Brad held a Summer’s Bounty dinner at his place in the city Saturday, He made a great spread- - Pork tenderloin with mushroom sauce, shrimp & corn saute, tomatoes with feta, flank steak,, stewed okra and tomatoes, and two batches of roasted vegetables (one without eggplant). The rest of us brought cheeses, bread, charcuterie, smoked scallops, desserts and more
2023 Exeterra Sylvaner (Alsace)
I wanted to like this more than I did. Sweet peas, herbs, citrus B-
2018 Pepiere Briords Muscadet
Cooking wine., Fatness of the vintage shows in a peach note, but there is some salinity on the backend. B-/B
1997 Pepiere Cuvee Buster Muscadet
Amazing, showing well at almost 30. Lemon, mineral, and a herby note, good length. B++
2017 Agrapart Mineral
Snappy and bright, maybe a bit tightly wound but a retaste was open and giving., B+
There were 2 Pinon sparklers, I only tasted the non-dose, others were slagging on it but I thought nice though took no notes
2009 Selbach Oster Rotlay Riesling
Nice in a riper mode. Orchard fruits, honey, honeysuckle. B+/B
2001 Müller-Catoir Haardter Bürgergarten Riesling Spätlese #2133
In a night of good Riesling, my favorite. Brilliant 2001 acids, vibrant grapefruit with orange blossoms and beeswax, very long, A-
2001 Gunderloch Nackenheim Rothenberg Riesling Spätlese
I was a little worried on pouring by deep gold color but wine was lovely. Peach and honeysuckle, plenty of sweetness but balancing 2001 acids, long finish. B+/A-
2004 Leoville Barton
Cassis and coffee, rich and ripe, heading towards maturity. B+
1995 Pavillon Rouge du Ch. Margaux
I might be unfair to this as it was popped and poured, but it seemed monolithic and flat. And maybe a bit thin. Others liked more than I did. B-/C+
1990 La Dominique
Not bad, but the ripeness of the vintage shows in a bit of a roasted note to fruit, and it doesn’t have the verve of some 80s Dominique. But I still enjoy. B
1994 Magdelaine (corked)
1988 Certan de May
Black plum and mocha, a red cherry note with air, some cedary cigarbox. In a good place. B+/A-
1985 Ducru-Beaucaillou
Wonderful bottle. Cassis, tobacco, earth and cedar. Deep, long, complex. A-
2010 Mourre du Tendre Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Prestige Tres VV
New producer to me,. Not over the top, ripe kirsch but not hot, underbrush, thyme, and pepper. Not really my thing but still fun. B
2023 Extradimensional Evangelho Mourvedre
Very young., No notes taken‘
1989 Pinon Passerillée Vouvray
Honey, quince, good acids, but lacking in excitement and some who knew wine well thought of. B
1996 Petits Quarts Bonnezeaux
Candied orange, coffee, lanolin, good acids, long finish. Couple of people I thought would like this didn’t. B+
1963 Quinto do Noval Port
Toffee, fruitcske and black cherry, intense and complex. Next taste is dried fruits and almonds. Evolving, long and lovely A-
Lovely Sunday at home getting ready for a Labor Day party Mon. Dinner was oysters, grey sole, acorn squash (some with rhubarb tamari), broccolini.,
2015 Lafarge “Clos des Aigrots” Beaune Blanc 1er. Good acids for 2015, but definitely a ripe vintage, with sweet ripe Bosc pearfruit. Thyme, citrus zest, chalk. B+/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 the only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.