Friday was a doozy of a day (suppressed the urge to kill a minister) ,
when I got home Betsy was taking a nap. I didn't feel like waiting to
discover dinner plan, opened the 2006 Edmunds St. John "Bone Jolly"
Gamay Noir Rosé (Witters Vineyard, El Dorado County). Dark for a rose,
but oh so vibrant. Very pure and clean concentrated strawberry
flavors, a hint of earth and flint, good length. Delicious! B+/A-

When Sleeping Beauty emerged, she told of her plan for a seafood
salad. I grilled the squid while she prepared shrimp, scallops, and
mussels, and I opted to open a white, the 2005 Luneau-Papin "Clos des
Allees" Muscadet. Rounder and more fruit forward than some Muscadets,
yet with a clear saline/limestone mineral finish. Lemony fruit is
perfect for the seafood salad, lovely $12 wine that I'll find more of.
B+

Saturday I sampled both again (stood up well), but with our grilled
wild salmon (plus a red cabbage slaw, beans, and barley) I wanted
Pinot Noir. I opened a 375 ml of the 1999 de Courcel "Fremiers"
Pommard 1er Cru. Hmmm, a little seepage under capsule, and cork
stained all the way up. Much more mature than a bottle a year or two
ago. Warm round black cherry fruit, a meaty note, some flowers.
Tannins in background. Nice enough mature Burgundy, but I'd bet (even
in 375) a bottle with a better seal would have been a bit more fresh,
if less ready. 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