No wine Monday with crispy gnocchi and Brussels sprouts
Tuesday was pork chops, sweet potatoes, and salad.
2017 Envinate Taganan Tinto
Fresh and crunchy, red currants and cranberry, peppery spice, a little oregano-ish herb. Good length, B+
Shrimp summer rolls, beef Pho. garlic snow peas and broccoli,
2021 Schafer-Frohlich Schiefergestein Bockenaur Riesling Trocken
Hint of spritz, light bodied but with good persistence, fresh apple with citrus blossoms and ginger. B+/B
Roast salmon with a pasta with fennel/garlic/chili oil
2023 Baudry Chinon rose, liked it, have written many notes.
Spiced ground turkey with rice, and a new wine to me, the 2017 Trimbach “Selection de Vieilles Vignes” Riesling . Really enjoyed this, citrus and pineapple, electric acids, snappy dry mineral finish. Develops through night, nose gets very citrus flowery, great length, I will look for this bottling again. B+/A-
The organization I work for hit 40 this year, and we gathered 250 or so volunteers and friends from the streets at a church in Scarsdale for a celebration (dinner, silent auction, entertainment, etc)Saturday. Volunteer chefs did a great job- chicken Francese, herb potatoes, pasta primavera, asparagus, salad with caramelized pears and gorgonzola, and a popular dessert. Daniel Posner gave us a deal on a white and a red, and I contributed 1.5 cases of slightly more upscale stuff (3-6 each Fiefs de Lagrange, Gabbiano Gran Selezione Chianti, de Fieuzal blanc, etc) for anyone picky (like me, but I wasn’t drinking).
I was very busy, but had small pours of the house wines.
2020 Marchesi de Barolo Barbera del Monferrato Maraia
Juicier style of Barbera, black plummy fruit, soft for Barbera, crowd seemed to enjoy. B-
2023 La Petite Perriere Sauvignon Blanc (Loire)
Light and probably a little overcropped, but clean SB flavors of grapefruit and a little grass, refreshing, and a good value. B-/B
Sunday was rest up day. Dinner was crab cakes, Swiss chard, butternut squash.
2008 Piuze Les Clos Chablis GC
Good color, Meyer lemon and honey, broad, just a hint of nuttiness. Mature, not tired yet, but drink up. B+/B
NV Veuve Clicquot Brut Champagne.
So friends who are moving to Nova Scotia this week were given this by realtor when they sold their house in 2012. Still in gift box. They’ve kept in the basement, but not really temp controlled. Very low expectations. But I’m surprised at how typical it is- plenty of mousse, no distinct oxidative notes. But it is typical from a period when Veuve Clicquot had lots of volume, and not so much quality. Broad apple and pear fruit, some yeast bread, but seemingly high dosage and really short finish. Bleh,.C+ (with a B in surviving category)
No wine last night with bluefish, Momofuko sweet/spicy noodles, leftover greens.
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.