Monday Betsy made a shepherd's pie with a scallion-cheese crust, and
"Irish onion soup" (similar to French, but using Guiness instead of
stock, and topped with cheddar and toast). I'm short on Irish wines,
so settled for a half bottle of the 2003 Vrai Canon Bouche (Canon-
Fronsac). Fruitbomb style, even riper than I remembered, big red
fruit, some vanilla, who's arguing at this price ($7/375). But after
my glass with dinner I skipped out for a talk to a b.mitzvah
confirmation class, returned about 2 hours after dinner to find a
rather overripe, overwrought, sloppy wine. B with dinner, C+ later.

Tuesday was chicken poached in Chinese-accented broth, then topped
with hot peanut oil and a soy/ginger sauce, with rice noodles with
cabbage, sprouts, and scallions. Wine was the 2002 Ratzenberger
Bacharacher Posten Riesling Spatlese Halbtrocken. Big and vibrant,
lots of petrol for a youthful wine, a little sugar. Nectarine, lime, a
little herb. I have to confess that this was one of those wines where
all the components were there, yet while I liked, I didn't love. B

Wednesday was my turn to cook, a pork loin roast with mustard/thyme
crust, roasted vegetable (fennel, potatoes, carrots, onion), and
broccolini.
Wines was the 2006 Brun (Terres Dorees) Cote de Brouilly. Ripe, big,
could pass for Burgundy "proper". Black cherry fruit, a little cocoa,
ripe but with good acidic backbone. Not awkward as some 2006 Bojo have
been described, I like this a lot, though might have been happier with
less heft. B+

Tonight Betsy needed some white wine for a squash risotto, I opened
the 2005 Drouhin "Laforet" Macon-Villages. A bit of reduction/funk on
the nose at first, it blows off. Lemon fruit with a hint of apple, no
oak, clean but not much there. B-

The main course was filets of branzino, with a mustard/horseradish/
panko crust, served with the risotto, truly horrible green beans
(tough tough tough), and the 2006 Bodegas de Fefinanes Albarino (Rias
Baixas). Crisp, minerally, lively, makes me realize I should drink
more Albarino. A bit floral, but mostly about seashore chalkiness and
mineral tones. White peach and citrus, good length. Muscadet meets
Pinot Gris. This goes on buy list. 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.

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