Today was the last day of the fall season at NYCO, I tried to come up
with something nice for dinner with an exhausted Betsy. I roasted a leg
of lamb (garlic/anchovy/rosemary rub) with potatoes, cremini, carrots,
etc. Originally I was eying a "splurge" wine to celebrate the fact I'll
see her more for next few months, but then realized I needed a cup of
red wine to make the sauce- rather than open 2 bottles I downgraded a
bit, to the 1998 Ch. Gloria (St. Julien). A nice soft round Medoc,
showing better as the tannins have integrated (never a really tannic
wine, but I thought the tannins seemed to have a bit of a hard/unripe
sense earlier). Black and red currant with a bit of cigarbox, nothing
to get excited about, but a decent showing for '98 Left Bank. B

But the weekend's winner (over 3 nights) was the 2005 Paul Pernot
Bourgogne Blanc. Sweet Bosc and Bartlett pear fruit, just a little hint
of toasted oak, nice texture. Fruit is ripe but acidity is lively.
There's a stony minerality that really grabs one's attention. Nice
finish for the level. Better than a lot of village Pulignys for my
tastes. A solid B+, but straight A for value.

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.