Friday I opened a red to offer a friend/carpenter who was finished a little work for me, then a Riesling to go with some sausages. Both were also brought along to a party Saturday night:
2004 Monsanto Chianti Classico Riserva
Nice midweight Sangiovese, enough acidity to balance the cherry fruit, a little leather. On day 2 more of a dried cherry edge, with some soil aromas. Quite good if not great. B+/B
2003 JJ Christoffel Erben Urziger Wurzgarten Spatlese
A little hint of sweet cherries along with lime and green apple. Surprisingly young, and with good acidity for the year. This had a real cork (I've had some '02/'03 Christoffel with plastic), mature but not faded. A little sweeter than ideal for me. B
Saturday we went to a birthday party at some friends'. Theme was Indian, I made a variation on lamb korma and Betsy made spinach with almonds. Others brought chicken, lamb meatballs, meat and veggie samosas, aloo mutter, raita, naan, etc. .I carried a bubbly Chenin as well as the open bottles
NV Pinon Vouvray Brut
I like this recent batch. Fresh ripe apples, some doughy yeast aromas, bright and with surprising length for a $20 bubbly. B+
Not a geek party, but some other wines offered:
2006 Benmarl Riesling
I neglected to note appellation; this is NYS but I don't think Finger lakes. Round, sweet, short. Canned peaches. C+
2007 Santa Julia Torrontes
Good acids, peaches and grapefruit, a little grass, ok. B-
2007 Tall Poppy Chardonnay
Bottle is a Yellowtail lookalike. Wine is sweet edged with a slightly artificial vanilla/oak edge (chips). Others liked it, not I. C
2006 Tall Poppy Cabernet Sauvignon
Sweet short and empty. C+
2006 Tall Poppy Shiraz
This was very sweet, but somehow it held my attention more than the CS.
I had very low expectations after the other Tall Poppy wines, but this seemed to have some concentration and backbone. Still too sweet though, but the class of the bunch. B-
Nice time with friends.
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.