It’s Hudson Valley Restaurant Week, and Saint George in Hastings does $0 corkage on Thursdays. So Fred put together a big table (11), unfortunately Betsy was leading her meditation circle and couldn’t join me. But I had a great time. I ordered leeks vinaigrette and poulet frites, enjoyed both, and admired friends’ endive/apple, French onion soup, escargot, Beef bourguignon, moules, trout meuniere.
We should have coordinated wines, no one brought white (which is why I didn’t get the trout)!
2011 Bruno Clair La Dominode Savigny-les-Beaune 1er (mag)
Figured we needed to have at least one bottle everyone could taste. Dave asked if 2011 was a good/great vintage, I said “no, but useful!” Drinking well- red berries, earth, a touch of pine needle but no ladybug. Slightly crunchy fruit, good acids, a bit of tannin remaining. B+/B
2011 Rollan de By (Medoc)
I thought this was RB at first, very Merlot plummy. Resolved tannin, black plum with vanilla, soft acids. OK I guess in a modern style. B-
2022 Chais Saint-Laurent “le Verre en Vignon” Chinon
Straightforward, black raspberry and a little cassis, minty herbs, a touch of chipotle pepper. Honest and giving Cab Franc. B
2020 Jean-Marc Burgaud Cote du Py Morgon
I think this said 13% abv but it came across as a little hot and quite ripe. Fleshy black cherry, coffee, blueberries. B-/B
Fun night, great people, if only I had carried a mag of Champagne, Chablis, or Muscadet!
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.