Betsy made a favorite family recipe, an Asian accented beef stew with Chinese wheat noodles, wine was the 2009 Repris Right Bank Wine (Sonoma). There's a neck tag entitled Right Bank with a note this is a Merlot/Cab Franc blend. Black plums, some cocoa and spice. Full, richly textured. Clearly big wine with just a touch of heat (bottle shows 14.8 abv), but not OTT. As an homage to the Right Bank it does pretty well- I don't think if I was served this blind and told it was a ripe vintage of a mid-modern St. Emilion like Angelus or Beausejour-Becot I doubt I'd blink. I don’t drink much recent California cabernet/meritage, but thought this pretty good stuff in a lusher style. B+

Meatless Monday was a feta/spinach pizza, with the NV Clotilde Davenne Cremant de Bourgogne Rose Extra Brut. First bottle corked, 2nd quite nice. Crisp, strawberries and cherry, citrus zest, bread. Full and long, very good. B++

Tuesday was leftovers- chicken, beef stew, dressing, roasted vegetables. Wine was the
2010 Lapierre Morgon. Bright, red and black cherries, a little earth. This is the sulphured version. Very nice. B+/B

Wednesday was SOBER (reported elsewhere), and Thursday SOBER leftovers (vinuous and culinary). Friday was turbot, rice with nori, broccoli, and long beans with pepper and hoisin; wine was the 2009 Heretiers de Comtes Lafon “Clos de la Crochette” Macon-Chardonnay. Richer riper style of Macon, drinks more like a Meursault, nectarine and pear fruit, a little fat. B/B+

Saturday was chicken fried rice, slivered asparagus, and the 2011 Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Kabinett (AP #16) . Vibrant, zesty, beautiful lime fruit with some slatey soil tones. Excellent (I’ve got the #3 as well, haven’t tried yet). A-/B+

With ham, potatoes, and salad, the 2011 Preto Rosado (Bierzo). I’m told this is rose, but could easily pass for red, Dark berries and a little grapey edge. Full, a hint of sweetness, unusual and fun wine. 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.

On Monday, December 24, 2012 12:36:51 PM UTC-5, DaleW wrote:
> Betsy made a favorite family recipe, an Asian accented beef stew with Chinese wheat noodles, wine was the 2009 Repris Right Bank Wine (Sonoma). There's a neck tag entitled Right Bank with a note this is a Merlot/Cab Franc blend. Black plums, some cocoa and spice. Full, richly textured. Clearly big wine with just a touch of heat (bottle shows 14.8 abv), but not OTT. As an homage to the Right Bank it does pretty well- I don't think if I was served this blind and told it was a ripe vintage of a mid-modern St. Emilion like Angelus or Beausejour-Becot I doubt I'd blink. I don’t drink much recent California cabernet/meritage, but thought this pretty good stuff in a lusher style. B+
>
>
>
> Meatless Monday was a feta/spinach pizza, with the NV Clotilde Davenne Cremant de Bourgogne Rose Extra Brut. First bottle corked, 2nd quite nice. Crisp, strawberries and cherry, citrus zest, bread. Full and long, very good. B++
>
>
>
> Tuesday was leftovers- chicken, beef stew, dressing, roasted vegetables. Wine was the
>
> 2010 Lapierre Morgon. Bright, red and black cherries, a little earth. This is the sulphured version. Very nice. B+/B
>
>
>
> Wednesday was SOBER (reported elsewhere), and Thursday SOBER leftovers (vinuous and culinary). Friday was turbot, rice with nori, broccoli, and long beans with pepper and hoisin; wine was the 2009 Heretiers de Comtes Lafon “Clos de la Crochette” Macon-Chardonnay. Richer riper style of Macon, drinks more like a Meursault, nectarine and pear fruit, a little fat. B/B+
>
>
>
> Saturday was chicken fried rice, slivered asparagus, and the 2011 Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Kabinett (AP #16) . Vibrant, zesty, beautiful lime fruit with some slatey soil tones. Excellent (I’ve got the #3 as well, haven’t tried yet). A-/B+
>
>
>
> With ham, potatoes, and salad, the 2011 Preto Rosado (Bierzo). I’m told this is rose, but could easily pass for red, Dark berries and a little grapey edge. Full, a hint of sweetness, unusual and fun wine. 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.

That's Heritiers du Comte Lafon, oops

On Monday, December 24, 2012 10:39:21 AM UTC-7, DaleW wrote:
> On Monday, December 24, 2012 12:36:51 PM UTC-5, DaleW wrote:
>
> > Betsy made a favorite family recipe, an Asian accented beef stew with Chinese wheat noodles, wine was the 2009 Repris Right Bank Wine (Sonoma). There's a neck tag entitled Right Bank with a note this is a Merlot/Cab Franc blend. Black plums, some cocoa and spice. Full, richly textured. Clearly big wine with just a touch of heat (bottle shows 14.8 abv), but not OTT. As an homage to the Right Bank it does pretty well- I don't think if I was served this blind and told it was a ripe vintage of a mid-modern St. Emilion like Angelus or Beausejour-Becot I doubt I'd blink. I don’t drink much recent California cabernet/meritage, but thought this pretty good stuff in a lusher style. B+
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > Meatless Monday was a feta/spinach pizza, with the NV Clotilde Davenne Cremant de Bourgogne Rose Extra Brut. First bottle corked, 2nd quite nice. Crisp, strawberries and cherry, citrus zest, bread. Full and long, very good. B++
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > Tuesday was leftovers- chicken, beef stew, dressing, roasted vegetables.. Wine was the
>
> >
>
> > 2010 Lapierre Morgon. Bright, red and black cherries, a little earth. This is the sulphured version. Very nice. B+/B
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > Wednesday was SOBER (reported elsewhere), and Thursday SOBER leftovers (vinuous and culinary). Friday was turbot, rice with nori, broccoli, and long beans with pepper and hoisin; wine was the 2009 Heretiers de Comtes Lafon “Clos de la Crochette” Macon-Chardonnay. Richer riper style of Macon, drinks more like a Meursault, nectarine and pear fruit, a little fat. B/B+
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > Saturday was chicken fried rice, slivered asparagus, and the 2011 Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Kabinett (AP #16) . Vibrant, zesty, beautiful lime fruit with some slatey soil tones. Excellent (I’ve got the #3 as well, haven’t tried yet). A-/B+
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > With ham, potatoes, and salad, the 2011 Preto Rosado (Bierzo). I’m told this is rose, but could easily pass for red, Dark berries and a little grapey edge. Full, a hint of sweetness, unusual and fun wine. 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.
>
>
>
> That's Heritiers du Comte Lafon, oops

Duck with cherries and port with pre-taste of Bosca di Gica Prosecco and 2009 David Bruce Pinot Noir, really nice cherries and smoke B+ and no sign of Syrah in it.