Had over 2 couples for dinner last night, good times ensued. We started with proscuitto and melon (Galia and Charentais) as well as some duck foie gras w/trufffles canapes.
Bubbly was the 2002 Foreau Vouvray Brut. Apple, mineral, and brioche, fine mousse, good acids, very nice indeed. B+/A-

Betsy made a pot roast/brasato to serve over egg noodles, with glazed carrots and an arugula/red cabbage salad. Several reds made their way around table

2008 Ch. Peybonhomme Les Tours (1er Cotes du Blaye)
this was mostly a cooking wine, but we enjoyed the end of bottle. Currant, green tobacco leaf, moderate acids, light tannins. B/B-

2011 Franck Balthazar Cotes du Rhone
Fresh, peppery, with undertones of bacon and black olives beside black fruits. Very lively, nice length, get more. A-

1999 Ch. de Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape
Drinking well, black tarry fruit, smoke and spice, tannins in background, good. B+

2005 La Vieille Cure (Fronsac)
This is tannic and surprisingly stern for a modern styled Bdx, maybe shut down, more wood than anything else. Not a lot of pleasure here, though others liked more. B-/C+

Strawberries and cream for dessert, along with a half bottle of 2002 Huet “Le Mont” Vouvray Moelleux 1er Trie . Not as sweet as I expected, but delicious and beautifully balanced with orange marmalade, pineapple,and apricot flavors, a little wax, very long. 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.