Monday Betsy did pork tenderloin with a jerkyesque sauce, plus a baby bok choy salad with avocado and oranges. I went with the 2007 Willi Schaefer Mosel Riesling QbA. Another nice '07 QbA, balanced sweetness and acidity, limey citrus fruit with an edge of Granny Smith apple, decent length. Does well with a hard to match menu. B+/B
Tuesday SOBER met at Dan's house in Pound Ridge. A really incredible lineup of wines. We started off in kitchen area with an assortment of at least 10 cheeses (I started with St Marcellin & Epoisses, but sampled all), and three whites (all wines were blind):
(probably tougher grading than my usual due to overall quality)
#1- bright, young, clean. Clearly Sauvignon Blanc, beautiful gooseberry meets Fresca fruit, flinty minerality, great length. Wonderful, it's the 2000 Pascal Cotat "La Grand Cote" Sancerre. A-
#2 -a bit heavier and rounder, everyone gravitated to Burgundy, and John got Meursault. Light oak, hazelnut and spices over pear fruit, lively. 2000
Henri Boillot "Gouttes d'Or" Meursault 1er B+
#3- Big, slight oxidative notes, lots of oak, pears, melons,and coconut. I'm thinking maybe white Rioja (LdH)? No. Good length, full. Mark isn't far off with the '94 Laville HB guess, it's the 1994 Haut Brion Blanc. B+
a solo pink sparkler- fine mousse, strawberries and raspberries, rather plush texture, excellent length, it's the 1996 Dom Ruinart rose. B+/A-
On to table. With a nice dish of shrimp with pesto and roasted tomato, a couple more whites:
#1- fresh, talcy, herby, crisp. Not the longest wine. Once it's narrowed to CA, some guessing ensues, it takes a while to get to the 2005 Stony Hill Chardonnay. B
#2 I think I get a bit of oak (then Dan says producer doesn't use much new wood). Sweet pear fruit, some earth and nuts, good length. John gets Meursault again, and then vineyard, but no one guesses producer. 2005 Jean-Philipe Fichet "Les Chevalieres" Meursault . B
On to the reds, first flight:
#1 Tight, but showing some sweet black cherry fruit, herby, minty, smoky,. good length. 1998 Mugnier "Les Fuees" Chambolle-Musigny 1er. B+/A-
#2- lighter edges, seems a tad older and much more open, some tannins, sweet fruit. Some guess Barolo. Gets better and better. 1998 Fourrier "Les Gruenchers" Chambolle-Musigny 1er. A-
Whoa, here comes the second flight!
#1 Modest acidity, some tannins, ripe but not overripe fruit. 1990 Jadot Corton-Pougets. B/B+
#2 Huge glue/VA nose, better on the palate, with red currant jelly and a hint of barnyard. I guessed old Rioja. When revealed a couple people agree they had enjoyed better bottles of the 1991 Ch. Musar. B/B-
Red flight # 3
#1 Sweet, lush, velvety, with a light herby edge over black fruit. John got Right Bank quickly, it's the 1990 Vieux Chateau Certan (Pomerol), A-
#2 Medium bodied, ripe, red plums. Pretty good, our first ever Long Island wine at a SOBER event, the 1995 Lenz Merlot. B
Red flight #4 (osso buco, barley, and green beans appeared about now)
#1 black and red plums, coffee/mocha, cedar. Good length. Lovely wine. 1970 Ch. Magdelaine. A-
#2 red currants, gravel and earth, leather, cigarbox. Bright and young fruits, Mark gets Graves, someone says Pape Clement, I'm guessing '82 or '90. Nope, it's the 1964 Pape Clement (Graves). A
#3 Sweet and ripe fruit, but overlaid with cardboard. Damn the TCA. 1979 Certan de May.
Red flight #5
A bottle of '87 Mouton was also corked, and quickly pulled.
#1 Big, ripe berries, dark, a bit of mint, quite nice. 1990 Chave "Cuvee Cathelin" Hermitage. A-
#2 Cassis fruit, forest floor and mushrooms, some tannins, just a hint of cow patty. Nice. 1981 La Mission Haut Brion. A-/B+
Pretty incredible night. Not only was Dan incredibly generous with wines, but the food was amazing. Thanks to Drew for driving on a snowy night, glad I didn't need to spit more often!
edited to add which Cotat
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.