Friday I grilled swordfish, sauteed spinach, and opened the 2015 Landron/Louvetrie “Les Houx” Muscadet
Not as racy as the ‘14, ripe peach and orange zest, good acids but without that extra oomph. B
Then to Roger’s for local wine group, where Alpine WHite Wine theme has morphed into Alpine and cool climate whites. Nice night on patio with some good sausages and blind wines
2014 Zind-Humbrecht Gewurztraminer
Apples, lychee, good acids. B+/B
1999 Nikolaihof “Steiner Hund” Riesling
More advanced than previous bottles, petrol and stone fruits with some incipient oxidation, but still good. B+/B
2012 Chamiot Apremont
This was light(dilute), and somewhat flat. C+
2013 Boniface Apremont
Just a hint of spritz, light, melony. Already a little tired., B-/C+
2015 Elena Walch Pinot Grigio (Alto Adige)
Pear, honeydew, hint of sweetness, B/B-
2013 Gonin Persan
Black fruit, a piney note, midbodied. B/B+
Saturday a friend and his dog came over and we watched the pups playing while we started with some trout he smoked that AM and the NV Beaufort Grand Cru Rose. I’ve liked this in the past, but this was a little strange with some acetone on nose. Nice cherry underneath, but hard to get past that nose. B-/C+
Mixed grill (hanger and pave steak, bratwurst and Italian sausage) asparagus, and broccoli rabe
1987 Val di Suga “ Vigna del Lago” Brunello di Montalcino
Red raspberry fruit, tar, cedar. Midbodied, resolved tannin, good acid. Not especially complex but good for a couple of hours, then cracked up- got disjointed and volatile. But for most of dinner, B
2005 Grolet “Tete de Cuvee” (Cotes du Bourg)
Nice plummy Merlot fruit, nice structure, drinking well but no hurry. B+
Sunday I drove to JFK and picked up Betsy, Jennifer a violinist from her quartet, and Jennifer’s daughter. 4 people, cello, and suitcases won’t fit in my Subaru, so I was driving Jennifer’s Mercedes wagon. Stuck in traffic approaching the Whitestone, the Mercedes overheated (I think fan). An hour later (getting cap off, hiking to a park to get water) we were able to try again (with AC off) and eventually made it home. Luckily I had gone to farmers market that AM, as we got back 90 minutes before Betsy’s mother, sister, BIL, and niece arrived for dinner.
Cotto salami from local charcuterie and marinated mozzarella balls
2016 Gros Nore Bandol rose
Strawberries, raspberries, orange zest and stones, lovely somewhat structured rose. B+
Grilled squid and sauteed mushrooms (bluefoot, oyster, shiitake, maitake) over greens, rice pilaf that Cal brought, grilled squash with za’atar.
2014 Bessin “Fourchaume” Chablis 1er
Nice showing! Citrus and apple, minerally, long with a waxy note on finish. Full but lithe. B+/A-
1995 Dr. Loosen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett
(opened because it was a graduation party for Rebecca, who’s a ‘95)
Fairly sweet, tropical fruit, holding on fine but fairly boring, and not very WehSonn- ish. B-/C+
1987 Ch. St . Jean Cabernet Sauvignon (Alexander Valley)
(opened because Kath and Cal’s anniversary is Tuesday)
12.7 abv , plenty of red and black plum fruit, cedar/pencil shavings, resolved tannins, lively acids. Not really complex but nice example of mature Alexander Valley. 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.