Kind of a busy day scheduled for Sunday, so I took Betsy (and David)
out for an early Mother's Day present. A new place in Hastings-
acclaimed food, reasonably priced, and best of all BYO. Actually lived
up to and exceeded my expectations- a new favorite. I started with an
excellent charcuterie plate- rabbit rillettes, pate campagne, and a
mystery -I guess it was a galantine? Betsy and David both started with
the asparagus salad topped with a deepfried soft egg (how do they do
that?) and Serrano ham. For main courses Dave had duck breast with
beets, Betsy hanger steak with bacon and potato, and I had fantastic
fluke with celeriac puree and leeks.

Not knowing what we were to order, I carried an 1988 Bordeaux (in
honor of Dave's birth) and a food friendly off-dry Riesling (Betsy had
with her appetizer, I had with my fish).

1988 Ch. Carbonnieux (Pessac-Leognan)
Double-decanted for sediment before going to restaurant. Soft, plummy,
mature. Red and black plums, low acids, resolved tannins. Some tobacco
and a little earth. Pleasant workmanlike claret. I might have guessed
Graves blind, but I would have not gotten 1988 in lots of tries- maybe
1997! Perfectly acceptable, went well with food (might could have used
a bit more body for her steak),. but most importantly served its
symbolic purpose. B

2007 Selbach-Oster "Zeltinger Sonnenuhr" Riesling Kabinett
Light to medium body, good acids but with round/creamy mouthfeel,
apples and some mineral. Good length, nice. 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.**