With spicy ginger/lime chicken breast (grilled with a mayo marinade), haiga rice, and broccoli, the 2011 Donnhoff Oberhauser Leistenberg Riesling Kabinett. On sweeter side of kabinett, decant acids, orange and peach fruit, quite floral. B/B+

No wine Wednesday with cod braised in a chipotle sauce.

Thursday up to Croton for an “older Italian” tasting. Started with a nice spread of cheese and pates

2002 Corbon Blanc de Blancs Brut Champagne
I’d only had the NV Corbon before. This was lovely, both showing its age and youthful! Pears, almonds, smoke and biscuit, deep and long. Fine mousse, nice grip. A-/B+

(red wines were all carefully double-decanted before transport)
1974 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino
A little lifted note, lighter body, but with pretty sweet cherry fruit accented with a little balsamic. I didn’t have very high expectations of this but ended up liking quite a bit! B+/B

1977 Col d’Orcia Brunello di Montalcino Riserva
A little deeper, black cherry with forest floor, damp earth, and mushrooms, a bit of cigarbox on finish. B+

1998 B. Giacosa Barbera d’Alba
Good acids, red plum and cherry fruit, nice length, quite lively if not super complex. B/B+

1982 Marcarini La Serra Barolo
Bright, a pointe, red and black cherry, some tar, maybe just a hint of barnyard, nice. B+/A-

1974 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Montestefano
This was one of mine, soaked/saturated cork that broke even with Durand, was brown and funky to start (with about a half cup of silky sediment). But had calmed down by time we served, though clearly not a pristine bottle. Baked brown sugar, a little chinato edge, but nice herbal finish. B

About here John served his excellent short ribs, with orange peel, carrots , and mushrooms.

1971 Cordero di Montezemolo Barolo Monfalletto
A very good showing of this, that weightless yet powerful thing you sometimes get in elegant older Nebbiolo. Rose petal and tar nose, solid palate with red cherry, balsam, and leather. Quite long. A-

1970 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco
I think people underestimate the longevity of the “normale.” This is light, but alive and long. Bing cherry, anise, floral. B+

1961 Marchesi di Barolo Barolo
Lively, black cherry with notes of miso, campfire, and licorice, good persistence, tangy. A-/B+

We got very lucky, everything but the Montestefano was at upper end of my hopes.

Victor sprung a blind wine on us, Sasha immediately got Pomerol, but we struggled with vintage and producer. Black plum, green pepper, some sturdy tannins, moderate acids. Not very charming, but pretty solid, not a bad steak wine. 1994 Latour a Pomerol B

As desserts went around, Sasha passed his blind wine. Loire Chenin was declared immediately, and pretty much knew it was Huet Vouvray. I thought younger than ‘62 and ‘70 I’d had recently, so guessed early 80s. Nope. Impressively youthful, zippy, white peach and honeycomb, a bit of wool. Lovely. 1953 Huet “Le Mont” Demi-Sec Vouvray. A-

Very fun night, good group. .

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.