2010 Match Butterdragon - such a nice spot.  Thanks Randy

2014 Stefania Cab - thanks Paul. 

Awesome Tuesday

2010 Santa Duc Gigondas. Thanks some French dude or dudette.

2018 San Giusto a Rentennano Chianti Classico. Thank some Italian uomo  or ragazza.

2010 Chateau Quinault L’Enclos St-Émilion( drinking well)

2018 Walter Scott La Combe Verte Pinot Noir.  Very nice for the price.

2018 Produttori Langhe Nebbiolo - decanted at lunch and drank over a few hours later in the evening.  Tight as a drum.  Shut down.  Whatever you want to call it, it's giving nothing up at this point.  Will revisit in a year.

@vinoevelo posted:

2018 Produttori Langhe Nebbiolo - decanted at lunch and drank over a few hours later in the evening.  Tight as a drum.  Shut down.  Whatever you want to call it, it's giving nothing up at this point.  Will revisit in a year.

Don’t forget the Mollydooker shake!

2012 Angela Estate Pinot

2006 and 2007 Flaccianello. Drinking perfectly now.

2011 Charbonniere CdP VV

2010 Grand Tinel CdP Alexis Establet

2011 Anomaly Vineyards Cab

2008 La Fiorita BdM

2020 Icardi Moscato d'Asti Rosa Selvatica
2018 Chateau Leoube Ephemere

2007 Querciabella IGT Palafreno (Merlot)

Man, there are some good wines being drunk. That’s good.

I had to pop a 2018 Ziehharmonika Sine Qua Non Syrah... Three Grenache arrive with six Syrah... I felt obligated to start evening out the ratio.

2016 San Felice Bell'Aja - Nice cab/merlot with that great Italian character.

2015 Bodegas Muriel Rioja Reserva

I have not had many bottles under $20 that are better than this. My Sixth bottle in as many months and all of them consistently excellent for the price of admission. More of a traditional Rioja that does not fatigue the palate.

2008 Château Haut-Fonrazade

2017 Sebastien Brunet, Vouvray, Arpent

2017 Jean Foillard, Morgon

2017 Clos Henri Bel écho pinot noir New Zealand( yum)

Couple of weekends ago, the strong desire for social interaction with persons other than store clerks, service people and the random encounter, overcame us and we threw caution to the wind to host Javachip for fun, food, and festivities.  Tempered, of course, with COVID having already run its course in our bubble and JC having been vaccinated.  JC brought a few golf ball sized Italian black truffles with a bottle of Gaja in tow...

2019 Dom Huet Vouvray Le Haut-Lieu with aged cheddar and cracker assortment.  Don't say this very often (or ever) of a white wine, but this bottle could have used a few more year to settle down.

2019 Pra' Otto, Suave classico with fresh linguini in olive oil, salt flakes, salt-cured eggs from our very own chickens, and a very generous portion of sliced truffle...this dish, for me was the olfactory overload of the night. 

1998 Gaja Barbaresco, with filet mignon in perigord sauce with a generous portion of sliced truffles to top off.   Don't think i need to say much more here. 

2001 Ch de Malle, with an assortment of fine pastries from a lil' ol'; spot in our hood

More pedestrian last weekend,

2015 Tenuta Perano, Frescobaldi, chianti classico

2011 Ch de la Mullonniere, Coteaux du Layon Beaulieu..excellent with homemade choco chippers.

Tonight..

1994 Bolla Amarone

2012 Domaine du Gros ‘Nore Bandol (sublime)

Last night.

Monte Antico 2015

Balbas Reserva 2012

Petrolo Galatrono 2009

Nederburg The Winesmasters Noble Late Harvest 2018

I can't quite imagine having a Monte Antico alongside Galatrona - it must have been an interesting evening.

Nothing so exotic for us.  We had Alianca Vinho Verde (my in-house dock wine) followed by 2018 Zorzal Eggo Franco Cab Franc with a pot roast.  A qualified 'Yum'.

2013 Stefania Chaine d’Or cab sauv.  Really really nice tonight. May benefit from another year or two in the cellar but this is some damn nice cab.

I really need to start buying these again.  

2010 Sine Qua Non Syrah Five Shooter

2018 Envinate Benje Tinto.  Nice and funky and really delicious.

Two from Painted Rock in the Okanagan, both drinking nicely

• 2015 Chardonnay
• 2012 Merlot

2006 Brovia Barolo Villero

One of those wines that you just want to inhale the whole bottle. Which I pretty much did tonight.

2002 Two Hands Lily's Garden - Lush fruit, but not enough tannic structure for my taste.  Technically well-made, but lacks any kind of character.  It doesn't exemplify McLaren Vale very well.

2006 Arcadian Chardonnay Sleepy Hollow Vineyard

@wineismylife posted:

2006 Arcadian Chardonnay Sleepy Hollow Vineyard

I don't tend to drink chardonnay with that much age on it.  How was it?  Do you lean towards drinking chardonnay younger or older (though I guess you can say that depends on the producer/region/etc)?  

I generally drink Chardonnay with 3-5, maybe 7 years on it.  Occasionally one gets away from me.  I actually bought this one during a winery visit and it was a library release iirc.  Already had quite a bit of age on it.

In general I do like old Chardonnay.

@otw posted:

2002 Two Hands Lily's Garden - Lush fruit, but not enough tannic structure for my taste.  Technically well-made, but lacks any kind of character.  It doesn't exemplify McLaren Vale very well.

It's day 2 and I'm not enjoying this experience.  Lily is just a flabby fruitcake.

I don't know where they misplaced the tannin but this wine lacks any kind of backbone.  Lots of fruit syrup with a plush texture.  It says 15% alcohol but the glycerine-like texture makes it seem like more.

The back label says it is 'hand-crafted' wine.  Next time, I'd suggest foot-stomping, more stems and pits, and less extraction.

2020 Field Recordings Tang Piquette. Interesting. Not sure I need to have it again.

Lately:

NV Maison de Grand Esprit Marquis de la Mysteriale Champagne

2014 Evening Land Brasserie 19 Pinot

2017 Martin Ray Cab Synthesis - Young but very good

2014 Bergevin She-Devil Syrah

2004 Paolo Conterno Barolo Ginestra

Ken Forrester Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2017.  Very tasty.

2019 Saint Cosme CdR.

2006 Poggio Verrano Chance.  Very nice full-bodied Tuscan wine.  Will wait a few years before opening the last bottle.  Perfect match with a chorizo-tomato risotto. 

2018 Carlisle Zinfandel Dupratt Vineyard

2009 Pearl Morissette Chardonnay Cuvée Dix-Neuvième

My contribution to last night’s YBC Blind Zoom tasting. Still surprisingly oaky, but not at all buttery. Good, not great. Not a lot of complexity.

Swear I didn’t plan this but tonight with Restaurant Pearl Morisette’s subscription service dinner, 2012 Pearl Morisette Chardonnay cuvée dix-neuvieme.