I recently opined that the basic Pepiere would age fine, but I just
drank them up too fast. So when I saw 2004 Pepiere Muscadet offered,
grabbed the bottle. Opened with some flounder francaise , it wasn't
bad, but there was an oxidative edge to it- I hadn't counted on the
plastic cork. Still, not bad. A bit broader/creamier than I remember
when it was young, lemons, minerals, just that hint of oxidation keeps
it from being lovely. Day 2 totally oxidized. Day one B-

Sunday I had a speech in the AM and a 15 minutes task in afternoon
(but was foiled by an unreliable volunteer, leading me to spend 3
hours on the task), barely managed to get dinner on table by time
Betsy returned from Boston. With mujadarrah (lentils, rice, carmelized
onions) along with kale/chard casseroles topped with a duck egg

2009 Pico Maccario "Berro" Barbera d'Asti
Light to medium bodied, fruity, lower acids than I expect from Barbera
but at $5 not complaining. B-

2002 Donnhoff "Niederhauser Hermannshohle" Riesling Spatlese
A generous gift from Betsy's bowmaker. Man,the 2002s are drinking
well, and this is pretty much my ideal of Nahe Spatlese. Powerful but
lightfooted, crackling acidity but deep ripe fruit, complex and long.
One could argue that this is young, and I think be right, but hard to
imagine it giving more pleasure than now. A/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.