Monday Betsy made a shepherd's pie with a scallion-cheese crust, and
"Irish onion soup" (similar to French, but using Guiness instead of
stock, and topped with cheddar and toast). I'm short on Irish wines,
so settled for a half bottle of the 2003 Vrai Canon Bouche (Canon-
Fronsac). Fruitbomb style, even riper than I remembered, big red
fruit, some vanilla, who's arguing at this price ($7/375). But after
my glass with dinner I skipped out for a talk to a b.mitzvah
confirmation class, returned about 2 hours after dinner to find a
rather overripe, overwrought, sloppy wine. B with dinner, C+ later.

Tuesday was chicken poached in Chinese-accented broth, then topped
with hot peanut oil and a soy/ginger sauce, with rice noodles with
cabbage, sprouts, and scallions. Wine was the 2002 Ratzenberger
Bacharacher Posten Riesling Spatlese Halbtrocken. Big and vibrant,
lots of petrol for a youthful wine, a little sugar. Nectarine, lime, a
little herb. I have to confess that this was one of those wines where
all the components were there, yet while I liked, I didn't love. B

Wednesday was my turn to cook, a pork loin roast with mustard/thyme
crust, roasted vegetable (fennel, potatoes, carrots, onion), and
broccolini.
Wines was the 2006 Brun (Terres Dorees) Cote de Brouilly. Ripe, big,
could pass for Burgundy "proper". Black cherry fruit, a little cocoa,
ripe but with good acidic backbone. Not awkward as some 2006 Bojo have
been described, I like this a lot, though might have been happier with
less heft. B+

Tonight Betsy needed some white wine for a squash risotto, I opened
the 2005 Drouhin "Laforet" Macon-Villages. A bit of reduction/funk on
the nose at first, it blows off. Lemon fruit with a hint of apple, no
oak, clean but not much there. B-

The main course was filets of branzino, with a mustard/horseradish/
panko crust, served with the risotto, truly horrible green beans
(tough tough tough), and the 2006 Bodegas de Fefinanes Albarino (Rias
Baixas). Crisp, minerally, lively, makes me realize I should drink
more Albarino. A bit floral, but mostly about seashore chalkiness and
mineral tones. White peach and citrus, good length. Muscadet meets
Pinot Gris. This goes on buy list. B+/A-


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.

*

In article
>,
DaleW > wrote:

> Monday Betsy made a shepherd's pie with a scallion-cheese crust, and
> "Irish onion soup" (similar to French, but using Guiness instead of
> stock, and topped with cheddar and toast). I'm short on Irish wines,
> so settled for a half bottle of the 2003 Vrai Canon Bouche (Canon-
> Fronsac). Fruitbomb style, even riper than I remembered, big red
> fruit, some vanilla, who's arguing at this price ($7/375). But after
> my glass with dinner I skipped out for a talk to a b.mitzvah
> confirmation class, returned about 2 hours after dinner to find a
> rather overripe, overwrought, sloppy wine. B with dinner, C+ later.
>
> Tuesday was chicken poached in Chinese-accented broth, then topped
> with hot peanut oil and a soy/ginger sauce, with rice noodles with
> cabbage, sprouts, and scallions. Wine was the 2002 Ratzenberger
> Bacharacher Posten Riesling Spatlese Halbtrocken. Big and vibrant,
> lots of petrol for a youthful wine, a little sugar. Nectarine, lime, a
> little herb. I have to confess that this was one of those wines where
> all the components were there, yet while I liked, I didn't love. B
>
> Wednesday was my turn to cook, a pork loin roast with mustard/thyme
> crust, roasted vegetable (fennel, potatoes, carrots, onion), and
> broccolini.
> Wines was the 2006 Brun (Terres Dorees) Cote de Brouilly. Ripe, big,
> could pass for Burgundy "proper". Black cherry fruit, a little cocoa,
> ripe but with good acidic backbone. Not awkward as some 2006 Bojo have
> been described, I like this a lot, though might have been happier with
> less heft. B+
>
> Tonight Betsy needed some white wine for a squash risotto, I opened
> the 2005 Drouhin "Laforet" Macon-Villages. A bit of reduction/funk on
> the nose at first, it blows off. Lemon fruit with a hint of apple, no
> oak, clean but not much there. B-
>
> The main course was filets of branzino, with a mustard/horseradish/
> panko crust, served with the risotto, truly horrible green beans
> (tough tough tough), and the 2006 Bodegas de Fefinanes Albarino (Rias
> Baixas). Crisp, minerally, lively, makes me realize I should drink
> more Albarino. A bit floral, but mostly about seashore chalkiness and
> mineral tones. White peach and citrus, good length. Muscadet meets
> Pinot Gris. This goes on buy list. B+/A-
>
>
> 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.
>
> *

