So Memorial Day it was raining in AM, but forecast said 0% chance after 1 PM. So we decided to go ahead with our party. It did mist a few times, but mostly held off, though it was gloomy and cool. Ive never had a Memorial Day party (or any outdoor party) where people were wearing coats, down vests, and sweater (I was defiantly in shorts). People (and dogs) had a good time though.

Betsy and I made clams with fried garlic, ribs, bulgogi-ish steak, charred leeks with anchovy/caper vinaigrette, poat dot (Cambodian style corn) mango salsa, tortilla chips, as well as a few purchased things such as hot dogs, sausages, chips, and pate
Others brought a great assortment, including Kobe ribeye (so marbled it looked white), more sausages & pate(I liked a rustic one from Brooklyn with pistachios), deviled eggs, a great Russian beet/potato salad, couple of grain salads, green salads, and much I have forgotten (or missed). Load of desserts (a purple yam one got people excited).

Couple of geeks there, and I blinded a few wines:

1984 Sonoma Cutrer €œFounders Reserve€� Chardonnay (3L)
Put about 750ml in a decanter. At first nutty and a bit advanced on nose, but cleans up, quite floral. Some clean pear fruit, a little hazelnut, modest finish. Mark gets CA Chard right away. Some liked more than I did (said their wine of the day), but I did enjoy, though after the level went down in big bottle to expose a big surface it started to oxidize. B

1982 Burgess Zinfandel
Some thought this too volatile (initial guesses were Piedmont) but I enjoyed- brambly fruit, minty, some earth. B+

1966 Produttori di Barbaresco Barbaresco
A good showing for an poorly regarded vintage. Marks first guess was "68 Piedmont. The caramelly note shows its age, but I still thought it quite interesting, with light black cherry fruit and lots of tar. B

1988 Trimbach €œSeigneurs de Ribeaupierre€� Gewurztraminer
Mark got Gewurz immediately, though first guess was pre-Olivier ZH (good guess!). Dry, intense, ginger and lychee, with great acidity for Gewurz. A-/B+

Other wines
1995 Kalin €œLD€� Chardonnay
DOA. Too bad.

2001 Michel Colin-Deleger €œ Les Corbins€� Meursault
I was told this was DOA as well (no surprise, Colin-Deleger is near top of PremOx offenders), but I tried towards end of night and found quite alive. Pear, honeysuckle, a little vanilla, but lower acid than I like my white Burg. B/B-

2001 Trimbach Cuvee Frederic Emile Riesling
I had told Craig Id open as all of his 01 CFE were oxidized, and none of mine were , and broke my streak. Tired. C+

2015 Schwedhelm Schwarzer Herrgott Riesling
Crisp, rocky, tart. Great tensile/nervy spine. B++

1981 JJ Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett
Lovely mature Riesling, apple and lemon with light petrol and smoke notes. A-

2015 Merkelbach €œUrgluck€� Auslese
Limeade! Fresh, snappy, good length. B+/A-

2016 Edmunds St John Bone Jolly Rose
Cranberry and mineral, a little smoky, fun B+

1979 Ducru-Beaucaillou
Dark fruit, little tannin, plenty of acid, a little metallic note on finish, but I like (more than others) B/B+

2014 Olivier Cousin €œLa Franc€�
Bing cherry and barnyard , bright acids. B

1986 Monticello Cabernet Sauvignon
Minty, red fruits, smoke, a little drying on finish but I like. B/B+

2013 Flor do Crasto
Red fruits, a touch jammy, simple. B-/C+

1998 Coudoulet de Beaucastel Cotes du Rhone
Showing its age, red Grenachy fruit with some earth, ok but drink up. B/B-

2014 Meinklang (Burgenland)
Easy, juicy, bright. B

2014 Chevillon Nuits St George VV
Mark and Craig didnt like, but though I found it surprisingly ripe, I thought well balanced. Ripe black cherry, a little mocha, earthy finish.. B+

1982 Rocche dei Manzoni €œVigna De La Roul€� Barolo Riserva
Just entering maturity, ripe but not overripe, rose petals, tar, and orange zest. B+

2014 Hollis Cabernet Sauvignon
Big fruit forward style, blueberries and mocha, some loved. B-

Fun day, despite the weather (at least I was warm by the grill).

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.

