Monday some good friends invited us over for dinner. When we arrived we
were offered a glass of the 2002 Five Vintners Syrah (Napa) , a
favorite wine of my (non-geek) friend Joe. Sweet thick fruit,
low-acidity, well-made but in a style that doesn't really appeal to me.
B-/C+

I think my offering appealed to me a bit more than my jammier-leaning
friends, it was the 2003 Edmunds St. John "Rocks and Gravel." Perky
acidity, bright red fruit, light and lively. By bottom of bottle
there's a nice hint of smoke and meat. Mineral finish, fine wine, A-/B+

The main course was a pasta with shrimp in spicy red sauce. They're
mostly red drinkers, but also offered around the 2003 Silverado
Sauvignon Blanc (Napa). I approached with trepidation - I'm not a big
fan of US SB, and I've never been too impressed with Silverado. But
this ends up being a pleasant surprise- bright clean acidity, sprightly
citrus and tropical fruit, light touches of jalapeno and herb. No sign
of oak. A good competitor for basic NZ SB. This probably deserves a B,
but gets a B+ for exceeding my expectations, the old overachievement.
boost.

Overall good wines, but the good easy conversation with great longtime
friends is better than any vino.

Tuesday Betsy went to the city to attend a Sufi music concert. I was on
freezer-clearing detail, and thawed a couple of filet mignons for
David and I, pan seared in a redwine/shallot sauce. Wine was a 375 of
the
1996 Ch. Talbot (St Julien). Warm cassis and red plum fruit, round but
with a core of tannins that is a good counterpoint for the meat. Some
cigarbox and damp earth. Not compelling but a nice midweight Bordeaux
for a midweek meal. B+

The wine I had used for the sauce was the 2004 St. Cosme Cotes du
Rhone. Usually a QPR fave of mine, not quite as enthused over this
vintage. Dark berry fruit, bigger style CdR that maybe could use some
time for some gritty tannins to integrate. Following night fruit had
faded more than the tannins. B-

Wednesday we had some friends over. Betsy made a broiled chicken with
mustard, accompanied by potatoes, carrots,and onions. I knew Ron and
Nancy were more red drinkers, but worried re the mustard. So I put out
an offdry white -the 2002 JJ Christoffel Urziger Wurzgarten Kabinett-
as well as some leftover Cosme CdR. The Kabinett was light-to-medium
bodied, with pleasant spiced Granny Smith and white peach flavors.
There was just the tiniest bit of petillance, a few bubbles in the
glass. Nice Riesling for the blowout price ($8) that PC has had this
and the 2003 for. B

They had brought the 2004 MacMurray Pinot Noir. Lighter styled PN, with
soft strawberry and cherry fruit. A hint of sweetness, approachable but
a bit simple. B/B-

Evening stretched on, and I decided to open another bottle, the 1995
Beringer's Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. The '91 to '94 KV was my
"house cab" but when '95s came out with a big price increase, and I
thought quality dipped, I passed. And continued passing till the 2002.
But I was recently buying some other California wines and wanted to
ease the shipping pain by picking up some more, so I got two of these.
The good news is that this was actually showing very nice blackcurrant
and black plum fruit, with fully resolved tannins and some earth and
leather on the finish. The only real downside was a tiny bit of
greeness/herbiness that lingered. Overall, a nice if not outstanding
mature CalCab. B/B+

Thursday Betsy announced she was trying a diet, the "Sonoma Diet". Big
thing is reduction in white carbs, she said she wasn't expecting me to
follow diet. I said I like your cooking no matter what, just give me
what you're having. First night was good- steak in a garlic-chile
sauce and broccolli with red peppers and goat cheese. She won't have
wine the first 10 days of diet, but I'm not on the diet, am I? So I
opened the 2004 Ch. d'Oupia Minervois. Big enough to stand up to the
steak, yet light & agile enough to stand up to be served straight out
of cellar. Nice bright acidity and clear blackberry and raspberry
fruit, with some nice provencal herbs and earth. Medium-bodied though
with enough tannins to last a bit (or to be served with a steak). Good
value. 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.

And here I thought the Sonoma diet was only drinking wine from Sonoma.
I was on the "Bordeaux" diet last weekend and will be on the "Spanish"
diet this cominig weekend. Am I doing this wrong?

Andy