with chicken meatballs in a fresh tomato sauce, the 2005 Viticcio Chianti Classico. Easy plum fruit, dried cherries, a little earth and leather, unexciting but nice enough basic Chianti Classico. B-

With an odd dinner combo (my chinese sausage/cabbage stir fry and a friend's sag paneer), the 2010 Selbach Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Kabinett. Plenty of sweetness but with electric acidity making it feel precise, long and lovely. B+/A-

I took some oysters to friends' home Friday night, I shucked and they proffered the 2006 Simi Chardonnay (Russian River Valley). OK, it's RRV Chardonnay, about what I'd expect- oak and butter, creamy, big. B-/C+

Dinner was posole (pork and hominy stew). A couple of reds:

2010 Brun/Terres Dorees "L'Ancien" Beaujolais VV
Raspberry and red cherry, earth, spice, very good rendition of this perennial favorite. B+

2007 Ottimino "Little 8" Zinfandel
Kirsch and vanilla, midbodied, the posole makes this come across a little hot, though on it's own I don't get that (didn't notes ABV) B-

2009 Felton Road Riesling (Central Otago)
I somehow had impression this was just offdry, but it's quite sweet, and a bit lacking in acidic balance. Fleshy tropical fruit, floral, good length but a touch too blowsy (especially with our dinner of catfish). 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.