On Tuesday, May 30, 2017 at 1:28:50 PM UTC-4, DaleW wrote:
> So Memorial Day it was raining in AM, but forecast said 0% chance after 1 PM. So we decided to go ahead with our party. It did mist a few times, but mostly held off, though it was gloomy and cool. Ive never had a Memorial Day party (or any outdoor party) where people were wearing coats, down vests, and sweater (I was defiantly in shorts). People (and dogs) had a good time though.
>
> Betsy and I made clams with fried garlic, ribs, bulgogi-ish steak, charred leeks with anchovy/caper vinaigrette, poat dot (Cambodian style corn) mango salsa, tortilla chips, as well as a few purchased things such as hot dogs, sausages, chips, and pate
> Others brought a great assortment, including Kobe ribeye (so marbled it looked white), more sausages & pate(I liked a rustic one from Brooklyn with pistachios), deviled eggs, a great Russian beet/potato salad, couple of grain salads, green salads, and much I have forgotten (or missed). Load of desserts (a purple yam one got people excited).
>
> Couple of geeks there, and I blinded a few wines:
>
> 1984 Sonoma Cutrer €œFounders Reserve€� Chardonnay (3L)
> Put about 750ml in a decanter. At first nutty and a bit advanced on nose, but cleans up, quite floral. Some clean pear fruit, a little hazelnut, modest finish. Mark gets CA Chard right away. Some liked more than I did (said their wine of the day), but I did enjoy, though after the level went down in big bottle to expose a big surface it started to oxidize. B
>
> 1982 Burgess Zinfandel
> Some thought this too volatile (initial guesses were Piedmont) but I enjoyed- brambly fruit, minty, some earth. B+
>
> 1966 Produttori di Barbaresco Barbaresco
> A good showing for an poorly regarded vintage. Marks first guess was "68 Piedmont. The caramelly note shows its age, but I still thought it quite interesting, with light black cherry fruit and lots of tar. B
>
> 1988 Trimbach €œSeigneurs de Ribeaupierre€� Gewurztraminer
> Mark got Gewurz immediately, though first guess was pre-Olivier ZH (good guess!). Dry, intense, ginger and lychee, with great acidity for Gewurz. A-/B+
>
> Other wines
> 1995 Kalin €œLD€� Chardonnay
> DOA. Too bad.
>
> 2001 Michel Colin-Deleger €œ Les Corbins€� Meursault
> I was told this was DOA as well (no surprise, Colin-Deleger is near top of PremOx offenders), but I tried towards end of night and found quite alive.. Pear, honeysuckle, a little vanilla, but lower acid than I like my white Burg. B/B-
>
> 2001 Trimbach Cuvee Frederic Emile Riesling
> I had told Craig Id open as all of his 01 CFE were oxidized, and none of mine were , and broke my streak. Tired. C+
>
> 2015 Schwedhelm Schwarzer Herrgott Riesling
> Crisp, rocky, tart. Great tensile/nervy spine. B++
>
> 1981 JJ Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett
> Lovely mature Riesling, apple and lemon with light petrol and smoke notes.. A-
>
> 2015 Merkelbach €œUrgluck€� Auslese
> Limeade! Fresh, snappy, good length. B+/A-
>
> 2016 Edmunds St John Bone Jolly Rose
> Cranberry and mineral, a little smoky, fun B+
>
> 1979 Ducru-Beaucaillou
> Dark fruit, little tannin, plenty of acid, a little metallic note on finish, but I like (more than others) B/B+
>
> 2014 Olivier Cousin €œLa Franc€�
> Bing cherry and barnyard , bright acids. B
>
> 1986 Monticello Cabernet Sauvignon
> Minty, red fruits, smoke, a little drying on finish but I like. B/B+
>
> 2013 Flor do Crasto
> Red fruits, a touch jammy, simple. B-/C+
>
> 1998 Coudoulet de Beaucastel Cotes du Rhone
> Showing its age, red Grenachy fruit with some earth, ok but drink up. B/B-
>
> 2014 Meinklang (Burgenland)
> Easy, juicy, bright. B
>
> 2014 Chevillon Nuits St George VV
> Mark and Craig didnt like, but though I found it surprisingly ripe, I thought well balanced. Ripe black cherry, a little mocha, earthy finish. B+
>
> 1982 Rocche dei Manzoni €œVigna De La Roul€� Barolo Riserva
> Just entering maturity, ripe but not overripe, rose petals, tar, and orange zest. B+
>
> 2014 Hollis Cabernet Sauvignon
> Big fruit forward style, blueberries and mocha, some loved. B-
>
> Fun day, despite the weather (at least I was warm by the grill).
>
> 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.

Nice Notes of some interesting wines. Thanks.