Wednesday I stopped by a Middle Eastern store in Yonkers for pita, baba ganoush, musabaha, hummus, and grape leaves. Got home, made tzatziki and caprese, and then grilled shrimp and lamb merguez. Then to first concert by river of the year (we were supplying the picnic for friends who are moving).

2021 Terres Dorees Rose a Folie
Light, fresh, herby, strawberry and raspberry, refreshing if uncomplicated. B

2019 Billards St Amour
Bigger than average but well balanced, rich red cherry and plum, herbs, peppers, a hint of mocha. Can hold but nice now. B+

Thursday jumped on train and went down to Noreetuh for dinner with friends. We started with musubi (yellowtail, scallop, pork jowl, galbi) and skewers (pork belly and beef).

2004 Vilmart Coeur de Cuvee.
Green apple, citrus peel, toast, chalk. Full with good acids. A-

1999 Vincent Couche Champagne Sensation
New producer to me. Apparently on lees 15-20 years before disgorgement! Apple,lemon, brioche, and a portobello note that I assume is from the long aging. Relatively fine mousse, quite interesting. B/B+

NV Laurent Perrier Grand Siecle No 25 (2008 base )
I somewhat liked this to start, but with an hour of hour it was really singing. Bright, taut, long. Nice fruit with sourdough aromas, minerally finish.. A-

2014 Pierre Peters Les Chetillons Blanc de Blancs
Bright acids, a bit coiled, potential but not easiest to drink right now. B for now, but potential pretty high ?

Fried chicken (with mac salad and Kings rolls), crab fried rice
2013 Dauvissat-Camus Les Preuses Chablis Grand Cru
Lemons, grapefruit, and oyster shells, really beautiful. A-

2014 Niellon Clos de la Maltroie Chassagne-Montrachet 1er
I found this surprisingly light for vintage, not dilute, but without the power I expected. Still, a very pleasant glass of Chardonnay! B/B+

2013 Leflaive Clavoillon Puligny-Montrachet 1er
Citrus, chalk, and light vanilla, good balance, very good length. B+/A-

Steak with enoki and bok choy
1979 Drouhin Clos des Mouches Beaune 1er
I’ve had great bottles of this, but it’s been a while, and I think this one was probably better a decade ago. Still, really fun to try, with a deep core of fruit and good acids, but nose dominated by beef broth/soy, which gets a bit of a touch of balsamic with time. B

1995 Drouhin Clos des Mouches Beaune 1er
Red fruit, fennel seed, some remaining tannin, acids a bit spiky. Seems to calm a bit, rounding out and putting on weight, but this isn’t a fave vintage of Mouches. B

2002 Drouhin Clos des Mouches Beaune 1er
Ramon brought the Chevillon after opening this and finding it off. We tried anyway, there was definitely something off, cooked fruit, lack of vitality, not a representative bottle.

1999 Roumier Chambolle-Musigny
Elegant, delicate, but with verve.Red cherries, sandalwood, anise. Lovely, incredible for 23 year old village. A-

2001 Chevillon LesVaucrains Nuits St Georges 1er
Ramon certainly scored with his replacement. Perfumed nose. Mostly resolved tannin, clear but integrated acid, black cherry with earth, coffee, and incense, I really loved (more than group I think). A-

Very fun night. Not best night for Mouches, but it remains one of my favorite Burgs, just need the right bottles. Very fun crowd, great food, good times.

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C drinkable. 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.