Wednesday opened the 2014 Camus-Bruchon Bourgogne with a chicken tagine-ish dish (with turnips, sweet potatoes, chickpeas). Bright, crisp and light, red cherry accented with earth and Earl Grey. Just a little tannin, and seemingly light textured, yet with nice long finish. Very good for level. B+/B
Friday we went to Harrison for a bit of a potluck dinner. My contribution was sous vide pickled shrimp- I think I slightly prefer the conventional Gabrielle Hamilton recipe, but this was good and very easy. I had brought along the 1999 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne. Really in a nice place, at peak for my tastes. Pear, juicy red apple, chalk and little bread. Elegant, long, and lovely. A-
Cathleen had brought a chicken saute with green olives and potatoes. Her wine was the 1993 Jadot Corton-Pougets. Man, I love good ‘93s. Black cherry, bright acids, integrated tannin. Earth, flower, and meat notes Long finish. A-
Final savory course was meat lasagna and broccoli. Michael opened the 1997 Fuligni Brunello di Montalcino. Medium bodied, black cherry and currant, herb, just a hint of vanilla. Better balanced than some ‘97 Tuscans. B/B+
There was a homemade lemon verbena sorbet as well, fun night
Saturday we walked across town for a little St Paddys Day early dinner. Corned beef, cabbage, concannon, lamb stew, and more (shall I mention the green jello with kiwis cut into shamrocks?)?.
I carried 2 wines.
2000 Phelan-Segur
Phelan was one of the Irish Wild Geese, so that was my excuse. Some liked, but this was surprisingly lean to me for a 2000. Not lean in a chiseled precise way, but rather mudy. I didn’t get a lot here, unsure if its shutdown or just atypical for the vintage. B-/C+
2013 Karthauserhof Trocken Riesling
Corned beef and cabbage is a bit like choucroute, no? Bone dry, lemon and ginger, good finish. B+/B
With red ocean perch (redfish), a few oysters, lentils, and salad, the 2015 Bzikot Bourgogne Blanc. Hint of vanilla, clean Chardonnay fruit, could really use a little more acid. B/B-
Monday I was solo, picked up a supermarket rotisserie chicken (moist, but damn these are salty), sauteed green beans with anchovy and broccoli with garlic. Wine was the 2015 Foillard “Cuvee Corcelette” Morgon. Ripeness of the vintage really shows, but it does have acid. Black cherry, cocoa, smoke. Just a little spice on end. Definitely riper style of Morgon, but I like. 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.