Sunday we had my parents and another couple over. Ron likes wine, but was in the early "induction" stages of a diet, so I put away the good Cal Cab and served the 2003 Guigal Cotes du Rhone with the lamb/shiitake kebabs. Perfectly acceptable if uninspiring CdR, ripe raspberries and blackberries and some herby aromas. Round but not flabby, not bad. B
Fun evening, though.
Monday it was back to just us. Beautiful afternoon, cool for June. Betsy and I had chicken breasts in a garlic/vermouth sauce, with sweet potatoes and broccolli with red onions and dill. We went with the 2004 Anselmi "San Vincenzo." Nice clean white stone-fruit with that Soave nutty note. Rich in the mouth, medium acidity, good value. B+/B
Tuesday we had David's grandparents to dinner before a school awards ceremony (pretty painless dinner on the scale of Wife's Ex's Parents go). Cold poached salmon with a dill sauce, yellow beets, brown rice, and a chopped salad. I tend to serve PN with salmon, but with cold salmon prefer a chard. So we had the 2004 Thierry & Pascal Matrot Bourgogne. Pear and citrus fruit, refreshing acidity. Good length, just a hint of oak. Good value for $11. This has a screwcap, as reportedly does their Meursault. Based on the Bourgogne, I'll look for the village wine. B+/B
I just found my notes on a store (Zachys)tasting a couple weeks back. This needs to be read with a salt shaker, not a grain of salt, as I'm reading scribbles with a faded memory (of small pours):
NV Charles Ellner Rose Brut
Mediumbodied, fine mousse. Ripe strawberries and raspberries. Needs food, but nice. B+
NV Godme Grand Cru Brut Rose
Very pale, delicate. Ethereal yet with a sense of underlying power. Yeast and strawberries. Very nice. B+/A-
(I liked both rose Champagnes, though very different)
2004 Miolane St. Aubin
A bit thin, with not much going on. C+/B-
2002 Lequin-Colin "La Comme Rouge" Santenay
Nice red cherry and raspberry fruit, a little earth. Not compelling, but would be happy with this as a restaurant wine. B
Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. 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.