Betsy had a concert and I had leftovers (sausage, eggplant, mushrooms) and the 2014 LEcu €œGranite€� Muscadet. Pit fruits, meyer lemon, good acids. B+

Saturday we went to a benefit for social programs at a local church. A Cinco de Mayo theme, with programs for immigrants spotlighted. During the silent auction phase there were several kinds of salsas, guacamole, and the NV Jaume Serra €œCristalino€� Brut Cava. Very light, granny smith and lemon, simple but easy. B-

I had carried wines for our table, including a mag of Champagne but ended up opening
the 2013 Raventos I Blanc €œDe La Finca€� (Conca Del Riu Anoia). Super crisp, grapefruit and green apple, long oyster shell finish. Quite fun. B+

Shrimp Ceviche
2001 Remi Jobard €œ Le Poruzot-Dessus Meursault 1er.
I carried 2 of these, one showed just a hint of appley oxidation, other was fresher, but not especially complex, hint of oak, ripe apples. Others liked more. B-

Grilled Skirt steak, Chicken Mexican style, stuffed peppers with saffron rice, corn/bean salad.

2003 Travaglini Gattinara (Double Magnum)
Thought with big crowd fun to share a 3 liter (big version of the funky Travaglini bottle). Good acids for "03, light tannin, red cherry and raspberry with some lemon zest. I double decanted at home (multiple decanters), but it opened up in bottle at party, revisited at dessert time it had some Piedmont tar I didnt notice before. Not a ringer for Barolo, but fun. B+/B

1979 Domaine de Chevalier
Double-decanted about 2 hours before serving. Cedar/cigarbox and red plums, good acids, just a hint of tannin, nice earth/mushroom notes as it develops. Nice showing from an old fave. B+/A-

2015 Cline Zinfandel (Lodi)
Sweet, simple, but competent. B-

2013 Abrazo
Jammy, yet weedy, short/clipped finish. C

Fun night

Betsy was at a business dinner Sunday, I grilled tuna and made some cauliflower, wine was the 1998 Poujeaux. Cassis, black plum, moderate acids, not a lot of tannin but what is there a bit tacky. Servicable. 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.

On 5/7/18 1:50 PM, DaleW wrote:

> 2003 Travaglini Gattinara (Double Magnum)
> Thought with big crowd fun to share a 3 liter (big version of the funky Travaglini bottle). Good acids for "03, light tannin, red cherry and raspberry with some lemon zest. I double decanted at home (multiple decanters), but it opened up in bottle at party, revisited at dessert time it had some Piedmont tar I didnt notice before. Not a ringer for Barolo, but fun. B+/B

So, is this bottle the same weird shape as other Travaglini bottles?

On Monday, May 7, 2018 at 7:00:48 PM UTC-4, Lawrence Leichtman wrote:
> On 5/7/18 1:50 PM, DaleW wrote:
>
> > 2003 Travaglini Gattinara (Double Magnum)
> > Thought with big crowd fun to share a 3 liter (big version of the funky Travaglini bottle). Good acids for "03, light tannin, red cherry and raspberry with some lemon zest. I double decanted at home (multiple decanters), but it opened up in bottle at party, revisited at dessert time it had some Piedmont tar I didnt notice before. Not a ringer for Barolo, but fun. B+/B
>
> So, is this bottle the same weird shape as other Travaglini bottles?

yep
but actually makes easy to pour compared to most double mags