With lamb shanks, white beans, and an Indian cauliflower dish, the 2004
Sandro Fay Rosso di Valtellina. Less structured and acidic than Fay's Sassella, a pleasant floral red with just a hint of herbs. Raspberry fruit, a nice value wine (though doubt I would have guessed Nebbiolo blind). B
With pasta with a shrimp/leek sauce, the 2006 Brocard "Kimmeridgean" Bourgogne blanc. Ripe and balanced Chardonnay fruit, some chalk, good acidity, this could have fit seamlessly into a lineup of Chablis AC wines (and finished in top 50 percentile). If there's a shortcoming it's on the finish, where it seems a tad dilute (didn't get that on approach or mid-palate). Still a very good value at $11, though it seems to be gone from the stores I buy from. B/B+
Tonight herb-crusted salmon, with assorted veggie leftovers. A half-bottle of the 2005 Jean-Philipe Marchand "Cuvee Prestige" Bourgogne Hautes Cotes de Nuits was a decent but unexciting bottle of Pinot Noir. A little subdued at first, but quickly opened up. Black cherry fruit, sweet, forward. OK acidity, not a lot of depth or complexity, but clean and easy. B-/B
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.