We had planned a big backyard party for Memorial Day, but forecast didn’t cooperate. So early Saturday we sent email blast saying Sunday not Monday. Meant we scrambled a bit Sunday (as we weren’t home Sat) but we got it together and 44 people came. We did steak, hot dogs, clams, and sausage on the grill; plus made a grilled kimchi wedge salad, broccoli with ssamjang, guacamole, and mango salsa. Others brought a multitude of sausages as well as Cajun shrimp for the grill; other dishes included cucumber salad, lumpia, green salad, pate en croute, deviled eggs, poached shrimp, an interesting ground beef dish, and tons of other sides and desserts
And there were wines
Bubbles
NV Goodfellow Extra Brut (Willamette)
Unsure of cepage. Dry, steely, some yeasty notes, I like but needs a little time. B
NV Roederer Collection 244
Pear, pieshell, chalk. Big, good length. B+
Rose
2022 Wollfer Summer in a Bottle Rose
Sweet, empty, short, I don’t want my summer in this bottle. C
Drier Whites
2022 Pepiere Briords Muscadet
Deft, saline, balanced. B+/B
2022 La Crema Sauvignon Blanc
Just saw the empty in recycling.
2021 Tiberio - Trebbiano d'Abruzzo
Apple and white peach, almond. Tangy. B/B+
2006 Ch. La Louviere Blanc
Citrus, wax, and petrol, good freshness. B/B+
2020 Neillon Vergers Chassagne-Montrachet 1er
I have a real sentimental attachment to Neillon, but think this is objectively very good. Pear, hint of hazelnut, light vanilla, long minerally finish. A-
2019 Pierre Girardin Narvaux Meursault
There’s some oak, but not as much as I expected, forward sweet and powerful, B+/B
2019 Remi Jobard Narvaux Meursault
Matchstick, pear , citrus, and pasty creme, this is reserved/backwards compared to other two, but maybe has most potential B for now
2009 Georg Breuer Rüdesheimer Berg Schlossberg Riesling
Tons of extract, good acids, pit fruits wtth ginger and crushed rocks, very impressive but doesn’t actually entrance me. I can see why the super scores, but not really my thing. B
Whites with RS
2017 Donnhoff Hermannshohle Auslese (375)
Tangy lime and peach, powerful and rich. B+
2015 Willi Schaefer Graacher Himmelreich Auslese
I always like this, but missed out this time
Reds
2021 Desvignes Morgon
Smelled great when I opened, but was gone before I tried.
1996 Ch. Lagrange (St Julien)
corked
1998 Ch. Bourgneuf (POmerol)
About 4 wine geeks present, blinded them on this one. Jay got RB immediately, but some thought St Emilion due to a little bit of green cab notes. I mentioned a property sold under 2 different names, but not enough of a hint to get estate, Really drinking nicely, black plum and a little cassis, tobacco, cedar. Resolved tannin but enough backbone for steak. B++
1988 Rauzan-Segla (Marguax)
Very Rausan, very 1988. Nice structure, aromatic berry fruit, tobacco leaf, gravel. Pretty classic. A-/B+
1989 Certan de May (Pomerol)
Black currant and plum, a hint of barnyard, good. B/B+
2019 L’Anglore Vejade
Light color, fresh cranberry and raspberry, Italian herbs, so fun. B+/A-
2012 Lopez de Heredia Bosconia Rioja Reserva
Young, balanced and refined, red fruits with sandalwood and spice. B+
.Whew.
Memorial Day was rainy, but we got in a few walks between showers and thunderstorms, had leftovers for lunch, and then a quiet dinner. Lemon sole with more leftover sides. I opened a bottle left (but not opened ) on Sunday with a little trepidation- not a big Gavi guy, and this comes in a “designer” bottle. But actually the 2022 Villa Sparina Gavi di Gavi was pretty decent- green apple, slightly unripe peach, tangy herbs. B
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.