Friday grilled lobster (parboiled, split, grilled with lime/shallot butter), broccoli, rice and pasta in a creamy basil sauce (it worked),
2015 Mt Eden Estate Chardonnay (Santa Cruz)
I expect Mt Eden chard to be strong for 15 years (and the Reserve longer). This estate bottling did not make it, brassy and nutty, oxidized. C
2024 Pernot Bourgogne blanc
Nice stand in, fresh and floral. B+
Oysters, scallops with chanterelles, grilled corn, grilled scallions, salad
2005 Defaix Cote De Lechet Chablis 1er
Pear, lemon and orange zest, hint of chalk. Good length, nice.. B+
Had two other couples over to catch up about our varied travels. We had heirloom tomatoes but no mozzarella or burrata, but an Eric Kim take on steakhouse tomato and onion salad inspired us to make the whole evening “Korean-American steakhouse”
Smoked mackerel and scallops
NV Gosset Grande Reserve
This is a bottle with some age on it. There’s a lot of dosage here, but there’s a girdle of acid that keeps it from being over the top. Ripe apple, seeded rye bread, touch of smoke. B+/B
Shrimp cocktail (poached in gochugaru and celery seeds), with a gochujang cocktail sauce or curry mayo
2018 Schramsberg Querencia Brut Rose
Crisp, snappy, with strawberries and raspberries and a little citrus note. Nice surprise. B+
Tomato and onion salad with doenjang vinaigrette
2015 Terrebrune Bandol Rose
Raspberry and cranberry, lime rind, still holding well. B+/B
Bulgogi hanger steak with ssamjang and lettuce, baked potatoes with kimchi, scallions, and/or sour cream, spinach with sesame seeds.
1985 Ch. Certan de May
Yippee yi yo. Great showing. Black plum and cherry, cigarbox, saddle leather, and long tangy finish. Smooth resolved tannins, lively acids, excellent length. A-/A
2020 Descendientes de Jose Palacios Corullon Vino de Villa
Bright cranberry and red cherry, flowers and underbrush, very bright and lively. B++
One couple (recently back from Umbria) brought homemade gelato, we also had fruit. Fun night on the patio with people dear to us.
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 the only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.