My turn to do dinner while Betsy was returning from a dress rehearsal; I did broiled tuna, squash, and a bokchoy/garlic chip/enoki salad. Wine was the 2006 La Mozza "I Perazzi " Morellino di Scansano. Fleshy.modern styled Sangiovese, round and easy to drink. It's a bit fat, but I wouldn't deem flabby, there are some underlying acids as well as light tannins. Black and red cherries, a little anisey/herbal note, not really getting any oak. Pretty decent wine for $10. B
Wednesday she made lamb shanks in white beans, with a simple salad on the side. To celebrate a new GM at NYCO I decided to upgrade from a simple CC to the 1995 Felsina "Rancia" Chianti Classico Riserva. My last bottle, and I wish it wasn't. Just a lovely bottle of Sangiovese hitting its stride. Black cherry, leather, earth, and mushrooms. Good length, concentration, pretty much everything I could ask for in a Chianti. Mostly resolved tannins, high but balanced acidity. Best showing for this wine of the 3 or 4 times I've tried. A-
Betsy left for concert early Th (the plane in Hudson -what a story!- meant she had to go to Carnegie via east side), dinner plans got scrapped in favor of pizza. She left me some, and I opened the 2004 Muga Rioja Reserva to accompany. Big red fruits, but what a whollop of oak. Vanilla-y oak, dill-y oak, coffee-oak. I looked to see if I had somehow ended up with a bottle of the Torre Muga, nope, it's the Reserva. I've had friends rave over this, now I have some more data re their tastes. I'll revisit to see if time causes a bit of integration, but for now I think that my next batch of vinegar will be a touch oaky. C+ from me, though I'm sure others would rate much higher.
Since I really didn't feel like drinking the Rioja, I opened a white. The 2007 Wirsching Dry Silvaner was a nice clean if somewhat simple Franken (sorry, no Bocksbeutel, Bordeaux bottle with screwcap). I'm not sure I have a true sense of Silvaner, so maybe this is typical, but I don't know. Comes across like a somewhat minerally Pinot Grigio. Light, easy, ok. 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.