Friday went to Irvington for local non-serious tasting group. Theme was Southern Hemisphere (and I discovered I apparently only owned one, now zero, though have stuff coming in). A nice spread of charcuterie, cheese, olives, and fruit, followed by spanakopita and endive stuffed with goat cheese. Later some Bolognese on rotini. All wines blind
Blind White #1 - a little sweet edge, ok acids, quite floral. Clearly not SB, we discussed SA Chenin and Australian Riesling, but not dry enough. No real guess. 45% Moscatel, 30% Riesling, and 25% Semillon 2022 Grand Itata Blanco (Chile)B/B-
Blind White #2 - I wasn’t guessing as mine, they eventually got it with my guidance. Grapefruit and melon, balanced acids, long finish. No hurry here 2015 Tyrell’s Vat 1 Semillon B+
Blind White #3 -orange color, I got skin contact and even Pinot Gris fairly fast, but no clue to region (or country!). Cherry and pineapple, a bitter edge. Can’t say I grooved on this, but not a big orange wine guy. 2023 Airlie Bank Gris on Skins (Yarra), B-/C+
Blind Red #1 - a little cloudy, clearly a “Natural “wine, black cherry edged with green tobacco and green pepperl, nice freshness. No clue, but I didn’t even know they grew CF in Chile! Missed vintage on the Echeverría Cabernet Franc No Es Pituko (Curico Valley). B
Blind Red #2 - ripe (overripe), extracted, jammy. I thought maybe Shiraz, I didn’t know they grew CF in Argentina either! 2019 El Enimigo C/C+
Blind Red #3 - sweet edge, redder fruit, a little cocoa note.Not much of a finish. Good news I had no clue it was Pinotage (no burnt rubber), and also couldn’t find the distinct coffee aromas the label was gushing about. 2018 Posted Accord Coffee Pinotage B-
Blind Red #4 - I didn’t get burnt rubber here either, got black fruit and a little mocha. I thought maybe a South African Bordeaux blend. 2020 Kanonkop Pinotage B/B+
What should have been the best wine if sound was the 1986 Henschke Mt. Edelstone Shiraz, but it was totally maderized.
I didn't spot either Pinotage OR either Cab Franc! Duh!
Saturday I made gukbap,a Korean stew with brisket, sprouts, and Korean radish, with Taiwanese spinach on the side
2001 Edmunds St John Wylie-Fenaughty Syrah
Pretty ripe, cassis and kirsch, a smoky campfire note, some meat and leather. Fleshy and full, holding on but not maybe my favorite vintage of this. B+/B
Oysters, turbot with tomato and olives, orzo, roast romanesco
2023 Pepiere Briords Muscadet
A store mailer described this as racy, I’d say racy for white wine but not especially racy for Briords, a broader if delicious vintage. There’s certainly a good acid backbone, but this is a big Briords, with warm fruit as well as the mineral backbone. Really tasty. B+/A-
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.