Two nice wines with Joe and Donna. Joe grilled some ribs and served it with the best grilled corn I have ever had (ancho chili powder and lime butter!)
2004 Domaine du Banneret Chateauneuf du Pape. From warmer storage. I am really enjoying these adolescent lesser ($$$ wise) Chateauneuf du Papes with a couple of years in the bottle! The sweet strawberry of a young wine is still there, but it no longer totally dominates and is instead a delicious component of the overall package. This wine also had excellent acidity, being very bright and savory and food friendly. The alcohol, while nominally California-level, was not a negative factor. Delicious. 90 points.
2002 Robert Mondavi Oakville Cabernet. From good storage. This was very impressive second tier Mondavi! Started out somewhat primary, with plenty of anise and berry Oakville fruit. Over time, a delicious savory note came out on the finish. Quite nice. 89 points.