With grilled branzino, I really enjoyed the 2013 Avo Roxo Albarino. Clean, saline, minerally with white fruits and citrus. Good acids, fresh fruit, nice finish. B++

This was week for visitors seeking to meet the pup, we shared the NV Camille Saves €œCarte dOr€� Brut Champagne (Bouzy). Im a big fan of the Saves rose, but this is a bit fuzzy, almost clumsy.. Sweet fruit, French toast, honied. B-/C+

Dinner was grilled pork tenderloin, wine was the 2013 Thivin €œReverdon€� Brouilly. Red fruit, spice, anise. Good if not especially complex. B

Saturday was sea scallops, with a salad and herbed sauteed tomatoes with rice and pasta. Wine was the 2015
Arnot-Roberts "Trout Gulch Santa Cruz Mtns" Chardonnay. Very tasty, no apparent oak,apple and white peach, good acids, a chalky mineral finish. B+/A-

Easter Sunday Betsy played a church service, while I dealt with pup and grilled 7 pounds of butterflied lamb. Took the lamb (with an anchovy/mint/lemon sauce) and Betsy deviled egg chicks:
https://goo.gl/photos/Ya8GVVKk5R2BiysV8
To her sisters big Easter open house. Enjoyed the lamb, some ham, various salads, quiches, dips, and more. Tried some wines

2005 LEsprit de Chevalier (mag)
Smooth red fruit, still a bit of tannin, cocoa, a little cigarbox. Mostly about the round red plum fruit, Id have probably thought Right Bank if blind, but this is pleasant and in a good place. B

2015 Schwedehelm Schwarzer Hergott Rielsing Trocken (Pfalz)
Crackling acids, good fruit (grapefruit, tart plum), crunchy wet rock finish. B+/A-

2014 Harmas Cotes du Rhone
Red plum and raspberry, clean, simple but good. B/B-

2014 Drouhin St Veran
Lemony, crisp, straightforward and a fine value. B

2014 Red Newt Dry Riesling
I wouldnt personally call this dry, noticeable sweetness (sec tendre if in Loire). Theres an oxidative note, not much freshness. Unsure if just this bottle. C+

2016 HB Picpoul de Pinet
OK, I expect Picpoul to be light, but this is actually dilute. Theres nothing there (but a hint of spritz). Tastes like industrial vinho verde. C

David was in town for a couple of days, after the party we took a break from eating for a couple hours, then had duck breast on mizuna greens, along with pasta and mushrooms, on the patio (weather was summerlike).. Wine was the 1988 Pierre Gelin €œClos Napoleon€� Fixin 1er. Low expectations which seemed to be met on opening- thin and weedy, pale color, a tad stanky. But an hour of air did wonders- fruit deepened (as did color), with black cherry and pomegranate. Some cedar and earth. Not really complex, but solid mature Burgundy. B+/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.