WTN: Baudry, Gaffeliere, VCC, Mt Eden, Tiberio, Vodanis

Most of the week off recuperating from a procedure. Ready for a glass by Sat.

With swordfish, lentils, sourdough discard pancake, salad, the 2022 Tiberio Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo Herby, crunchy, rich strawberry/cherry fruit, lemon zest. Pairs well with the swordfish. B+

With grilled halibut (how did I ever grill fish without a thermopro?), Israeli couscous, and salad
2021 Baudry Le Domaine Chinon Blanc. Sweet apple, orange zest, saline/mineral finish, quite good. B+

I wasn’t up for usual 30-50 person Labor Day party (too much cooler and table moving), but felt we could handle 8 friends. I made salsa and grilled leeks with mustard vinaigrette, Betsy made potato salad and smashed cucumber salad. I grilled clams, pork Andouille, chicken sausage, Tbone and top round (I’m doing low fat) marinated in fish sauce, and a nice Flannery hanger that Mark brought. Others brought cheese/salami hors d’oeuvres, cabbage/pepper/onion pie, pasta salad, and a plum tart.

2022 Baudry Chinon Rose
Classic, easy, ripe year but still some zip. B+/B

2018 de Vodanis Vouvray
Sec tendre, good acids but some surprising heat on finish makes me less a fan. B-/C+

2012 Mt Eden Chardonnay Reserve
White fruits, citrus zest, floral, just a hint of butterscotch. Not my usual clam wine but it works. B+

1998 Ch. la Gaffeliere
Opened a 98 for sentimental reasons. The great ‘98 vintage gives this a bit more oomph than usual Gaffeliere, this is in a nice spot - herbal, elegant, and surprisingly complex with a cigarbox profile that is totally ready. Not really very long, but a very good showing. B++
.

2005 Vieux Chateau Certan
This is VERY young, but this is going to a great great wine. Cassis, black plum, cocoa powder and a touch of vanilla. Very pure fruit, smooth tannins, an acidic backbone that is totally integrated. Even though you can tell it is coiled it’s pretty tasty, but in 15 years I expect this will be utterly brilliant. B+ with solid A future


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]

Another excellent set of wines.

I do love VCC. I just don’t want to pay for it.

Pretty much all upper tier Bordeaux is now priced out of my reach (luckily I have a good stash). The person who brought this tasted the 05s en primeur and bought heavily (and in London I think), so didn't pay the $300ish currently goes for.

[David M. Bueker]

Good friends!

Pretty much all upper tier Bordeaux is now priced out of my reach (luckily I have a good stash). The person who brought this tasted the 05s en primeur and bought heavily (and in London I think), so didn't pay the $300ish currently goes for.

The last vintage I bought was also 2005 - after that it started to get silly pretty fast. I also have a good backlog of claret and just have to be sure to get to it before it slides - I am finding that with some of the 1986 I am holding to wait for the aggressive tannin to come into balance the fruit, that never happens. Had one last week where the fruit had declined at a faster rate than the tannin, which means it was never at a point where it was an enjoyable wine to drink (a modest wine, Gressier Grand Poujeaux, that I never had hopes for anything too grandiose anyway).

For most part in last few years I've had good experiences with Medoc 86s (Gruaud, Talbot, Meyney, P-Lalande, Sociando), but far worse luck with RB and Graves.