FoodBanter.com - TN: Week of wines- Pinots, Pineau, Chards, Gamays, Sangiovese, Romarantin

Gorgeous night for final jazz concert of the season- perfect weather, clear skies and a pretty sunset over the Palisades. We had invited friends and supplied the picnic- crab salad with gazpacho, tongue pastrami, beef pate, D;Artagnan chicken/mushroom sausage, salad, squash, homemade pickles (dill from a kit, plus Japanese). We had some wine and traded with friends as well:

2011 Tessier Cour-Cheverny
Rich Romarantin fruit, a little wool over peaches. B/B+

2015 Dutraive €œClos de Grand Cour€ Fleurie
Bigger style, fleshy red fruits but with balance, cherry and raspberry accented with floral notes. Nice texture. B+/A-

2015 Riotor rose (Cotes de Provence).
Light, strawberries and cherry, easy to drink in a s\imple style. B-/B

2015 Pacherhof Pinot Grigio
Dont think youre going to confuse this and SantaMarg. Steely, but with a full texture. Apples, vanilla, almonds. B/B+

2015 Dinocheau Pineau dAunis
Herby, piney, bright acids, some funky notes. B

2013 Trimbach Pinot Blanc
Hint of sweetness, easy and light. B-

NV Laherte €œUltradition€ Champagne (375 ml)
Bright, fine mousse, good. B/B+

2014 Bogle Merlot
Black plum, a little pruney, vanilla shake., a little hot (surprised to see only 13.5%). Short, sweet and bitter at same time, a little abrasive. I remember years ago thinking at least the PS was a decent value, I wouldnt buy this at any price. C

Thursday no wine and no meat (delicious dinner- Cape gooseberry/corn/cuke salad,
Gingered chickpeas with eggplant, spinach, and tomato, Bhindi raita (okra in raita)
Lemon/cashew rice.

Friday Betsy made grilled clams and bucatini all'amatriciana, wine was the 2011
Melini €œLa Selvanella€ Chianti Classico Riserva. Black cherry, dried cherry, saddle leather. Nice CCR with enough tannin to age a bit. B+/B

Saturday Betsys brother-in-laws mother (or should I say her sisters mother-in-law) was in town and we had their family over for dinner.

We opened with the Gerbais €œCuvee de Reserve €œ Extra Brut Champagne. Nervy, not austere, rich apple fruit, maybe mousse is a bit coarse but good wine. B

Cal brought pumpkin ravioli with sage butter, served with the whites

2014 H. Boillot Bourgogne blanc
Full for Bourgogne, pear and hazelnut, a lemony edge. B+

2010 Jadot Pouilly-Fuisse
Round, a little tired, surprising oak notes. I didnt enjoy this as much as I would have expected. B-/C+

Main was grilled salmon with an Asian marinade, Mexican corn, & salad
1996 P. Bourree Chambolle-Musigny
More acid than tannic backbone, tart black cherry fruit, spice, earth. Very popular. B/B+

2015 Lapierre Morgon (S)
Fresh and juicy, big but not overdone, black cherry and plums, floral. Theres some tannic backbone, this could age but I thought very nice with salmon right now. B+/A=

Finished with a lemon pound cake with peaches and whipped cream

Sunday I was out all day running a big picnic for our homeless friends. Betsy and the hound came too, but left early to start dinner. I was wiped, but happy to have a nice dinner of chicken with figs, tomatoes with oregano and squash, and salad. Wine was the 2014 Pinon €œDeronnieres€ Vouvray. Fall apples, wax, flowers. Light sweetness pairs well with the figs, nice length, tangy acids. B+/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.