Tuesday I got home to find that Betsy had just found out her beloved
aunt had died about an hour before. Expected, perhaps even
appreciated, but still hard. Betsy had made her peace before, and just
needed a hug. But then as I started making dinner she asked did we
have a wine to make a toast to Betty Lou. The 2005 Drouhin "Vero"
Bourgogne rouge was on the counter, and we toasted with it. Neither of
us was really thinking about the wine, but I paid a little attention
later. Ripe red cherries, a little spice, a little earth. Some light
tannins. I've seen some notes calling this thin, but doesn't seem so
to me. Pretty classic Burgundy. By end of night, it's shut down pretty
tight- tannins and acids, not much fruit. Revisited tonight back to
its open mode- cherries and raspberries, a little sandalwood. Nice
wine for level. B+

I had marinated some cod (regular, not sable) in a miso/mirin paste,
roasted beets, made a salad, and reheated some leftover leeks. For
dinner I chose the 2008 Piesporter Grafenberg Riesling Kabinett (MSR).
Limesicle, anyone? Great limey/citric fruit, minerals, lively acids,
moderate sweetness. Quite long. I want more of this . A-/B+

Today Betsy had a solo concert in White Plains (Indian music, Arvo
Part, the Bach/Gounod Ave Maria) but still managed to put together a
nice dinner. Pierre Franey's scallops in a cream/mushroom sauce, baked
rice with pine nuts, salad. I pondered a white Bordeaux (01 La
Louviere), but went with the easy match, a white Burgundy. The 2007
Paul Pernot Puligny-Montrachet was lovely and classic- nutty,
minerally,pear fruit with bright acidity. Nice mouthfeel, good
length.Maybe something a little fuller (a Corton-Charlemagne or maybe
Meursault) might have been a slightly better match, but this was a
good match and a very good wine. Sweet fruit, acidic spine to keep
lively, I'll look for more of this, too. 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.**