We seldom have 2 wines when just the two of us, but Betsy's dinner plan kind of demanded it Friday. Opening course was designed to use up crab, so she invented crab tacos, with guacomole, a chipotle mayo, and lettuce, wine was the 2007 Kerpen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett. Citrus and apple, faint hints of mineral, quite sweet, moderate acidity. I think I clearly liked better than before, but nothing I'd go looking for. B-
Main course was lemon sole with a panko crust and some Brussels sprouts, with the 2002 Henri Boillot Bourgogne Blanc. No oxidative notes, fairly fat, some hazelnut and toasty oak notes. Apple skins, fresh pears, a hint of vanilla. Decent acidity, nice length for level, unexciting but very tasty. B/B+
(the Kerpen held up better than the Boillot overnight, but that's pretty expected)
Saturday I was home alone, and just ordered pizza. Wine was the 2003 Michel Gros Bourgogne Hautes Cotes de Nuits. This was a cheapie that I bought to fill out a case (basically free shipping). When I took off capsule, I thought it was a fake cork, but on removal it was real bark, just an amazingly smooth and pale version. This has surprising acidity for a 2003 (added?), raspberry and cherry fruit, a light cola note, a little raspy. Sweet, Pinoty if not especially Burgundian, not bad for $10. B/B-
Today I stopped by Zachys for a pickup. While there, my friend John sampled me a few '06 Burgundies from the Enomatic machine:
2006 Fourrier Gevrey Chambertin Vieilles Vignes
Fresh, precise, lively. Red and black fruits, nice mineral finish. Not big, but with a sense of power and gravitas. Very good for village wine. A-
2006 Tardy "Boudots" Nuits-St.-Georges
John says this shows as more Vosne than NSG, and I can see why. There's a lot of spice on top of the red fruit. A little oak, a bit tannic. Good, but I like the Fourrier more for a bit less. B+/B
2006 Pavelot "La Dominode" Savigny Les Beaune
Nice, big for Savigny, black cherries, smoke, spice, with a rather tannic finish. Good to very good, maybe I should get this too. B+/A-
With Betsy away, tonight I indulged my offal jones, with liver and onions (plus some braised leeks, couscous, and leftover b-sprouts). Wine is the
1997 Ch. Lagrange (St Julien). Blackcurrants, flowers, leather, cedar. Fruit is sweet but maybe beginning to fade, there's not a lot of concentration here, and the finish is pretty short for classified Bdx. Drink up time, but there's some interesting earth/cigarbox stuff happening as it gets air. B
The wine for braising the leeks was the 2004 Geyerhof "Rosensteig" Gruner Veltliner (Kremstal). Fake cork. High/harsh acids, some lighter baked apple oxidative notes, short finish. This was better before, going down quick. Done in by plastic cork I'd say. C+
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.