We had a couple hours to recover from our big steak and Burgundy lunch,
then went to a dinner at some friends. I had been asked to bring an
apertif, and brought the 2004 Thomas-Labaille Sancerre Chavignol. Light
lemon and gooseberry fruit, some rocky mineral notes on finish. This is
usually a Wow! wine for the price, but this vintage seems a little less
concentrated than the norm. Not really dilute, but lacking that little
extra oomph. B

There was also the NV Nicolas Feuillatte Brut. I've noticed a lot of
bottle variation in this, sometimes good QPR, sometimes -like this- not
really having much Champagne yeastiness, just a generic bubbly with
green apple fruit and somewhat coarse mousse. Unsure if this is storage
or production issues, but I've stopped buying this. B-

With artichokes and hollandaise sauce, the 2003 Estancia Chardonnay.
Ripe sweet fig and pear fruit, low acid and flabby, lots of hard oak
notes. Very sweet on the finish- might have to do with trhe
artichokes, but I think just "eh" wine. C/C+

Main course was raclette, with the usual sides (potatoes, ham, salami,
cornichons, onions). Very good, though not maybe what I needed after a
porterhouse and cheese lunch. Wine was the 2004 Pierre Boniface
Apremont de Savoie. Nice light-bodied wine with acidity that helped
cut through the weight of the cheese. Light peach and orange fruit, a
little pleasant herby greenness. B+

Dessert wine was the 2000 Velich "Seewinkel" Beerenauslese. Nice sweet
nose of orange blossom and clover honey, nicely intense citrus and
apricot fruit on palate. Good acidity balances the sweetness, and
there's a nice creamy mouthfeel. A bit of oak distracts a little, but
this should appeal to Kracher fans. B+/A-

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.