We went to a friend's home for her birthday party last night. Her
husband had an afternoon gig, but had braised lamb shanks in the AM.
When he returned he prepared brussels sprouts, Betsy brought a rice
pilaf, and another couple salad and garlic bread.

Birthday girl had made canapes with smoked salmon, egg, and capers,
they were a nice accompaniment to the NV Gruet Brut. Floral, medium
bodied, apples and a little lime, just a hint of yeast. Good value,.B

The dinner wines:

2005 Teira Zinfandel (Sonoma)
New producer to me. I don't drink that much Zin, but this was quite
enjoyable. Medium bodied, fresh zinberry fruit (ripe raspberries and
blackberries with a good dose of spices), moderate acidity and
tannins. I'd buy. B+

2001 Terrabianca Campaccio*
I've liked this moderately priced SuperT in the past, and that hold
here. Rich black cherry fruit, a little bit of toasty oak but not
obtrusive, a smooth almost Pomerol-ish texture. Good acidity and some
tannins give it some backbone. Some Bdx-ish tobacco with time. B+

2006 Castello Monaci "Liante" Salice Salentino
Very sweet, dense for Salice Salentino, some vanillin oak. Others like
a bit more than I. Seems quite modern. B-

2005 Ch. Duplessy
I didn't note appelation (this was in a decanter), but I think in past
this has been a 1er Cotes de Bordeaux. Good black plum fruit,
surprisingly hard after a couple hours in decanter, bigger than any
Duplessy I've tried before. Plums, leather, and a hint of green herb.
Never really seems quite ready. B-/B

Fun night with the jazz crew.

Tonight Betsy made mung bean/ham/spinach soup. Some hot chiles, so I
went with a wine with some RS. Normally I drink more Kabinett and
Spatlese at table, but I decided to risk the chance that an Auslese
would be too sweet. The 1994 Emrich-Schonleber Monzinger Halenberg
Riesling Auslese has plenty of RS (more than the recent vonOth '97),
but there was still plenty of acidity too. Lots of petrol, green apple
and white peach fruit, with a limey/grapefruity edge to the acids that
tighten it up and brighten it up. Some honied notes, but not too
sweet. Nice long finish with some slate and chalk. This is a producer
that I never really heard of till the last few years, but I guess
they've been doing ok for a while, this is a lovely bottle of
tableworthy Auslese. 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.
*