Friday I had a speech at a high school event in White Plains, came home late but they waited dinner for me. Main course was a stracotto (chuck braised in red wine), with egg noodles, cauliflower, and salad.

2009 F. Carillon Bourgogne Blanc
I've been a big Carillon fan but this has been a slight disappointment. Clean straighforward Chardonnay, a bit lemony, not bad but I'd just as soon save a few bucks and drink Brun Beaujolais Blanc or Drouhin St Veran, which I prefer. B-

2009 Frascole "Bitornino" Chianti
the cooking wine. Soft, red dried cherries, pleasant and soft, but at half the price of the Bourgogne I'm more pleased. B-

2008 Montevertine "Pian del Ciampolo"
Lovely Chianti is disguise. Black cherries, leather, a bit of dirt. Good acids, solid and long. B+

Saturday I did sea scallops with a lemon/chive sauce, while Betsy made fried rice and broccoli. Wine was the 2007 Moreau "Les Clos" Chablis GC. I've posted several notes on this, always like, this time is no exception. Full but with a sense of precision, citrus fruit with a little apple and some flint meets chalk mineral notes. Excellent length.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 Apr 1, 2:06*pm, DaleW > wrote:
> Friday I had a speech at a high school event in White Plains, came home late but they waited dinner for me. Main course was a stracotto (chuck braised in red wine), with egg noodles, cauliflower, and salad.
>
> 2009 F. Carillon Bourgogne Blanc
> I've been a big Carillon fan but this has been a slight disappointment. Clean straighforward Chardonnay, a bit lemony, not bad but I'd just as soon save a few bucks and drink Brun Beaujolais Blanc or Drouhin St Veran, which I prefer. B-
>
> 2009 Frascole "Bitornino" Chianti
> the cooking wine. Soft, red dried cherries, pleasant and soft, but at half the price of the Bourgogne I'm more pleased. B-
>
> 2008 Montevertine "Pian del Ciampolo"
> Lovely Chianti is disguise. Black cherries, leather, a bit of dirt. Good acids, solid and long. B+
>
> Saturday I did sea scallops with a lemon/chive sauce, while Betsy made fried rice and broccoli. Wine was the 2007 Moreau "Les Clos" Chablis GC. I've posted several notes on this, always like, this time is no exception. Full but with a sense of precision, citrus fruit with a little apple and some flint meets chalk mineral notes. Excellent length.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.

Just came back from a trip to Tuscany and was amazed that even very
ordinary house wines were better than most of what gets imported. Not
sure why that is the case but here I have not liked Chiantis at all
and there, much fresher, and very food friendly. I'm sure it helped
that I was in Tuscany but objectively the wines were better. Mostly B
to B+ wines. Had a few 2004 Brunellos there that were A- to A and were
on wine lists of small trattorias.