The forecast was for rain Thursday, followed by snow overnight. But
the rain was actually snow from the beginning, a heavy wet snow, and
roads were as bad as I've ever seen. I told Betsy to stay in Boston.
After a day of shoveling and work, I headed home about 4:00 Thursday.
It was coming down hard and heavy. Trees came down on nearby streets.
More shoveling, putting out warning flares for downed trees, etc. I
took a break for dinner as Dave came home. Empty fridge except some
leftover blackeyed peas, I raided the freezer to make an Emeril
Lagasse recipe of hot dog and pea soup (I had hot dogs, I had peas, I
had Food Network). Better than it sounds. Betsy was away, I opened up
a red for Dave and a rose for me:

2008 Clos Roche Blanche Pineau d'Aunis (Touraine)
Very pale rose, but light color doesn't mean light flavor. Bright
raspberry and strawberry fruit, an appealing pine resin meets oregano
herbiness. Clean and refreshing acidity, nice length. B+

2005 Chateau St. Jean Pinot Noir (Sonoma)
Red plum fruit, soft acidity, a slight green notes. With air the green
dissipates, fruit shows to fore, but comes across as low-end Merlot
rather than PN to me. A bit short. C+/B-

After dinner I went back out to shovel. About 9:30 the fireworks
started- transformer blew in front of our house, followed by flashes
at nearby insulators. Who hoo, goodbye power (and heat) for our
street. Cold night. Big digout Fri AM, work broken by more shoveling.
Friday night Dave had dinner with friends, I had Lucy and an extra dog
for company (friends making an emergency overnight trip). Leftover CRB
was even better, leftover PN was worse.

Saturday Betsy made it home to the cold house, we were invited to
the extra dog's heated/powered home for dinner. Shortly before we were
to leave, my heroes arrived- a crew from Cleveland doing emergency
repairs. Our power revived, I gave the guys 4 bottles of wine for
when they got offduty, and we headed to dinner. Little goat cheese/
sundried tomato tartlets, chicken cacciatore, polenta, salad.

1999 Sesti Brunello di Montacino
I had brought up a few hours earlier, but my cellar (usually around 50
in winter) was down to 44, and bringing it to a 50 degree upstairs
didn't help much. When we got to Ron's decanted, it was probably still
a little cool. But lovely, one of the few recent BdMs I might consider
worth it's pricetag ($40). Not a modern style, clean and full black
cherry fruit, earth, a bit of saddle leather. Some tannins remain, but
resolved enough to not bother me. Good acidity, excellent length,
decanter empty too soon. B+/A-

2005 Sebastiani Cabernet Sauvignon (Sonoma)
Straightforward and typical, black plum and berry fruit, a little hint
of vanilla, just a bit of tannin, ok acidity. Perfectly acceptable. B/
B-

Electricity is your friend!

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.**