Thursday we invited friends over. They brought appetizers (home smoked salmon, hummus, etc)
1997 Giacosa Extra Brut
Broad, dry, baked bread and apples. Still quite petillant, medium-bodied mousse, starts off citrusy but turns more nutty. Falls off a little at the end, probably drunk 5-8 years too late but overall quite interesting and I'm glad to have tried it. B-

We grilled some king salmon along with some leftover soba salad, and wines

1995 Edmunds St John "Durrell" Syrah
This was a bit of a strange showing for an old favorite. Initially a little lifted and even pruney, I wondered re storage (this was a recent addition).. Fairly muted, I was disappointed, then the last glass showed what I had been expecting all along- dark fruit, meat, coffee, full and even a little opulent. C+ suddenly became B+/A-

2013 Clos de La Roilette Fleurie
Really drinking well without the tightness of the tardive, sweet black cherry fruit accented with spice, herb, and mocha. Good length, very tasty. B++

2013 Olga Raffault Chinon rose
Strawberries, herb, a little earth. Good acids, straightforward and easy rose, B

Friday Betsy roasted a chicken on the grill, along with corn and some slaw
2014 Schloss Gobelsburg " Cistercien" rose
Light and lovely, strawberries and lemon zest, good acids, get more. B+

2003 Ch. D'Aiguilhe (375)
Roasted heading towards pruney, hot edge, tannic, not fun. C

Got some "Harry Corvair" beans (hey, that's what they said) and duck breast at farmer's market, Betsy made an old fave of duckgreen bean salad. Wine was the 2013 Lapierre Morgon (S)
Raspberries and cherries, a little herb, a little smoke. Bright, clean, taut. B+/A-

Sunday invited some friends over. As we toasted their expected first grandchld, we had the
NV Diebolt-Vallois Blanc de Blancs Champagne. Dry, crisp, but a little bitter on finish, I've usually liked this more. B-

First course was grilled baby octopus over mesclun
2011 Matrot Meursault-Blagny
Medium bodied, ripe fruit, good acids, sturdy. B

Then swordfish with a salad of corn and cape gooseberries
2005 Mayacamas Chardonnay
Crisp and appley, a little oak, great acids for CalChard, but a little hot on finish. B

2014 Bedrock Ode to Lulu rose
Fuller style, good acids, red fruited, long finish. B+

Monday we invited over a friend who was baching it, Betsy made tostada chilaquiles (tortillas, black beans, corn, queso fresco, salsa verde, etc) and a purslane salad with sauteed grapes, he brought along a spicy eggplant dish.

2014 Chidaine Sauvignon Blanc (Touraine)
Light, clean, not a lot of oomph there but refreshing clean white with just a hint of grass. B-/B

2002 Bachelet Bourgogne
Mature but not tired, lovely. Black cherry, spice, earth with just a hint of merde, just a hint of tannin, good acids. 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.