Betsy needed a cooking wine, it was the 2012 Litaud "Les Pommards" St Veran.. Maybe this wasn't cold enough, but it came off as rounder/softer than what I look for in Macon, soft pear and tropical fruit, clean but not compelling. I've generally liked this producer, but this didn't sparkle. B-/C+

Sunday I made roast chicken with fennel, onions, and mushrooms; we also had miso-eggplant pickles and pickled curried cauliflower The 2013 Barou "Cuvee des Vernes: Syrah is a pretty, light-bodied, fresh wine. Modest acids, good berry fruit, herby. Fine value (and Betsy likes, so re-buy). B+/B

Monday I made a stirfry -soba with shrimp , tofu, and vegetables in a Thai-ish green curry sauce, with salad and bagna cauda pickles (green beans, radish, fennel). Wine was the 1999 Burn "la Chapelle -Clos St Imer- Goldert " Gewurztraminer. A bit softer/sweeter than what I needed for dish, but on it's own a pretty fun tipple. Lychee, smoke, and orange zest, sweet but not as much RS as initial attack makes one think, good finish. Not to search for, fun to try. B

Tuesday I had a board meeting, ate tofu, got home and opened a half bottle of red. The 2012 Mocali Rosso di Montalcino (375 ml) was plummy, clean, and innocuous. B-

We had some green tomatoes as we pulled up the garden, Betsy made a NYTimes recipe of lamb shoulder with a green tomato sauce (a winner), with Brussels sprouts and rice. Wine was a 1 liter fiasco (!!!!!!!!!!!!!) of the 2012 Monte Bernardi Chianti Classico. Wine was exactly what one would hope for in that format- pretty black cherries with a little dried cherry, a hint of leather and earth, light-bodied. Fun, easy, and fun change of pace packaging.. B

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C drinkable. 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.