TN: Saar, Ladoix, Rioja, Anderson Valley, Champagne, Beaujolais
 

Friday we went to friends so dinner, when we got there Betsy borrowed the broiler to make her appetizers, great shrimpballs with ginger & shallot. Opened with the NV Duval-Leroy Brut Reserve Champagne- crisp apples, bread dough, touch of lemon zest. Fresh and easy, not especially long, but at $25 wish I had bought more. B+/B

Dinner was lamb tagine with couscous and an excellent spicy cauliflower/almond salad.

2012 CVNE €œCune€� Rioja
Cherry, strawberry, hint of vanilla, easy and fruity. B/B-

2007 Donkey & Goat €œRecluse€� Syrah
Full black fruits, a meaty overtone, really tasty except there seemed to be a little metallic twang to the last couple sips. Brett, food match, or my imagination? I had B+ up till then

2014 Jadot ( Gagey) €œ Clou d`Orge€� Ladoix
Oak is sticking out a little, but this had nice pear/apple fruit, nice balance of acidity to fruit, good length. Good for $25 white Burg. B/B+

Saturday I did clams with linguine, with the 2013 Guiberteau €œClos de Guichaux€� Saumur Blanc.
Ive heard a lot about Guiberteau and was looking forward to this. This had decent acidity but was much more fruit forward than I expect in Chenin Blanc. Yellow plum, juicy. B-

1994 Vissoux Moulin-a-Vent still had fruit, but there was an oxidative note and a good dose of ashtray. Hey it was cheap. C+

Sunday was flounder in a lemon-curry sauce, broccoli, fennel. The 2015 Lauer €œSenior- Fass 6€� Riesling was just lovely- lemons and green apple, spicy anise meets ginger overtones, zippy acids, just a touch of RS (think halbtrocken). A-/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.