With cod in a chickpea/chipotle/spinach broth, 2009 Karthauserhof Grosses Gewach Trocken. (I think the Trocken is redundant, but says on label). Big but racy, tensile acidity and beautiful aromatics- flowers, orange peel, honeycrisp apple. Big, young, but lovely. A-
Tandoori style pork, quinoa, and broccoli rabe, and the 2012 Defino Frappato, Fresh and floral, lightbodied with pretty red raspberry and cherry fruit. Good value. B
With roast chicken, broccoli, and quinoa,the 2005 Drouhin Cote de Beaune. What a great showing for a regional wine! IN a very nice place. Sweet red and black cherry fruit, sappy and succulent, earth and underbrush, very food friendly. B++
With porgy steamed Asian style (in microwave, from Modernist Cuisine), Israeli couscous, green beans, and watercress, a half bottle of the 2011 Selbach Oster Riesling Kabinett (this is a generic, no vineyard listed). Soft, sweet, some acid, but not really very interesting. B-/C+
Then over to Dave’s for local group’s monthly tasting, theme this month was “12.5 ABV and Under.” Wines were blind
#1 - not blind to me. Guesses were 80s Bordeaux, hhmmm, seemed obvious to me (since I knew). Red fruit, green pepper, a little cigarbox, a hint of funk. A little tired, more advanced than other recent bottles. 1971 Sterling Cabernet Sauvignon (12%). B
#2 I was convinced this was Gamay, probably Beaujolais though I thought Loire possible. Strikeout! Cranberry, fresh, herby, just a hint of geranium. I was surprised by region, I liked, 2013 Lefevre “Les Amis” (Coteaux D’Aix en Provence) B/B+
#3 Bright with a little spritz, sweetness (though dry), this reminded me of Zweigelt, so I immediately guessed Austria. Wrong, but right part of Europe! I liked this, but surprised at Mosel. Dr. Heidemanns-Bergweiler Pinot Noir (Mosel). B
#4- Soft, plummy red fruit, a little green note, I was lost but guessed Pinot from someplace warm. Surprised, didn’t seem very Gamayish to me, and I’d heard good things re this producer. 2012 Pascal Aufranc “1939” Chenas B-/C+
#5 - I got grape, but only after Marc said northern Italian. Soft and broad, some tannin, juicy dark fruits. 2012 Roagna Dolcetto B+/B
#6 Modest acids, fading tannin, there’s still some fruit but nearing end of its run. Nice luncheon claret. 1998 Ch. du Moulin Rouge B
#7 Red fruited, low acids, a light candied note, some others liked better, clipped.. 2013 Minini Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. C+
Fun night. Saturday a speech in CT then a plane from White Plains, no wine with dinner at my mom’s in GA. Tonight mom and I went over to my brother’s, fun time with his family and the dogs. Grilled chicken, roasted cauliflower and Brussels sprouts with bacon, squash, and corn. Wine was the 2006 Kistler “Kistler Vineyard” Chardonnay. Apples and oak, big, there’s some heat on the palate. A bit of oxidization hinted at. B-/C+
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.