On Dec 20, 5:40*pm, DaleW > wrote:
> 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.**

Qupe half bottle was the 2007