Goodfellow Chardonnay is small, 2-3 bottles, but all of them were what I considered flawed. To me seemed to be way past reduction and it didn’t blow off offering no pleasure. I let all sit for multiple days without change. I don’t recall which bottlings or vintages.

[Jenise]

Brian, welcome back!