Some friends invited several couples to join them for an anniversary dinner, with cioppino as main course. Nice group of mostly jazz musicians, good food, plenty of wine.

Bubbles (pink)
NV Riondo Pink
OK, inexpensive rose Prosecco is not a category I gravitate towards, but this really wasn’t so bad in a simple crowd pleasing style- sweet strawberries, crisp, light. B-

NV. Bernard. Bremont Grand Cru Rose Champagne
Quite the contrast- big, cherries and pie dough, mineral, complex. B+/A-

Whites
2009 David Bruce Chardonnay (Santa Lucia)
Oaky, lactic, fat. C+

2011 Joel Gott Chardonnay (Monterey)
Pear and peach, no apparent oak, round. B-

There was also a nice Pouilly Fuisse that I neglected to note producer.

1990 Lopez de Heredia “Tondonia” Rioja Reserva
Deep golden color, rich fig and peach fruit, saline/mineral finish. Some hazelnut notes, big but fresh. A-

Reds
1978 Ch. Leoville -Poyferre
Fully mature, cedar/cigarbox over smooth black fruit, tannins resolved, pleasant if not overly complex. B

2009 Turley Howell Mtn Zinfandel
Blackberry jam with pepper vodka. Hot and horrid. C-

2007 St Innocent “Villages” Pinot Noir
Cherries, baking spices, fresh, quite good. B+

Fun night with a fun crowd.

Monday Betsy made a lobster/corn risotto (lobsters were $3.99/lb, so she loaded it up with 3 bugs), cooking and dining wine was the 2009 Les Cretes Petite Arvine. Lemon and herbs, crisp, flinty mineral finish. B+/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.