WTN: weekend wines (lots of basic bottlings)

Friday I had a busy day, but passed by HMart to pick up dinner. We started on front porch with a few oysters and the 2014 Pepiere Muscadet-sur-Lie-de-Sevre-et-Maine (I used to just say Pepiere Muscadet, but last couple of years Olivier has put out an early release that doesn’t have enough time on lees )- Without the richness of the Briords, but a lovely wine with saline/oyster shell minerality and tart lemony fruit. Great acids, nice finish. B++


Then we moved to patio, where I grilled Pork bulgogi & king trumpet mushrooms, served with haiga rice w/furikake, Chinese spinach, and the 2015 Foillard Morgon. Red raspberry fruit and spice, ripe but not at all overripe, good value at $17. B+/B

Saturday we (including Ruby the pup, her first dinner at someone else’s home) walked over the hill to some neighbors for dinner. We started with some pate, and the 2013 Raventos “Nit”. Just a lovely pink cava, quite dry and lively, strawberries and orange peel, bright. B+

Then onto their deck for clams with fried garlic, and the 2014 Dampt Chablis. Green apple, honeydew, a little mineral, good but could use a little more cut. B

Main course was grilled tritip, squid, salad, & my leeks in vinaigrette.

2013 Raul Perez Ultreia (Bierzo)
Spicy, red fruited, bright acids, good length. B+

1999 Massolino Barolo
I gave this an hour or two in decanter before returning to bottle. Lots of tannin, but not harsh, moderate acids. Good black cherry fruit, tar and flowers, good finish. No apparent oak . This was young and needs time, but enjoyable. B+

2013 Bujanda Rioja Crianza
Strawberry jam, low acid, short. C/C+

There was green garlic at the farmers’ market this weekend, so Betsy made green puttanesca (green olives, spinach, basil etc) and a salad, and the 2015 Kofererhof Pinot Grigio. Peach, pear, and some light tropical notes. Ripe but with an acidic backbone, good finish. B/B+

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.

...the 2015 Foillard Morgon. Red raspberry fruit and spice, ripe but not at all overripe, good value at $17. B+/B.

Really? I've never seen a Foillard Morgon without any other cuvee designation. And I've also not seen a Foillard that cheap in a long time!

A timely note on the Pepiere, as I have been eying a bottle of this lately. You seem to be enjoying a number of wines from Galicia and Bierzo lately, so thanks for those notes too. If the Bujanda was a disappointing everyday Rioja, get down to Chambers and pick up the 2016 Artuke - it is a delightful, fresh wine (some carbonic maceration, no oak).

[David M. Bueker]

We could drink at that level and be pretty happy almost all of the time.

Yes, basic Morgon, Kermit doesn't bring in, this was grey.
Joe, good timing, had just placed a CSW order, added the Artuke.
Yes, David, basic but pretty good.

Yes, basic Morgon, Kermit doesn't bring in, this was grey..

Now that you mention it, I think I have seen it before, in France.

Yes, basic Morgon, Kermit doesn't bring in, this was grey.

I think the grey one is the Cuvée Corcelette; the basic is white.

Greetings from Sweden / Fredrik L

Yes, basic Morgon, Kermit doesn't bring in, this was grey.

I think the grey one is the Cuvée Corcelette; the basic is white.

Greetings from Sweden / Fredrik L

I think he meant 'grey market' - which means wines sold outside of the normal authorized importer (Kermit Lynch) channels.

Fredrik, you are correct, the standard Morgon has white label (as does Cote du Py), Corcelette has grey (Corcelette and Cote du Py have wax capsule, standard regular).

But I sacrificed clarity for brevity. As Rahsaan deduced, I meant grey market. Obvious to him, not obvious to someone not used to US channels. Sorry.