Grilled squid, king oyster and oyster mushrooms over a frisee/snap pea salad, pasta with Swiss chard, beet greens, olives and feta. The 2020 Francois Carillon Bourgogne Cote d’Or blanc has rich pear fruit, touch of lemon and hazelnut, maybe could use a bit more length. B/B-
Friday grilled pork chops, mushrooms, and broccoli, wine was the
2000 Jadot Estournelles St. Jacques Gevrey-Chambertin. 2000s were drinking well for a long time, and on initial pour I thought I had waited too long on this. I thought I got a hint of maderization and color seemed to have a little brown. But color brightened and so did the wine. Red cherries, espresso, and Earl grey tea, fully resolved tannin, good acids, tangy finish. If it had been blind I doubt I’d have guessed Gevrey, but lovely mature wine in an elegant red fruited more CdB style. B++
Betsy’s BIL had family visiting, so we invited over for dinner. We started on patio with grissini with pickled radicchio and salami, crostini with bean spread and boquerones, and Sound of Music cheese toast.
2017 Bisol Crede Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Brut
Sweet apple,chalk, easy. B/B- .
Moved inside to air conditioning for dinner. Main was lobster salad with corn and tomatoes, with a couple of Chardonnays (or so I intended)
2019 Drouhin Rully
Others loved, and I should (big Drouhin fan), but this left me slightly disappointed. Vivid pear fruit, but not much else. Not much complexity or verve. Perfectly drinkable. B-
2021 Goodfellow Franc de Pied Pinot Blanc
Oops. I thought I had grabbed a Durant Chardonnay for the lobster. But this did fine, fairly ripe pear and peach, lifting acids, decent length. Always fun tasting own-rooted wines, and trying to spot what effect it might have (I have no idea!) . B/B+
Sunday was oysters, grey sole, sweet potatoes, kohlrabi/apple slaw, salad and 2020 Goodfellow Durant Chardonnay. Some gunflint/ matchstick, with comice pear and green apple, nice herby edge, young. B+ with potential.
After a stressful Sunday night watching sump pump (we did ok, unlike further up Hudson valley), Monday was a nice night for grilling, so I did barbecue chicken, with Betsy’s potato salad, slaw and green salad. Gotta say the 2014 Coudert Clos de la Roilette Fleurie is in a really nice place. Silky black raspberry fruit, sweet herbs, flowers, coffee. Light yet not unsubstantial, very nice finish. A-
No wine Tuesday with chicken tinga and grilled shrimp salads from takeout Mexican/Hawaiian place before going to city.
Yesterday was a scorcher, but we braved heat to go to park concert, some clouds rolled in, and with the river breeze it wasn’t uncomfortable. Beet cured gravlax with a yogurt/horseradish/mustard sauce, leftover BBQ chicken, kohlrabi, green salad, squash, watermelon. Another bottle of the recently reported 2022 Baudry rose showed well.
2016 Pepiere Briords Muscadet VV
A little lighter and a little softer than some Briords, but that strong saline/seashell streak marks its lineage. Refreshing, in a good place, maybe not with a lot in reserve so I’ll drink couple other bottles soon. B+
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2016 Ch. Poitevin (Medoc)
New wine to me. Label says Cabernet and Merlot, but drinks more like straight Merlot. Round red plums, touch of vanilla, moderate tannins, low acid. I didn’t really care for this, but partially might be young Bordeaux is not my ideal picnic wine on a hot summer evening. C+, possibly unfairly.
Good night with friends.
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.