With a baby octopus salad as well as cauliflower steaks with cauliflower puree, the
2016 Karine Lauverjat Sancerre. Crisp and snappy, gooseberry and straw, typical and good. B/B+

With sous vide dry aged ribeye, steak sweet potatoes, and mushrooms (cremini, maitake, pioppini), the 1986 Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. Not a vintage of Cali I have much experience with, but what a great showing. Black cherry and black currant, cedar, smoke, and hint of cocoa. Tannins are resolved, acids are balance, finish is long. Not usually a buyer of Beringer but at least in this era I should be. A-

2015 Pinon Silex Noir Vouvray
On the sweeter side of sec-tendre, tropical and lemon fruit with orchard blossoms, just a hint of wax, chalky mineral finish. Young and tasty. B+/A-

Went to Betsys quartets concert (Borodin Beethoven and Wagner - actually a new piece, its Melinda Wagner) so had slow cooker going. Recipe for a Basque chicken and rice dish, though I tinkered (lamb merguez instead of ham) a bit, plus berbere glazed carrots, and pea/sunflower shoot/avocado salad

2015 Finca Genoveva (Vinos Atlanticos)
This was 3 different wines, and I liked them all! 100% Caino from RÃ*as Baixas. At first its snappy and raspberry flavored,with a floral nose, Im thinking €œCaino is like Gamay.€� Then by dinner it has rounded out, gotten more black cherry, and Im thinking €œCaino is like Pinot.€� By the end it had filled out as well, quite full bodied, and Im thinking €œCaino is Caino, and I like it.€� Herby, floral, long, minerally. A-

2005 Gunderloch Nackenheim Rothenberg Spatlese
Softer acids than I like in my Riesling, but killer rich peach and tropical fruit. Love the flavors, but sits heavy. Auslese weight. 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.