We had vegetarian tacos for meatless Monday, and the 2007 Donnhoff
Riesling QbA was it's usual friendly self. B/B+

Cathleen hosted SOBER last night. All wines were blind. As we
gathered, we enjoyed proscuitto, great salami, and 2 Champagnes

Bubbly #1
Lithe, elegant, pear and lemon with a little yeast/doughy note. Nice
mousse, excellent length, when revealed I was surprised at age (I've
had before but this was best bottle I've had). A-/B+
1985 Charles Heidsieck "Champagne Charlie"

Bubbly #2
Green apple, ginger, more acidity, thin in comparison, but a nice
wine. Cathleen said it was NV grower and I guessed Clouet, though this
was a different label (silver rather than dark blue and gold) that I
had seen before. B+/B
NV Andre Clouet Brut.

White flight, with a delicious soup (white and green asparagus with I
believe speck). This took a lot of guesses

White #1
Melon and white fruits, with an odd occasional whiff of lemon pledge.
Broadbeamed on palate, holding on fine, floral. If not for the hint of
cleaning supplies I would have liked more. B/B-
1997 Rudi Pichler Weissburgunder Smaragd

White #2
Big, structured, ripe with good acidity. I thought this was white
Burgundy at first. White fruits (especially pear), citrus, nice long
minerally finish. Once revealed as GV it seemed typical, but I did not
spot at all originally. B+
2002 FX Pichler Terrasen Gruner Veltliner Smaragd

First red flight, with some delicious meatballs. Craig deserves credit
for almost immediately saying "I think this is the same wine, with the
first 15 years younger." I think everyone was in Northern Rhone,
though someone suspected one (the second?) could be Southern.

Wine #1
Lots of grilled meat, burly but with definition and elegance, young.
Very good. B+, with upside potential. 1999 Chave Hermitage

Wine # 2
Beautiful, perfumed, complete. A bit of bacon, a hint of barnyard,
fully mature but not tired. Really nice. Mark guesses Chave, then1983
or 1982 - he's 2 for 2
A- 1983 Chave Hermitage


Second Red Flight, with a great dish of rabbit ragu over cheese
ravioli

Wine # 1
Sweet, ripe, fresh acids, sandalwood, red fruits. Dan gets Rioja
quickly.
A-/B+
1981 Lopez de Heredia, Bosconia, Rioja Gran Reserva


Wine #2
This is unfortunately madeirized. 1982 Giuseppe Mascarello Monprivato
Barolo

Wine #3
Medium fruit, mature but with tannins, red fruit, flowers, eucalyptus/
menthol. I'm thinking old Cali but she say old World, as soon as we
are in Bordeaux Craig guesses 1975. I guess Margaux- nope. B+/B 1975
Cos d'Estournel (Saint Estephe)

Wine #4
I think this was to be in next flight, but she wanted to make sure we
had wine for the rabbit once Barolo was off. Earthy, ripe, rich, good
length and structure. Mark calls it as Gevrey, we start off younger
before getting vintage. A-, with potential
1993 Jadot "Clos St Jacques" Gevrey-Chambertin


Third Red Flight, with cheese plate (lovely French cheeses from
fromage.com- Camembert, Lingot, Pont L'eveque, Brie, an especially
good Comte, and a chevre).

Wine #1
Good fruit, some light tannins, nice if a bit anonymous, I had no idea
Rioja. I've had some 94s that were showing age, but this is fine. B.
1994 Roda 1 Rioja

Wine #2
Powerful, Cab fruit, cassis and a bit of vanilla and leather. Someone
guesses Bordeaux, then Mark guesses SuperTuscan, and Andy guesses
Sassacaia. A-/B+1989 Sassicaia (Bolgheri) from magnum

Lemon Tart
Dessert Wine:
One thought of Madeira, but we're quickly in Port. Craig says colhieta
with age, no but it is a tawny. Toffee, raisins, a little caramel,
Nice. B+
40 Year Old Taylor Tawny

Really fine night. Great selection of wines, great company, excellent
food. Thanks to Cathleen and Steve for hosting.

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.