A few weeks ago Betsy arranged a dinner for last night with friends we hadn't seen in a while, not realizing it was Super Bowl Sunday. We put football aside and had a good meal (and then I watched 2nd half). In honor of the game she made roasted tomatillo guacamole, and main course was coq au vin blanc, served with egg noodles and kale; dessert was some kind of cookie with Bourbon banana thing (I don't eat dessert).

Cooking wine was the 2007 St. Francis Chardonnay. Pears, toast, butter, very fat. Not my style. C+

a few wines with dinner:

2009 Paul Pernot Bourgogne Blanc
This along with Matrot are my perennial Bourgogne buys, but I found the Matrot '09 slightly disappointing. But not Pernot- this is textbook stuff, a basic Bourgogne that could easily pass for Puligny. Fresh acidic backbone, clean crisp Bosc pear fruit with a little note of butterscotch, delicious. B+

2007 Brunel "Sabrine" Cotes du*Rhone Villages*
Powerful, ripe red fruit, low acidity, could pass for a ripe vintage CdP, not much in the way of oak notes, popular at table, a little too Grenache-y for me. B-

1999 Monthelie-Douhairet "Les Chanlins" Pommard 1er Cru
I was worried this might be shut down, but while a bit tight at uncorking it opens nicely, and continues to flesh out throughout night. There's a meaty note that seems Pommardic, but overall this seems more delicate/elegant than powerful, more Volnay than Pommard. That said, it's a lovely midweight, with red and black cherry fruit, earth, smoke, a little espresso note. Fresh acidity, just a hint of tannin, good length. A pleasant surprise. B+/A-

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.

On Feb 7, 12:12*pm, DaleW > wrote:
> A few weeks ago Betsy arranged a dinner for last night with friends we hadn't seen in a while, not realizing it was Super Bowl Sunday. We put football aside and had a good meal (and then I watched 2nd half). In honor of the game she made roasted tomatillo guacamole, and main course was coq au vin blanc, served with egg noodles and kale; dessert was some kind of cookie with Bourbon banana thing (I don't eat dessert).
>
> Cooking wine was the 2007 St. Francis Chardonnay. Pears, toast, butter, very fat. Not my style. C+
>
> a few wines with dinner:
>
> 2009 Paul Pernot Bourgogne Blanc
> This along with Matrot are my perennial Bourgogne buys, but I found the Matrot '09 slightly disappointing. But not Pernot- this is textbook stuff, a basic Bourgogne that could easily pass for Puligny. Fresh acidic backbone, clean crisp Bosc pear fruit with a little note of butterscotch, delicious. B+
>
> 2007 Brunel "Sabrine" Cotes du*Rhone Villages*
> Powerful, ripe red fruit, low acidity, could pass for a ripe vintage CdP, not much in the way of oak notes, popular at table, a little too Grenache-y for me. B-
>
> 1999 Monthelie-Douhairet "Les Chanlins" *Pommard 1er Cru
> I was worried this might be shut down, but while a bit tight at uncorking it opens nicely, and continues to flesh out throughout night. There's a meaty note that seems Pommardic, but overall this seems more delicate/elegant than powerful, more Volnay than Pommard. That said, it's a lovely midweight, with red and black cherry fruit, earth, smoke, a little espresso note. Fresh acidity, just a hint of tannin, good length. A pleasant surprise. B+/A-
>
> 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.

Our Super Bowl party was Barbecue Brisket from Rudy's of Albuquerque
and 3 different Orin Swift wines, 2007 Prisoner, Abstract, and
Machete. Seemed to go great with barbecue and each one was huge and
juicy. B+ on Abstract, B on Machete, A- on Prisoner.

