No Runs Tuesday or Wednesday (driving to city and board meeting), Thursday I made a pork/cauliflower casserole, and opened the 2009 Knoll Ried Kellerberg Durnsteiner Riesling Smaragd. Ripe exotic fruit (guava, mango) with splendid acids, powerful but not overbearing. Theres a gingery note to finish. Very tasty. A-


Friday was assorted leftovers, and I opened a bottle of the 2008 St Cosme €œLes Deux Albion€� Cotes du Rhone that was accidentally cellared. Fruit is holding on, but I kind of wish it wasnt - jammy dark fruits, sweet edged, thick tasting. C+


I really couldnt face drinking the CdR (though I revisited a couple of times), and for my dinner opened the 2015 Abbattuci €œFaustine€� rose. Not a fruit driven rose, though theres plenty of strawberries there, but mingled with herbs, wet rocks, and pine needle. B+


Saturday was local flounder with a caper sauce, lentil salad, leeks, and arugula. Wine was the
2014 Fichet Bourgogne Aligote. Typical Aligote acids, lemon and orange, tangy without being sharp. Good value. B/B+


A couple of friends came over Sunday. I had canapes of smoked salmon on pumpernickel with a horseradish spread, and opened the NV Le Mesnil €œRare Wine Company Cuvee€� Blanc de Blanc Champagne. This is a co-op wine that RWC contracts for, and they recently had on sale ($26) with free shipping. Really a fine deal. Pure Chardonnay fruit (green apple and pear), warm bread, nice chalky note on finish. Youre not going to mistake this for Comtes, but as good of a under$30 BdB as Ive had in many years. B+


There was also the 2013 Ehmoser €œHohenberg€� Gruner Veltliner, Peach, pear, and a little white pepper. Good typicity, if not especially exciting. B/B-


I had made mushrooms and pak choi, had some tuna steaks for the grill, and Marc brought a lovely 2 lb ribeye from our new whole animal butcher. Grilled the surf and the turf, and we had a couple of reds


1986 Sociando-Mallet
Took a little while in the decanter to sort itself out, but quite nice once it does. Still a bit of tannin, but not intrusive, solid cassis fruit with cedar, green herbs, and a little anise. Good length, pretty classic Sociando. B+


2007 Bart €œEchezots€� Marsannay
A pointe, sweet black cherry fruit, double smoked bacon, earth. Nice balance, good finish. Seems like "07s are mostly drinking nicely now. B+


Fun night. No wine Monday with white beans, sauteed arugula, and leftovers.


Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C drinkable. 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.


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