As soon as Betsy got back from a concert in Fairfield yesterday, we
headed over to some friends' home for dinner. Definitely not a wine-
geeky crowd, but there was wine!

2005 Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay
The last time I had this bottling (couple years ago) I thought it
boring yet still better than I expected. Maybe raising my expectations
to "boring" was a mistake. I really hated this. Noticable sweetness,
popcorn fake butteriness, short. In a non-geeky setting I hate to dump
the hostess's house wine, luckily I had taken small pour. I took it
like a man.
C-

I had brought a couple of bottles, trying to match with "grilled curry
spiced chicken" (along with grilled bananas, an excellent cornbread/
mango salad).

2006 Domaine du Clos du Fief (Michel Tete) Julienas
Ah, this is better. Sweet raspberry fruit, a bit of cherry, smooth and
silky. I loved, and so did others- bottle was drained quickly (before
food, actually). B+/A-

N.V. Terres Dorees (JP Brun) FRV 100
Normally this is something I'd serve as a summer apertif, but thought
the sweetness and light petillance would be an interesting approach to
the chicken's spices (I thought it did pretty well). Nothing
complicated here, just a fun frothy quaff. Strawberries and macerated
cherries, not any length to speak of, but fun and different. B

Good night with good people.

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent
wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. 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.