On Feb 8, 12:50*am, lleichtman > wrote:
> On Feb 7, 12:12*pm, DaleW > wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > A few weeks ago Betsy arranged a dinner for last night with friends we hadn't seen in a while, not realizing it was Super Bowl Sunday. We put football aside and had a good meal (and then I watched 2nd half). In honor of the game she made roasted tomatillo guacamole, and main course was coq au vin blanc, served with egg noodles and kale; dessert was some kind of cookie with Bourbon banana thing (I don't eat dessert).
>
> > Cooking wine was the 2007 St. Francis Chardonnay. Pears, toast, butter, very fat. Not my style. C+
>
> > a few wines with dinner:
>
> > 2009 Paul Pernot Bourgogne Blanc
> > This along with Matrot are my perennial Bourgogne buys, but I found the Matrot '09 slightly disappointing. But not Pernot- this is textbook stuff, a basic Bourgogne that could easily pass for Puligny. Fresh acidic backbone, clean crisp Bosc pear fruit with a little note of butterscotch, delicious. B+
>
> > 2007 Brunel "Sabrine" Cotes du*Rhone Villages*
> > Powerful, ripe red fruit, low acidity, could pass for a ripe vintage CdP, not much in the way of oak notes, popular at table, a little too Grenache-y for me. B-
>
> > 1999 Monthelie-Douhairet "Les Chanlins" *Pommard 1er Cru
> > I was worried this might be shut down, but while a bit tight at uncorking it opens nicely, and continues to flesh out throughout night. There's a meaty note that seems Pommardic, but overall this seems more delicate/elegant than powerful, more Volnay than Pommard. That said, it's a lovely midweight, with red and black cherry fruit, earth, smoke, a little espresso note. Fresh acidity, just a hint of tannin, good length. A pleasant surprise. B+/A-
>
> > 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.
>
> Our Super Bowl party was Barbecue Brisket from Rudy's of Albuquerque
> and 3 different Orin Swift wines, 2007 Prisoner, Abstract, and
> Machete. Seemed to go great with barbecue and each one was huge and
> juicy. B+ on Abstract, B on Machete, A- on Prisoner.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Good QPR in the Abstract..a little weird and not at all like anything
I've ever had from the Rhone (as it's marketed) but not a bad bottle
for the price. The 2009 Prisoner is by far my favorite. It's toned
down about a half step making it a bit more food friendly. BTW, did
you mean 2009 on the Abstract and Machete. I think 2009 is the first
vintage of these wines.

On Feb 8, 8:54*am, "Bi!!" > wrote:
> On Feb 8, 12:50*am, lleichtman > wrote:
>
>
>
> > On Feb 7, 12:12*pm, DaleW > wrote:
>
> > > A few weeks ago Betsy arranged a dinner for last night with friends we hadn't seen in a while, not realizing it was Super Bowl Sunday. We put football aside and had a good meal (and then I watched 2nd half). In honor of the game she made roasted tomatillo guacamole, and main course was coq au vin blanc, served with egg noodles and kale; dessert was some kind of cookie with Bourbon banana thing (I don't eat dessert).
>
> > > Cooking wine was the 2007 St. Francis Chardonnay. Pears, toast, butter, very fat. Not my style. C+
>
> > > a few wines with dinner:
>
> > > 2009 Paul Pernot Bourgogne Blanc
> > > This along with Matrot are my perennial Bourgogne buys, but I found the Matrot '09 slightly disappointing. But not Pernot- this is textbook stuff, a basic Bourgogne that could easily pass for Puligny. Fresh acidic backbone, clean crisp Bosc pear fruit with a little note of butterscotch, delicious. B+
>
> > > 2007 Brunel "Sabrine" Cotes du*Rhone Villages*
> > > Powerful, ripe red fruit, low acidity, could pass for a ripe vintage CdP, not much in the way of oak notes, popular at table, a little too Grenache-y for me. B-
>
> > > 1999 Monthelie-Douhairet "Les Chanlins" *Pommard 1er Cru
> > > I was worried this might be shut down, but while a bit tight at uncorking it opens nicely, and continues to flesh out throughout night. There's a meaty note that seems Pommardic, but overall this seems more delicate/elegant than powerful, more Volnay than Pommard. That said, it's a lovely midweight, with red and black cherry fruit, earth, smoke, a little espresso note. Fresh acidity, just a hint of tannin, good length. A pleasant surprise. B+/A-
>
> > > 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.
>
> > Our Super Bowl party was Barbecue Brisket from Rudy's of Albuquerque
> > and 3 different Orin Swift wines, 2007 Prisoner, Abstract, and
> > Machete. Seemed to go great with barbecue and each one was huge and
> > juicy. B+ on Abstract, B on Machete, A- on Prisoner.- Hide quoted text -
>
> > - Show quoted text -
>
> Good QPR in the Abstract..a little weird and not at all like anything
> I've ever had from the Rhone (as it's marketed) but not a bad bottle
> for the price. *The 2009 Prisoner is by far my favorite. *It's toned
> down about a half step making it a bit more food friendly. *BTW, did
> you mean 2009 on the Abstract and Machete. *I think 2009 is the first
> vintage of these wines.

Sorry, looking at the bottles, they are 2009 on the Abstract and
Machete.