With scallops in little casseroles with a chanterelle cream sauce, the 2010 Karine Lauverjat Sancerre. Crisp, with apple, citrus and a little pepper, good length, nice wine. B+/B

Saturday night was our friends Hilary and Alex’s combination 25th anniversary and 97th birthday (their birthdays are a couple days apart, I think 46 and 51). About 60-70 people in their house, three bands (2 teen, 1 adult) played - not simultaneously. Food was Mexican- assorted tortillas with beef, carnitas, chicken as well as numerous toppings, plus vegetarian and meat burritos, etc. Lots of beer and margaritas, but wine kept popping up too. I didn’t take notes at time, this was from memory next AM

Reds
2009 Clos du Bois de Menge Gigondas
Jammier red fruit, fairly big, tannic, others liked more than I did. B-/C+

2000 Sant’Elena Merlot
Murky, pruney, overripe flavors, tired. C

2005 Moueix “Encore” (Bordeaux AC)
Dependable, straightforward Merlot, good value. B-

2009 Benton Lane PN
Fresh red fruits, hint of vanilla, pleasant and easy going Pinot. B

2007 Besson Dupree Vacqueyras
Others loved,l thought pushing limits of ripeness/jamminess for me, turn it downa notch. B-/C+

2008 Pasquale Pelissero Dolcetto d'Alba
Medium bodied, good fruit, round, not too compelling.B-

1987 Ch. St. Jean Cabernet Sauvignon (Alexander)
Good fruit, fresher than I remember, black fruits with cedar and menthol. Not incredibly complex, but lovely mature CS. B+

1987 Kenwood “Jack London” Cabernet Sauvignon (Sonoma)
Full, leathery, a little pruney note to the fruit, but not bad (some found more complex than the CSJean). B/B-

There was also a bottle of Bulls Blood that was rustic but drinkable.
Whites

2009 White Rock Chardonnay
Not too oaky, ok acids, but really no there there. Boring. C+

2011 Soellner Gruner Veltliner
Peas, white pepper, peaches. Round, pretty decent. B/B-

There was a still Xarello I think was from Gelida that was actually pretty good.

Bubbles

Mumm “Cordon Rouge” Brut Champagne
Sweet edge to this -high dosage? Dull, yeasty, a bit short. I’m not a fan, but some liked. Possibly a storage issue. B-/C+

Mumm Napa- I actually liked this more than the Champagne, but that might have been expectations. Crisp, light, a little nutty. B-

There was a forgettable Prosecco that I’ve forgotten, and a Gelida Cava that I thought pretty good.

I recently ordered a bunch of mushrooms and corn smut from Oregon, so for meatless Sunday Betsy made a fantastic black trumpet and matsutake risotto. Wine was the 2007 Gabriel Billard “Epenotes” Beaune 1er. Not bad at all, but the risotto deserved a great wine.The Beaune showed red fruit, a little spice, moderate acids- quite pleasant PN though it didn’t shout Beaune to me. A gift from folks who I had loaned my generator to post-Sandy. B

Monday we were invited to a party to celebrate some visiting friends who moved to NC last year (and to toast Betsy’s birthday Tuesday). I was in charge of appetizers - made lobster salad (tarragon, mustard, ponzu, grapefruit zest and lemon dressing) that I put in endive leaves, plus some soppresata for the no-seafood contingent. Main course was a chicken shepherd’s pie- wait, maybe that’s a poultryman’s pie- anyway a chicken pot pie with potato topping. Plus asparagus, salad, and wine:

NV Cima de Conegliano Prosecco
pretty good stuff actually, touch of sweetness, light to medium, pears and apple, some yeast. B

2010 St Supery Sauvignon Blanc
I thought I had done my last mowing of the year on Sat, but lots of grass here. Grapefruit, too. This is like overcropped NZ SB. Others like much more.. C+

2010 J. Lohr Cabernet Sauvignon
Not bad in a kind of anonymous red wine style. B-

2000 Edmunds St. John “The Shadow” Syrah
Dark berries, smoke, a little coffee, this is really in a nice place- tannins resolved, enough acids to make it bright and lively, develops some earth and mushroom aromas with time. B+/A-

Tuesday flounder in panko, leftover risotto, and broccoli. 2009 Pepiere “Ch. Thebaud” Muscadet. Full, long, and lovely, sure this will age well, but really nice to drink young! A-

Wednesday I had a couple of speeches, had a late dinner of assorted solo while Betsy played in Brooklyn. The 2010 Guimaro (Ribera Sacra) was a fun wine- bright and lively, a real peppery note over raspberry fruit, very good lighter styled red. 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.