Some friends and their pup joined us for dinner. They brought an appetizer of lobster tail with a soy dipping sauce; Betsy made a scallop/grapefruit crudo, char siu, brown rice, and asparagus

2012 von Winning Trocken Riesling
Tasty, I'd say just off dry to my tastes, lime and ginger, good length, fine value. B+

2010 Schiopetto Friulano
Maybe I made a mistake pairing this with the crudo, but it seemed flat and one dimensional. C+

2012 Bebame red
This isn't an ESJ wine but there is some connection. Spicy, peppery, bright berry fruit in a lighter styled package, quite fun! B+/B

Monday we reheated some of Salil's dal from Saturday, with spaghetti squash (with a caper/tomato dressing), roasted cauliflower, and arugula. Wine was


2012 Falkenstein "Niedermenninger Herrenberg" Kabinett Riesling Trocken. Pretty, maybe a hair lighter than the von Winning, slate and bright citrus. B+/B

Last night cod poached in a chipotle/kale/chickpea broth and roasted broccoli. I had originally planned on a wine poach, and my Chardonnay choice for that wasn't best match for the spiciness. But the 2009 Deux Montille Bourgogne was fine on its own - pear and apple fruit, a hint of minerality, good acids for a ripe year. 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.