Friday with veal chops with sage, artichokes, and salad, the 2010 Knoll Loibner Gruner Veltliner Federspiel. Dry, peach and tropical fruit, a touch of peas. Nice balanced wine that stands up to the veal and manages not to clash too much with artichokes. B/B+

Then I headed to Fred's for my local non-serous group's Gamay tasting. Fred had a nice spread out- salmon tartare, pate, cheeses, olives, cured meats, plus some sausages on the grill. He greeted us with the 2013 Vissoux "Griottes" Beaujolais rose. Light, pleasant, refreshing and fun. B/B+

On to blind Gamay
#1 a bit reductive at first, some black cherry, enough geranium to send me to Loire Gamay, but I guess CRB. 2012 Henry Marionnet Touraine B

#2 slightly candied, a bit thin, I'm not a fan. I guess DuBoeuf but a new producer to me, the
2012 Jean Claude DeBeaune Special Selection Beaujolais. C+

#3 no guesses as it's mine. A more Pinot profile, black cherry and a little ashtray, not dead but a little tired. 1993 Calot Morgon Vielles Vignes B-

#4 - hey, this is pink. And hey, it's familar. Rose Gamay makes me get producer on first guess, but it's not that there are that many options. Lovely, full, sweet, strawberry loveliness.
2013 Edmunds St John Bone Jolly Rose. B++

#5 - medium bodied, black cherry and lots of herbs, good length. I have never heard of this producer but this wasn't bad at all! 2011 Gaget Cote du Py Morgon B

I had brought a backup, but it wasn't blind. The 2011 Foillard Cote du Py Morgon showed well right off the bat- full, red fruits, earth, smoke. Good length, nice balance. B+/A-

Fred added a white, the 2005 Joly "Clos de la Bergerie" Savennieres. I liked this more than a previous taste- wooly, melon and tropical fruit, dry and long. B+

Fun night on the deck.


Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C drinkable. 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 Monday, June 30, 2014 8:51:59 AM UTC-6, DaleW wrote:
> Friday with veal chops with sage, artichokes, and salad, the 2010 Knoll Loibner Gruner Veltliner Federspiel. Dry, peach and tropical fruit, a touch of peas. Nice balanced wine that stands up to the veal and manages not to clash too much with artichokes. B/B+
>
>
>
> Then I headed to Fred's for my local non-serous group's Gamay tasting. Fred had a nice spread out- salmon tartare, pate, cheeses, olives, cured meats, plus some sausages on the grill. He greeted us with the 2013 Vissoux "Griottes" Beaujolais rose. Light, pleasant, refreshing and fun. B/B+
>
>
>
> On to blind Gamay
>
> #1 a bit reductive at first, some black cherry, enough geranium to send me to Loire Gamay, but I guess CRB. 2012 Henry Marionnet Touraine B
>
>
>
> #2 slightly candied, a bit thin, I'm not a fan. I guess DuBoeuf but a new producer to me, the
>
> 2012 Jean Claude DeBeaune Special Selection Beaujolais. C+
>
>
>
> #3 no guesses as it's mine. A more Pinot profile, black cherry and a little ashtray, not dead but a little tired. 1993 Calot Morgon Vielles Vignes B-
>
>
>
> #4 - hey, this is pink. And hey, it's familar. Rose Gamay makes me get producer on first guess, but it's not that there are that many options. Lovely, full, sweet, strawberry loveliness.
>
> 2013 Edmunds St John Bone Jolly Rose. B++
>
>
>
> #5 - medium bodied, black cherry and lots of herbs, good length. I have never heard of this producer but this wasn't bad at all! 2011 Gaget Cote du Py Morgon B
>
>
>
> I had brought a backup, but it wasn't blind. The 2011 Foillard Cote du Py Morgon showed well right off the bat- full, red fruits, earth, smoke. Good length, nice balance. B+/A-
>
>
>
> Fred added a white, the 2005 Joly "Clos de la Bergerie" Savennieres. I liked this more than a previous taste- wooly, melon and tropical fruit, dry and long. B+
>
>
>
> Fun night on the deck.
>
>
>
>
>
> Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C drinkable. 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.

So what is the difference between a B++ and an A-

On Monday, June 30, 2014 1:29:44 PM UTC-4, lleichtman wrote:
>
> So what is the difference between a B++ and an A-

My own prejudices of what I consider great.
Typically I say B++ when I find a wine outstandingly fun, but don't take it too seriously. The ESJ rose is really fun.
As noted, I don't claim consistency, internal or external.

On 6/30/14, 3:51 PM, DaleW wrote:
> Friday with veal chops with sage, artichokes, and salad, the 2010
> Knoll Loibner Gruner Veltliner Federspiel. Dry, peach and tropical
> fruit, a touch of peas. Nice balanced wine that stands up to the veal
> and manages not to clash too much with artichokes. B/B+

Tropical fruit is not something that I expect out of a Knoll Federspiel
GV. was 2010 a particularly hot year in Austria? I confess to not
having paid much attention these last few years as pricing has great
reduced my Austrian purchases.

>
> Then I headed to Fred's for my local non-serous group's Gamay
> tasting. Fred had a nice spread out- salmon tartare, pate, cheeses,
> olives, cured meats, plus some sausages on the grill. He greeted us
> with the 2013 Vissoux "Griottes" Beaujolais rose. Light, pleasant,
> refreshing and fun. B/B+

Hmmm... Don't think that I've ever seen that particular Vissoux
bottling. More an more, I'm finding that I most prefer their Cuvee
Traditionelle Beaujolais, even in preference to their Fleuries.

>
> #4 - hey, this is pink. And hey, it's familar. Rose Gamay makes me
> get producer on first guess, but it's not that there are that many
> options. Lovely, full, sweet, strawberry loveliness. 2013 Edmunds St
> John Bone Jolly Rose. B++

We love this wine. Pure loveliness.

>
> #5 - medium bodied, black cherry and lots of herbs, good length. I
> have never heard of this producer but this wasn't bad at all! 2011
> Gaget Cote du Py Morgon B

I have really liked all the '11s that I've had so far, FWIW.

> I had brought a backup, but it wasn't blind. The 2011 Foillard Cote
> du Py Morgon showed well right off the bat- full, red fruits, earth,
> smoke. Good length, nice balance. B+/A-

And we love this wine, too. I have one more bottle, and I'm trying to
keep my mitts off it for a while, but it may get consumed soon anyway.

Mark Lipton