With capon roasted with lemon & thyme, served with a lemon/black
raspberry sauce and some braised escarole, the 2004 Henri Bourgeois
"Petit Bourgeois" Sauvignon (Vin de Pays du Jardin). Grapefruit and
gooseberry, a bit dilute and short on the finish. Needs a little more
acidic zip too. All the elements are there, there just aren't enough of
each of them. B/B-

A friend who brought a host gift recently said " I love going to
Rochambeau (local store) for gifts for Dale, I just say ' for Dale
Williams' and they pick out something." In the past that has indeed
worked quite well, but someone there must have thought this past
holiday was April Fools not Christmas. With leftover lamb (Betsy flew
to NC Wed AM) the 2003 Domaine Magellan Vieilles Vignes
Grenache/Carignan (VdP de Thongue) is one seriously overripe bottle of
Grenache. Sweet overripe raspberry and red plum fruit, a bit of herb
but overwhelmed by that jammy/round fruit. I keep a glass around for
the evening, but change is not for the better, and almost entire bottle
goes in the vinegar crock.I can see this being very popular with some,
but this is NOT my style. C

Ah, now this is better. A 375 of the 2000 Jean-Noel Gagnard "Les
Caillerets " Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru. Stones and stone fruit, a
touch of lemon on top of the honied peach fruit, lots of minerality on
the finish. Fair dose of oak, but integrated nicely. Maybe 2006 isn't
going to be a vinuous disaster after all. A-

Tonight leftover capon, with some spinach. Some of the Gagnard, plus I
open the
2004 Domaine Dalicieux "La Jacarde Vieilles Vignes"
Beaujolais-Villages. Fruit is sweet without being simple or cloying,
mostly strawberry with hints of black raspberry and bitter cherry.
Earthy, with mineral/rock notes. Light-bodied, but not insubstantial,
nice classic Beaujolais. Excellent QPR at somewhere around $11. B+

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.