With grilled chicken, the 2011 Anne-Sophie Dubois "Clepsydre" Fleurie. Fairly full, black cherry and raspberry, some earth, nice but not compelling. But very good deal at $10 bin end. B

with a spicy kale/anchovy pasta, the 2013 Edmunds St John "Heart of Gold"
Ripe peach, lime, mineral. Vivid acids. Lovely B++

Friday we started with Bluepoint oysters, the oyster and cooking wine was the 2011 Ch. Cantelaudette "Cuvee Prestige" (Graves de Vayres AC). New appellation for Bordeaux Blanc for me. Grassy, light, striving to be inoffensive.. B-/C+

Dinner was squid, zucchini, and mussels over pasta, with the 2011 Donnhoff Dellchen GG. Rich, young, shocking acids for 2011, very long, infanticide but really delicious. A-

Then grabbed leftover Riesling and headed to Fred's for local group, where theme was Languedoc- Roussillon. Fred had a nice spread out (I shouldn't have eaten with Betsy)- sausages, tomatoes, salmon spread, cheeses, etc. I actually didn't take contemporaneous note, so these are brief impressions. Wines were served blind, but that really didn't matter, didn't have many preconceptions about any of these

2013 Cabirau " Serge & Nicolas " Maury Sec
Quite ripe, blackberries and plum, some herb, anise. Tastes like a fairly modern CdP. B-

2012 Arnaud de Villeneuve"No. 153 RD900" Cotes du Roussillon
A bit lower octane, red berry fruit, pleasant. B

2011 Mas de Daumas Gassac
Structured, young, more Bordeaux-ish that Rhoneish B+

2012 Bila Haut Occultum Lapidem
Ripe, approaching pruney, fleshy. B-/C+

2007 de Serame Minervois
Getting a little tired, but nice midbodied wine. B

2008 de Landure "Cuvee de L'Abbe Fregouse: Minervois
Midbodied, still a little tannin, tangy. B/B+

2013 Iche/d'Oupia Heretiques (Herault)
Fleshy, plummy, fresh. B/B+

My ride had been a bit late, had missed openers, but later tried a forgettable Lafage white and a surprisingly good Berceau Limoux

Following night we had a friend who was baching it and his dog over. I grilled some shishito peppers and opened a 375 of NV Laherte "Ultradtion" Grand Brut Champagne. Clean, appley, bread, I've liked more in bigger formats. B-

Dinner was a pretty incredible dish of mackerel with a fennel/onion sofrito, along with salad and kobocha squash. Two wines

2014 Gonnet Chignin blanc
Bright, light without being diluted, fresh, nice patio wine. B/B+

2013 Knauss Trollinger
No tannins to clash with the mackerel, prickly berry fruit, light and fun. B

Sunday was rare duck over a salad of purslane and sauteed Concord grapes, fried squash blossoms stuffed with tomato and feta, and leftover kobocha. The 2013 Foillard cote d Py Morgon was just what I wanted it to be- red fruited, a little sappy, some earth and just a hint of barnyard funk. Funk dissipates, crunchy red fruit with a mineral tang. A-


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.