New Year's Eve was sandwiched between 2 big dinner party, so we (Betsy, her mom, and myself) stayed home for a quiet night (while Dave and Grace met friends). Betsy made beef jantaboon with bok choy and long beans,wine was the 2000 La Vieille Cure (Fronsac). Still some good darker fruits, some cocoa/mocha notes, tannins barely hanging in back. Not bad at all, but not sure anything was gained by aging this. B/B-

New Year's Day was the big family dinner. Dave and Betsy's nephew helped her make a double batch of pasta dough. Started with foie gras, mushroom pate, and other munchies. Toasting wine was the 2005 Lallier Brut Champagne. Full, citrusy, light biscuit dough notes, flinty/gunsmoke edge. B++

Dinner was one lasagna with pesto , another with meat sauce and bechamel, sauteed spinach, and of course my blackeyed peas (I am a Southerner).

2010 Rocca di Castagnoli "Stielle" Chianti Classico Gran Selezione
Full, masculine style of Chianti, black cherry, tobacco, leather. Full and long. B+

1988 Ch. Climens (Barsac)
This is what I look for in Sauternes, great acids to balance out the sweets, tangy citrus and apricot, honied botrytis notes, excellent length. A-

Saturday was lamb chops, orzo, and spinach. Wine was the 2006 Ch. de Sequin (Bordeaux Sup).
Red plum and currant, big green note throughout. Not too appealing. C+/C

Sunday was tofu and cashews in curry and Chinese mustard greens with shiitakes.

2012 Von Kesselstatt Piesporter Goldtropfchen Spatlese
Without the tropical vibrancy I'd expect of Goldtropfchen, good acids but muted fruit, sweetness but without fruitiness. At first I think this is just shutting down, but then I start getting musty notes, and think this is just at edge of my threshold for TCA. NR

2013 Zilliken Ockfener Bockstein Kabinett
Brighter, fresher, green apple and citrus, fun. B+/B

Monday we had a dinner/wedding meeting with Dave and Grace at MP Taverna, they split a half of a bottle of a Petite Sirah, but my night off wine (I had crab cakes and "greek paella", so PS would have been bad match!)

Tuesday was chicken thighs braised with shallots and tomatoes, with brown rice and tahini-roasted broccoli. Wine was the 2014 Lapierre "Cuvee Camille" Morgon. Don't know anything about this bottling, fresh strawberries, maybe a little fuller/rounder than regular Morgon, earthy/mushroom note on finish, quite nice. B+

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.