No wine Tuesday with teriyaki salmon, peppers, and assorted leftovers from Monday
Wednesday was a delicious if not intuitive salad of chicken gyoza, heirloom tomatoes, and chili crisp. I’m serious. I opened a 2011 Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Kabinett #3 that had been intended to be opened Monday. Good acids for ‘11, bright and easy, white pit fruits, no reason to hold longer. B+/B
Thursday a neighbor hosted a dinner party for a former neighbor who moved up near Albany.
Cod with lemon, fettuccine with mushrooms, and Betsy’s broccoli rabe, with a plum tart to follow.
2022 ColleStefano Verdicchio di Matelica.
Nice acids, nectarine, lemon, just a hint ot grass. B/B+
2022 Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard “Hook Vineyard” Grenache (Santa Lucia Highlands)
OK only the winery name is Santa Cruz. But not bad- on the scale of CA Grenache this is comparatively light, balanced, and bright. Cherry Koolaid and raspberry, a bit of spice on finish. Certainly drinkable. B-
Friday a Sichuan chicken breast with smashed cucumber recipe, with spinach gomae and rice with furikake. 2019 Lauer Kupp Fass 18 Grosses Gewachs. There is so much potential here I should cellar, but it’s so tasty now! White orchard fruits and citrus, gunflinty smoke, ginger spice on finish. Balanced, vibrant, yum. A-
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.