No wine Mon (tofu, or Tues (Chinese takeout before a board meeting). Happy to pop a cork on Wednesday, opened the 2015 Gros Nore Bandol rose with sausage and squash on the grill. Fuller style of rose, though pale in color. Beefy, strawberry and melon fruit, big. Good with food. . B/B+
Thursday grilled a spicy Cornish game hen , with pac choi, brown rice, and the 2014 Christophe Pacalet Chenas. Raspberry, cranberry, flowers. A bit of low sulphur hint-o-spritz. OK. B/B-
Some friends and their pup came to dinner Friday. Started with shrimp cocktail and almonds, and the NV Laherte Ultradition Extra Brut. Apples, biscuit, flowers. Lots of fizz, moderately fine mousse. There’s a a sweet edge, I comment it’s rather rounded for Extra Brut. Couple days later I read back label as I put in recycling. Dec 2014 disgorgement, bottle says Extra Brut on front, Brut on back. Not sure which I drank! B/B+
Main was some bavette, served with squash, eggplant, quinoa, tomato with anchovy. Couple of reds
2000 Ch. Mazeyres (Pomerol)
Tannins mostly resolved, black plum fruit with some overlays of spice and leather. Moderate length, nice mouthfeel, showing well. B+
2013 Chevillon Nuits St George VV
Young but tasty, tangy black cherry, smoke, a bit of reserved new oak. B+
Saturday I had a speech, just threw together leftovers (chicken, tofu, pac choi, rice). Opened the
2014 Fuligni “Ginestreto” Rosso di Montalcino. Medium bodied, tart red fruits, surprising tannins, a bit clipped on finish. I didn’t love, and drank leftover Champagne instead, B-/C+
Betsy got back from Texas, we walked over hill for dinner with friends. They greeted us with home smoked salmon and hummus with smoked oysters. I had carried a bubbly. The NV Beaufort Rose Grand Cru Brut . Tasty, red fruits and citrus zest, but not the most complex rose around. B
Dinner was grilled tuna , bok choy, caesar, rice, & cheese
2003 Lopez de Heredia “Gravonia” Rioja
Lovely old school wine Rioja, just a hint of nutty/oxidative notes, white fruits, coconut, tangy. Fun stuff. B+/A-
2005 Ch. Bernadotte
Still young, still some tannin, but nice black currant and black plum fruit, some incipient cigarbox. I have a couple of these and will still hold off. B for now
2015 Fattoria del Cerro Chianti Colli Senesi
Red fruit, an interesting leather note, but thin, tart, and rather short. 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.