Green beans this time of year are traveling a long way to get to you.
The trip toughens them.
I have been drinking more Albarinos over the last year. They are real
meal-friendly wines and a welcome change from most Chardonnays though
with Jambalaya last night had a Lioco Sonoma Chardonnay 2006. Steel aged
and very clean with a citrus nose and taste. Quite good and QPR at
$16.99 not bad.

On Jan 18, 11:14�am, Lawrence Leichtman > wrote:
> In article
> >,
>
>
>
>
>
> �DaleW > wrote:
> > Monday Betsy made a shepherd's pie with a scallion-cheese crust, and
> > "Irish onion soup" (similar to French, but using Guiness instead of
> > stock, and topped with cheddar and toast). I'm short on Irish wines,
> > so settled for a half bottle of the 2003 Vrai Canon Bouche (Canon-
> > Fronsac). Fruitbomb style, even riper than I remembered, big red
> > fruit, some vanilla, who's arguing �at this price ($7/375). But after
> > my glass with dinner I skipped out for a talk to a b.mitzvah
> > confirmation class, returned about 2 hours after dinner to find a
> > rather overripe, overwrought, sloppy wine. B with dinner, C+ later.
>
> > Tuesday was chicken poached in Chinese-accented broth, then topped
> > with hot peanut oil and a soy/ginger sauce, with rice noodles with
> > cabbage, sprouts, and scallions. �Wine was the 2002 Ratzenberger
> > Bacharacher Posten Riesling Spatlese Halbtrocken. Big and vibrant,
> > lots of petrol for a youthful wine, a little sugar. Nectarine, lime, a
> > little herb. I have to confess that this was one of those wines where
> > all the components were there, yet while I liked, I didn't love. B
>
> > Wednesday was my turn to cook, a pork loin roast with mustard/thyme
> > crust, roasted vegetable (fennel, potatoes, carrots, onion), and
> > broccolini.
> > Wines was the 2006 Brun (Terres Dorees) Cote de Brouilly. Ripe, big,
> > could pass for Burgundy "proper". Black cherry fruit, a little cocoa,
> > ripe but with good acidic backbone. Not awkward as some 2006 Bojo have
> > been described, I like this a lot, though might have been happier with
> > less heft. B+
>
> > Tonight Betsy needed some white wine for a squash risotto, I opened
> > the 2005 Drouhin "Laforet" Macon-Villages. A bit of reduction/funk on
> > the nose at first, it blows off. Lemon fruit with a hint of apple, no
> > oak, clean but not much there. B-
>
> > The main course was filets of branzino, with a mustard/horseradish/
> > panko crust, served with the risotto, truly horrible green beans
> > (tough tough tough), and the �2006 Bodegas de Fefinanes Albarino (Rias
> > Baixas). Crisp, minerally, lively, makes me realize I should drink
> > more Albarino. A bit floral, but mostly about seashore chalkiness and
> > mineral tones. White peach and citrus, good length. Muscadet meets
> > Pinot Gris. This goes on buy list. B+/A-
>
> > 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.
>
> > �
>
> Green beans this time of year are traveling a �long way to get to you.
> The trip toughens them.
> I have been drinking more Albarinos over the last year. They are real
> meal-friendly wines and a welcome change from most Chardonnays though
> with Jambalaya last night had a Lioco Sonoma Chardonnay 2006. Steel aged
> and very clean with a citrus nose and taste. Quite good and QPR at
> $16.99 not bad.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Betsy grabbed these beans at the fish market because she had limited
time (and market has limited selection of veggies). She warned me
before they went in. Just steamed and tossed with olive oil, but
inedible. About a bite each, I froze rest at office, will use next
time I do one of my "35 ingredients, 5 gallons" soups. Hours of
simmering will soften them up!

Lioco is new to me, sounds good.

Only problem with it seems to be availability.