Lamb chops on Thursday, with green beans, potatoes, and a bottle of the
2000 Ch. Sainte-Colombe (Côtes de Castillon). I loved the 1999 of this
(for under $10), I thought this $11 wine was a step behind. But time
has helped. The oak that was prominent on release has integrated into a
nice cedary nuance wafting over the body of black cherry and raspberry
fruit. Still a bit of tannin, but with rare meat that doesn't bother me
at all. Decent length for a satellite wine, quite nice showing overall.
B

Friday Betsy made the Zuni Cafe (Judy Rodgers) roast chicken with bread
salad (I have to say this is the best chicken recipe I've ever
encountered). I opened the 2000 Nicolas Potel "Vignots" Pommard. Medium
cherry fruit, light tannins, good acidity. Medium-bodied, more like a
bigger Bourgogne AC than a Pommard, except for a light meaty note after
time. Still, this is well-priced ($18), fully ready, and offers decent
QPR. B

With striped bass with fennel and tomatoes (done in a roasting bag like
my dad uses for a turkey, kind of a plastic "en papillote"), the 2004
Drouhin "Laforet" Mcon-Villages., I won't made any claims of
complexity for this, but it's a wellmade clean wine- bright greeen
apple fruit with a little hint of lemon-lime. For $7-8 it offers value
as a nice wine to have around, for when Betsy calls and says she needs
a cup of dry white wine, what should she open. I find it easier to find
decent under-$8 reds than whites. B/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.