Wednesday was a gorgeous (80s but low humidity) night for the first parks concert of the season. Betsy made soba salad with chicken, snow peas, and broccoli rabe, we also carried gazpacho with avocado and grilled shrimp. Some sharing (cheeses especially, my favorite being a Petit Basque) with friends.
2015 Noella Morantin "Mon Cher" Gamay (Touraine)
This was a lovely surprise, with herbiness but not the “geranium” green note that I sometimes find offputting in Loire gamay. Red cherry, smoke, a little almost Rhonish meat note. Easy drinking and fun. B+
2015 Rivetto Langhe Rosso
Unsure of the blend, but this seems rounder and sweeter than most Nebbiolo based Langhe, though there’s a hint of tar. Red plum fruit, low acid for Piedmont. B-
2015 Lambert Chinon Rose
A ‘15 but no lack of freshness, good raspberry fruit, a little orange peel, good acids. B+/B
2015 Eva Fricke Kiedrich Riesling
Bone dry, bright acids, apple and ginger and a minerally finish. B/B+
2014 Urban Torrontes
This was strange, decent acids but overripe pit fruits on palate, with a strange musky note on top. C+/C
Nice to be by river on longest day of year, well after the band finished we hung with friends, till the sun disappeared over the Palisades.
Thursday we had Betsy’s sister and her kids over (Ottolenghi take on salade Nicoise), but no wine. Friday I did spiced pork tenderloin and tomatoes on grill, sauteed some creminis, and made cauliflower with garlic and anchovy. The cooking wine (ingredient and chef) was the 2012 de Courcel Bourgogne Blanc. Ripe apples and pears, moderate acidity, a little hazelnut note. Full bodied for Bourgogne blanc, pretty good length, good in a very fruit forward style. B/B-
With dinner the 2012 de Courcel Bourgogne rouge, bigger styled PN as well, ripe black cherry and cocoa, a bit of earth. Pretty tasty, though on day 2 it’s stewed and pruney. But first night B
I’ll note both Courcel wines were listed at 12.5% abv , which would not have been my guess.
Saturday bluefish with an orange-saffron sauce, arugula/apple salad, & brown rice, with the 2015 Lauer “Barrel X” Riesling. Good acids, sweet citrus and pit fruit, good length. Tasty on it’s own, but weird interaction with the orange sauce, so I switched to water with my fish. Afterwards I enjoy again. B+
Sunday I had a busy day walking dog, volunteering at CSA (twice), and dim summing, but when to Harvest on Hudson in nearby Hastings for a 50th wedding anniversary party for friends (Betsy was playing at Music Mountain). Wonderful river views, nice crowd (though a 56 I was in the youngest 10%). For my first course I choose the yellowfin crudo- very good with scallions and oil, though about 10 minutes after serving they brought out a ginger sauce that was supposed to accompany, which I enjoyed with last couple bite. White was the 2015 Ponticello Pinot Grigio (Delle Venezie). Light, crisp, cold, acceptable. B- Nice salad, and then a toast with the NV Moet and Chandon “Imperial” Champagne. Apple and lemon, a little leesy/yeasty note, ok. B-
With roast chicken I asked to switch to red, as he took away white glass I said could just use (they were using same stems), he said he’d bring a new one, and I didn’t have any more wine that night. That’s ok, main thing was to be there for 2 lovely people.
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.
