WTN: Nigl, Pepiere, Rostaing (not Rhone), Chalvon

Mussels and linguine seemed like a nice change from turkey.
The 2020 Pepiere Clisson Muscadet was lovely- lemony citrus notes, seashore, oyster shells. Complex young and long. B+/A-

Saturday over to Betsy’s sister’s for another family dinner while everyone in town. Meze spread to start- taramasalata, hummus, baba ganoush, pepper spread, pita.

The best thing that can be said about the NV Louis Chalvon Reserve Champagne is that it’s the last bottle. High dosage and low acids leads to a sweet cidery mess of bubbles with a short finish. C+/C

Then we sat down for mujadara, fried onions, and a spinach salad
2021 Rostaing Puech Noble (Languedoc)
Black fruits, peppery, touch of lavender, damp earth. B

I also brought a 2020 Francois Carillon Bourgogne Blanc, folks enjoyed but I never tasted.

Sunday Betsy used leftover turkey for a turkey tikka masala, maybe my favorite dish of the holiday week. Spinach and salad, and a couple of Rieslings

1998 Nigl Privat Riesling
Worrisome dark color, but doesn’t seem to be advanced on palate or nose. Dry orchard fruits, light petrol, light notes of ginger. Good advanced, mature but not tired. B+

Not wine Monday with shrimp scampi orzo.,

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.

Just picked up some 2020 Pepiere (Briords). Ready to drink?

I sometimes age Briords, but I never have a problem drinking younger. I don't ever remember thinking one was closed down or a bad time to drink, as I do sometimes with Riesling or even white Burg (and of course never as hard as a Bdx or Piedmont). No need to drink, but no harm either.

[David M. Bueker]

1998 Austrian Rieslings are hanging around a lot longer than I expected them to.

I sometimes age Briords, but I never have a problem drinking younger. I don't ever remember thinking one was closed down or a bad time to drink, as I do sometimes with Riesling or even white Burg (and of course never as hard as a Bdx or Piedmont). No need to drink, but no harm either.

Chiming in here in support of what Dale says. I've had Briords at every stage imaginable, and they've never been anything but open and ready for business. They do round out with age, but many people (such as my wife) are enamored of their zippy youth.

Excellent, this is what I wanted to hear re the Briords.

I don’t have tons of experience with Pepiere like you all do, but I always seem to like the Briords the best (Clisson second) and I much prefer it in firmer vintages, which it sounds like 2020 is.

Opened a 20 Briords tonight, and it’s terrific. Much better than the 21 Briords I had last year. Wonderful energy.