Local non-serious wine group Friday, host chose a stretched out theme- the Fertile Crescent, Black Sea, and North Africa! Whoa.
He greeted us with 3 types of stuffed grape leaves, taramasalata, artichoke dip, hummus, and more. Then served halibut Turkish style (mint, olives), rice, cauliflower, and a Cypriot salad.
Wines were blind
White # 1 : Color made me think skin contact, but not a lot of phenolic weight. Dried apricot, herbs, low acid. We got Georgia due to orange style, but I had no clue re grape. Then Fred said I knew it, and that is was grown in Finger Lakes. So I got Rkatsiteli (though can’t pronounce). I had impression Rkatsiteli was high acid, not this one. 2019 Zurab Tsereteli Rkatsiteli (Tsinanda Georgia). C+
White # 2 - a bit more acid, also a bit orange, spicy but with an odd finish. In a wild coincidence I had mentioned when we were talking about theme I had heard of a wine made in Sweden from Persian grapes- this is it! So in a sense Iranian wine.
NV? Drood Winery of Persia “Lorkosh The Warrior” Ariobarzanes C+/C
White # 3 - fresher, more acid, almost SB like with a grassy edge, but heavier. Apples, grass, ginger. Grape is new to me, Merweh, 2022 Mersel Lebnani Abyad B
Red #1 - no guesses for me as mine, double decanted before I left home. Fred got Musar (because what else would I have with age ) but guesses were in aughts and nineties. Raspberries, cherries, leather, with just a hint of barnyard, none of the heavy VA you can run into with Musar. Classic and long, good showing with a claret style. But my last bottle of Musar! 1980 Ch. Musar A-
Red #2 - red (plum and cherry) fruits, brambly, medium bodied. Ready to go. I had no clue, but not sure I’ve ever had an Armenian wine or an Areni before. 2018 Voskevaz Areni Noir Vieilles Vignes B/B-
Red # 3 - light, berry fruit, sprightly, not too long, this reminds me of a simple but tasty Beaujolais. 2022 Kavaklıdere Yakut (Turkey). B-
Fun night
Saturday sausage and peppers in tomato sauce on spaghetti, broccoli rabe
2021 Felsina Berardenga Chianti Classico
Crunchy red fruits (cherry and dried cherry), light and easy body, not the weight of a Rancia but it doesn’t suffer for it. There is some tannin on backend.Whenever I have one of these I think I should buy more often. B/B+
Betsy was in CA for a wedding, so I had a quiet day on Sunday, then went to friends’ in Tarrytown for dinner. Oysters, artichokes with aioli, and pasta with lobster, chorizo, and peas
NV Gosset Grande Rose Champagne
Strawberries, apple pie, citrus zest, caraway seed. Impressive depth for NV rose, nice length, delicate bead. B+
2023 Testut “Cote de Brechain” Chablis
New producer to me, I guess this is a lieu-dit. Crisp white fruits,citrus zest, seashell, with a chalky mineral finish. Lovely A-/B+
2023 Lauverjat Pouilly Fume
Granny smith, newly mowed lawn, gooseberry. Clean SB with good balance, though hard to follow the Chablis. 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.