So Betsy got home from Maine and we got ready for Dave’s birthday/going away dinner. His aunt and her family came, and his half-brother from Denmark joined us later. We started off with duck breast proscuitto (I need a meat slicer!) wrapped around asparagus spears or melon, with a few melon/mozzarella canapes for the non-meat-eaters. Wine was the NV Sommariva Prosecco di Conegliano-Valdobbiadene Superiore Brut,. Bright, light, zesty, clean, citrus and pear aromas. I think this is a fine value at $15. B/B+
Dinner was lobster/corn/tomato salad (on theory there won’t be $5/lb lobster in CA) with grilled squash, green salad, and melon. Wine was the 2012 Graci Etna Bianco. Full and rich with a good acidic backbone. Floral, pit fruits, good finish. B+
We also opened the 1988 Bloud/Ch. du Moulin-a-Vent “Cuvee Exceptionelle” Moulin-a-Vent (mag). This was very cheap in a CSW offering last year (I think $30 for the 1.5L) and I had low expectations. On opening it seemed tired and quite bretty, but maybe reduction not brett as it cleaned up and the fruit became younger and more expressive. Round, with black cherry, earth and leather. Happy it’s alive, but can’t say it was especially complex, tasted like somewhat generic older Pinot Noir (when Gamay ages do they call this pinosity or pinotsity?). Still, for price I was happy with it for a birthyear wine. B-
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.