Betsy was leaving Saturday for concerts, she made a nice family dinner Friday before I went to local tasting group (notes separate)- we've discovered it'sa good idea for me to be elsewhere when she is packing
Dinner was a Calabrese lamb chop recipe, in a red pepper and olive sauce. Fresh out of Calabrian wine, I went way north, and opened the 2003 Coppo "Camp du Rouss" Barbera d'Asti. This was sold as "light on the oak", but I found it quite oaky (not Braida level, but more than most Barberas I've drunk). Ripe black raspberry fruit, a bit more tannic and less acidic than I'm used to in Barbera (product of the vintage, I'd assume). OK, but I didn't love. Tasted next night the oak was more integrated, the tannins not as rough edged, I enjoyed more- a nice modern Barbera. . B- first night, B/B+ second.
Saturday I took Betsy to airport, then divided day between work, errands, and lawncare. Lovely spring day, and I decided I'd grill a porterhouse and some squash. A glass of the Barbera, but for the steak I opened a 375 of the 1986 Ch. Sociando-Mallet (Haut-Medoc). Much more accessible and less tannic than from a full bottle a few months ago. Beautiful mature Bordeaux nose of cedar, tobacco, and herbs; nice balance of acids and integrating tannins, pure blackcurrant fruit with an underlying note of graphite. Absolutely lovely claret, a pointe from the half. A-/A
Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. 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.