In Atlanta Friday, there was a big welcome party for the out of town guests at the Optimist. Passed snacks included lobster rolls, crab cakes, steak skewers, chicken skewers, sliders, little trays of beet salad, and more. There was a giant seafood buffet with oysters, shrimp, more lobster rolls, tuna tartare, a bluefin salad, etc. The only food disappointment was the fact they put powdered sugar on the hush puppies- pass!
I was uncharacteristically non-geeky and accepted glass of ok Loire rose without finding producer
2023 Sandhi Central Coast Chardonnay
Good acids, apple and tropical fruits, quite floral. This isn’t longest or most complex wine, but easy drinking and pretty versatile. B
2022 Domaine des Hauts Baigneux Sauvignon Blanc (Touraine)
Grapefruit, a little grass, bright acids, pleasant. B
Niece’s wedding (200+ guests) was at a country club, we waited on veranda for storm to pass before proceeding to tent for ceremony (lovely) and then another tent complex for dinner. I stuck to water on veranda, but tried the CC pours at dinner.
Heirloom tomato salad, marinated red onion
2021 St Claire Sauvignon Blanc Reserve
Gooseberry, lemon, and more gooseberry/cat pee. Decent accents, but a little pungent for me. B-
Beef filet, halibut, gnoccho, broccollini
2021 van Duzer Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley)
Another new producer to me. Black cherry, herbs, a lot lighter than I expected but that worked well for me (I think there was some 15% Cab out there for people who wanted bigger wine). Not a geeky night for me, but this was fine for a glass with dinner. B-/B
Home Sunday, blackfish with soba noodles with vegetables
2022 Fevre Chablis
Granny smith, Meyer lemon, some seashell, typical and tasty. 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.