No wine with dinner Wed as I was driving to city, Thursday I made
baked ham, broccoli, mushrooms, and spinach for Dave and I. Wine was
the 2008 Willi Schaefer “Estate” Riesling. Light, forward, classy for
the level. Granny Smiths, floral, moderately sweet with good acidity.
Good length, tasty and a nice if slightly straightforward Mosel
Riesling. Fine value. B+

Friday a little cleaning out of fridge and freezer, leftover veggies
and defrosted pot roast. I opened a 375 of the Qupe Syrah (Central
Coast). Dark berries, spice/pepper, but a little candied edge, and
rather short. I generally like Qupe, but this was a bit disappointing.
B-

It was dull enough to get me to open a white, the 2007 Langoureau
Saint-Aubin. Light to medium body, apple/pear, a hint of hazelnut,
good but could use a little more substance. Still, good Chardonnay. B

Saturday the snow threw a monkey wrench into a variety of plans
(including Betsy's flight back from CA). Eventually as the snow was
falling I had done everything I could do for the evening, and started
making dinner. Apertif wine was the 2003 Leitz Rudesheimer
Magdalenenkreuz Spatlese, which David Bueker had kindly sent me (via
Salil who kindly lugged it). Big, rich, it shows it's 2003ness but
there's a fine backbone of nervy acid. Peaches, a little apricot, more
fruit driven than minerally, very precise for a 2003. Lovely wine. A-/B
+

Dinner was filet mignon in a coarse bordelaise sauce, rice and beans,
and bok choy. Dinner wine was the 2003 Ch. Gloria (St Julien). Big
nose of currants and boysenberry jam, low acid but not jammy on
palate. Solid black fruits, espresso, dirt. Tannins are present but
not intrusive, this is beginning to drink well. B+

This morning I shoveled and woveled home driveway, office sidewalks,
and dug out 3 vans. A friend reminded me she was coming into town for
brunch. I decided it was easier to host than to go out, so threw a ham
in oven, made mac and cheese, and some vegetables. Others brought more
sides, and Hilary brought a nice non-mayo Waldorf salad. Dolores
brought 2 bottles, and so we tried a little red with lunch (plus some
leftover Riesling that probably was the better match with ham):

2006 Louis Latour Marsannay
light, good acids, modest strawberry/cherry fruit, quite short. I
revisit and find it rather bretty, I'm pretty brett-tolerant but this
is more "sewage treatment plant" than "pleasant cow pasture." It's
faint but hard to get past once one notices. Since Latour flash
pasteurizes, I'm surprised, but it detracts from wine. B-/C+

2001 Prieure Saint-Jean de Bebian (Coteaux du Languedoc)
Earthy, ripe red fruits, big but not ungainly, young. There's some
herb/garrigue notes. I'm pretty sure it's mostly Grenache, a good CdP
ringer, but turns out from label it's 45% Syrah, 30% Grenache, 25%
Mouvedre. Nice wine, indeed. 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.**