Betsy was away for a Sufi retreat, I took the opportunity to indulge
myself in a food she doesn't care for - liver and onions, aka fegato
alla Veneziana. Side of sauteed spinach, wine was the 2006 Domaine
Bart Marsannay rose, which went well. Strawberry fruit edged with a
little cranberry, good acidity, ok length. A bit better than I
remembered, not a great rose, but a good backdrop to the food. B

I also opened a 375 of the 2005 Ch. Ferrand Lartigue (St Emilion). I'd
bought a couple based on price and the fact it was reported that they
had dialed back the oakiness. Well, hard to tell from this bottle. Big
in your face vanilla and toast, big sweet fruit, big but ripe tannins.
Bordeaux in the guise of warm climate Shiraz. Fairly low acid, but I
wouldn't call flabby. Fruit is black plum and blackberry, but somewhat
dominated by the oak. I'll put other away in hopes it integrates with
age, but for me now, B-/C+ (I think other more fond of oak would like
much more).

Sunday I cooked up some venison round steak, along with some blackeyed
peas I'd made that AM and a salad. Wine was the 2002 Ogier "La Rosine
" (VdP des Collines Rhodaniennes ). This seems to have put on some
weight in the bottle, not as light as I remembered. Nice balance of
fruit, tannin, and acidity. Rhonish notes of smoked bacon and herbs.
Good sturdy blackberry fruit. Quite tasty, and really amazing for
vintage. B+/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