WTN: more BC, Bojo, Nebb, OR, Burg, UltraM, Trimbach

In AirBnB in N. Vancouver, tried a few BC wines after no wine dinners. None as good as the “Curated” wines at our lunch, but I quite liked the Semillon

2022 La Frenz Semillon
Lots of body, grapefruit accented with nectarine and green herbs, nice acids, B+/B

2022 Quails Gate rose
Strawberries, basily herbs, bitters, ok but not super zippy. B-

2021 Jackson Triggs Sauvignon Blanc Reserve (Okanagan)
This has an oily musky perfumed nose (like those SBs that used to be marketed as Sauvignon Musque), canned fruit salad/mango, short finish. Not a fan (maybe better to stick to one end of Canada!). C+

After long delay being flagged at border, we spent last night in PNW in charming town of Edmonds. Had dinner at Salt and Iron- I had octopus Dungeness crab salad, Betsy had (too cold) burrata on a nice edamame/pea salad, then scallops. We had a half bottle of
2021 Trimbach Riesling. (yellow label, but don't think Reserve). Citrus, ginger, moderate acids, versatile with food, decent QPR at $26/375 on a list. B

No wine Wednesday after long flight.

Betsy was happy to be in her kitchen Thursday. Started with an asparagus/spinach/leek soup, then turkey meatballs with peaches. 2014 Lapierre N Morgon showed well- bursting black cherry, herbs, a little bacony note. B+

After dinner we went to her sister’s, to celebrate Calpers finally agreeing to start paying long term disability for their mom. Needed a CA wine, so the 2012 Ultramarine Blanc de Blancs. Lemony citrus, pear, apple blossoms, crisp and elegant, not showing any oxidation. B+

Friday duck breast with mango, Japanese sweet potatoes topped with miso and radish, with the
2005 Pernot Clos au Dessus des Marconnets Beaune rouge. This is a monopole lieu dit, still a bit of stern tannin, modest black cherry fruit, medium acids, hard to tell if just a bit shut down or just a bit lacking. Good with dinner, but not exciting at moment. For now B-

Saturday Oysters, grey sole, lemon tahini slaw, garlic scape pesto on spaghetti, and the 2018 OO Wines VGW Chardonnay. Pear, lemon zest, flint and chalk, nice acidic balance, good length. B++

Sunday Dana had joined us for a week, Betsy made orange cumin roast chicken with root vegetables,I was in charge of broccolini as well as sauteed snow peas and onion with sesame oil. The 2020 Barale Langhe Nebbiolo was easygoing, red cherry with orange peel and just a hint of tar, nice version of early drinking Nebbiolo. B

No wine Monday with cinnamon beef stew over udon.


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.

La Frenz has been getting some nice portfolio reviews of late.

[David M. Bueker]

2012 Ultramarine BdB is still my all-time favorite from them.

[Jenise]

La Frenz is a great producer, Dale. Aussie owner-winemaker who has a deft touch with white wines in particular. Last year Alvin poured the '21 at his birthday party, about which I said "Not generally a semillon fan, but just loved this. Dazzling mineral and fruit with green apple..."

Quails Gate wines run to the lean side these days, and sometimes come up a bit almost flavorless even for those of us who appreciate minimal intervention. I did not care for the last QG pink I had.

And Jackson Triggs wines are jug-wine industrial. Made for the masses. Not surprised you didn't like.

Tell me about turkey meatballs and peaches together in the same dish. Need to know more!

Melissa Clark from NYT. I think Betsy pretty much stuck to recipe (w/turkey)
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/102 ... l-and-lime

For those who hit paywall
3 to 4 servings
1½ tablespoons finely grated or minced fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, grated or minced
1¼ teaspoon ground cumin, plus more for serving
1¼ teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
1 pound ground pork (or turkey or chicken, or vegan meat)
⅓ cup panko or other plain bread crumbs
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil, plus basil leaves for serving
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons wine (dry white, rosé or red), or use broth, orange juice or water
2 cups diced ripe peaches or nectarines (about 3)
¼ cup thinly sliced white or red onion, or scallions
1 lime, halved
White rice or coconut rice, rice noodles, or crisp salad greens, for serving

Step 1
In a large bowl, mix together ginger, garlic, cumin and salt. Add pork, panko and basil. Using your hands, gently mix everything together, making sure not to overwork the mixture. (Otherwise, the meatballs get tough.) Form into 1¼-inch balls.

Step 2
Heat a large skillet over medium-high, then add the oil and let it heat up until it thins out. Add meatballs in one layer. Cook, turning and shaking the pan, until meatballs are browned all over, 5 to 7 minutes.

Step 3
Pour the wine into the skillet and move meatballs over to one side of the pan, scraping up the browned bits. Add peaches, a pinch of salt and 2 tablespoons water to the empty side of pan. When peaches are simmering, cover the pan, lower the heat to medium, and let cook until the meatballs are no longer pink at their centers, and the peaches juicy and tender, about 5 to 10 minutes longer.

Step 4
Uncover the pan. If the mixture seems too runny, let it cook down for another minute or so. The peaches should break down into a chunky sauce. Hard or unripe peaches may take a few extra minutes.

Step 5
Add the onions to the pan and mix them in so they wilt slightly. Squeeze lime juice all over everything, then taste and add salt and lime juice, as needed. Sweeter peaches will need more lime juice, tart ones, less.

Step 6
Serve the meatballs sprinkled with more cumin and garnished with torn basil leaves, over the rice or greens.



Fun and different. Or maybe not that different, as she did duck and mango Fri, meat with fruit week!

[Jenise]

Dale, thank you. I just ate a nectarine--I can totally picture this! Definitely going to try this very soon.