Betsy had a concert in White Plains Saturday night, and I was planning
on making a simple dinner for myself before going to hear it. But a
work conflict (I have thousands of great volunteers, but occasionally
you run into one who is....high maintenance) meant I ended up dashing
over without eating. A great concert (opening from Strauss's
Capriccio, a sextet by Mendelsohn's friend Ferdinand David, and the
Brahms sextet), but I was starved at end,. I generally don't eat at
fastfood joints except for long road trips, but grabbed a Whopper and
fries on way home. Opened the 2004 Ch Lagrange (St Julien) from 375 to
accompany. Medium weight, cassis with a little green tobacco leaf
edge, a bit of vanilla. Nice wine, a good buy at $12.50 a half. B+/B
(and the Whopper was a B-/C+, much better than I anticipated)

On Sunday Betsy made mushroom risotto for lunch, and used the 2008
Nora Peitan Albarino as cooking wine. A glass later that night was
pretty good for a $10 wine- citrus, peach, good acidity, a hint of
mineral/seashell. B

With mushroom/spinach pasta and an arugula salad for Meatless Monday,
the 2008 Hauner Salina Rosso. I liked the 07 of this, and this is also
a very nice wine for a just over $10 tag. Good acidity, soft tannins,
black cherries and currants. Lighter framed, but not a pushover. I'll
get more. B/B+

Tonight with pork chops in a ginger/tangerine marinade, veggie fried
rice, and leftover cauliflower, the 2003 Hirsch "Gaisberg" Riesling.
Forward, fleshy, big- yellow pit fruits, spiced peaches, ripe with a
hint of RS, good length. I enjoyed, but dubious value for me even at a
sale price of $30. 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.**