With some leftover beef and veggies, the 2005 Quintessence de Peybonhomme (Cotes de Blaye). I think this is their "luxury cuvee", but that means only about $16 - and well worth it. Soft ripe tannins, nice lush mouthfeel, cassis and blackberries with a nice finish. Classic Bordeaux Merlot, just a little vanilla/oak, fine value. B+
(unfortunately CSW lists one bottle, which generally means they're out)
I cooked some venison kielbasa in sauerkraut and Riesling, the cooking wine was the 2007 Schloss Lieser QbA. Nice offdry Riesling, white fruits, petrol, some slatey rocks. Good length for level,. nice. B/B+
Dinner wine was the 2005 Kunstler Stielweg Old Vines Dry Riesling. This was a big wine, just a touch of sweetness, with a periodic whiff of a stale funk that kept me going back and forth whether it was corked. I switched back the Schloss Lieser, and then revisited the following night. I liked much better on night 2, and didn't get any more TCA-ish notes. Big white peach fruit edged with lime, very long mineral finish. Still, overall I got more intellectual interest than sheer pleasure. Night one I didn't enjoy at all, but on second day a B. I wouldn't be afraid to age this a while, though,
Last night was Betsy's first night back in the kitchen, she made a chicken schnitzel over an herb salad while I grilled some squash. Wine was the 2005 Nigl "Privat" Gruner Veltliner (Kremstal). Screwcapped (and I didn't get any reductive notes). Big Gruner with verve and vigor. Nectarines, lemon curd, a Gruner-ish pea note, saline and slate minerality. Nice length, good mouthfeel. The peppery spice blends with a floral note as the wine opens further. Nice night on the patio, nice wine, 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.
