My local non-serious wine group met at Dave’s Friday to drink Bordeaux and do final plan for our 20th anniversary trip to France next month. He had out assorted cheese, charcuterie, and olives, with the NV? Costa del Sol Vinho Verde. Very light, no apparent spritz, light green apple fruit, B-/C+
Having an excess of Bordeaux, I covered a couple of people who hadn’t sourced. Dave made lemon roasted sardines, green beans, potatoes, and salad, luckily the bottle I brought for Rob was white, the 1995 Larrivet Haut Brion Blanc. Deep color, plenty of oak, tropical fruit, lemon, and orange marmalade. Good length, very popular, a little younger showing than last bottle. B+/B
To the reds (blind)
#1 -Plummy and berry driven, with a touch of cedar chest on the finish. I guess Margaux and am told yes (I told you non-serious group!). My initial guess was ‘96 (while of course thinking Margaux AC). Anyway, very pleasant wine. 1990 Ch. Pibran (Pauillac)
B+
#2 - no guesses from me as I had brought for Roger. Guesses were 10 years old or younger. Bright cassis and dark berries,mocha, a hint of smoke. Nice balance. ,
2008 Ch. d’Issan (Margaux)
B+/A-
#3 Ripe red currant fruit, close to jammy, candied nuts on finish. Others like more than I do. 2018 Ch. Tour Prignac (Medoc) B-
#4 Mine. Guesses in the 90s. Light barnyard, black currant and plum fruit, a little green pepper. Mature and fun 1986 Ch. Sociando-Mallet (Haut-Medoc) B+/B
#5- Black fruits, lots of bell pepper, slightly weedy, mostly resolved tannin. I went to St Emilion immediately, but no clue as to estate (my guesses were like Yon Figeac). I was surprised by vintage, I thought something like ‘88 or ‘95, I didn’t get any 1989 opulence here,. 1989 Ch. Franc Mayne (St. Emilion) B
#6 Black plum, coffee, quite ripe with apparent oak, but I like the long minerally finish. Pushes envelope for me, but doesn’t break it. 2018 Ch. Malartic La Graviere (Pessac-Leognan) B/B-
Not blind, we finished with a 375 ml 2007 Ch. Filhot. Grapefruit, honeycomb and pineapple, quite sweet, but with just enough acidity to keep from cloying. B/B+
Fun night, and fun planning our trip
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.