Monday Betsy made a pasta with carbonara sauce (she used a couple of Schaller & Weber smoked pork chops instead of pancetta, I asked if we could always do like that), I served the 2005 Le Petit Chambord (Cazin) Cheverny. I liked this a lot better than the 2004 version. This one had bright gooseberry and lemon fruit, a hint of grass, great acidity but depth of fruit. Good value at $10-11. B/B+
Tuesday was a tomato/eggplant soup with chevre/basil garnish, followed by duck legs, greens, and mashed potatoes. I decided to try a 2004 Michel Lafarge Bourgogne. Not a lot happening at first- high acidity, lots of tannins for a regional level Burg, a bit tough. Black cherry and raspberry fruit, some earth, some peppery spice. OK, but not great. However, much improved on day 2, tonight the rather deep black cherry and plum fruit is more outfront, there are some gamey meat and floral aromas, the tannins tamed and acidity integrated. Will not open my other bottles for a few years, this is a Bourgogne that needs time. B/B- day 1, A-/B+ day 2.
(note re Tue dinner: last month the NYT had a sidebar re making your own versions of standard salad dressing. I enjoyed making blue cheese dressing from an expensive leftover Spanish blue, Betsy made ranch last week. So Tues I can't figure out the pleasant tang to the mashed potatoes. After dinner she tells me she used up the leftover buttermilk ranch dressing instead of butter. I asked her to do again, mashed potatoes with a buttermilk tang are right up my alley).
So I'm having lunch with friends today (Wed) when Betsy calls. She's having lunch with a friend in Mt Kisco, and wants directions to the seafood place. Goody! I come home, she's got a half dozen oysters and a dozen clams on ice, plus a lobster boiled. Dinner is raw bar, a lobster/tomato sauce over pasta, and asparagus. I go with the 2005 Luneau-Papin "Pierre de la Grange" Muscadet (figure great with the shellfish, and with good acidity as good as anything with the tomato/lobster combo). The salinity of the Muscadet is just killer with the shellfish. Fresh lemon/grapefruit with a seashell edge, a salty note that really appeals.Good if not zippy acidity. I feel like I'm at seashore, though it's December in NY (albeit warm). 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.