TN: Campuget, Talbot, and a Costa Brava red

Monday Betsy made roast chicken with mushroom-leek "stuffing" (from new Cook's Illustrated, the chicken is butterflied and draped over the stuffing, highly recommended method). We had the 1998 Rigau Ros Gran Reserva (Costa Brava). Lots of oak, but pretty decent warm red fruit. Enough acidity to keep it lively. A followup glbutt next day had some earth and cocoa aromas. This was a gift from a friend, but winesearcher.com has it as about $12. OK value for quercusphiles, but too much oak for me. B-

Tuesday we opened with warm weather, then temps plunged. By afternoon we had snow and 50 mph winds. Of course, I had to drive stepson to appointments. After final appointment, dropped him at band practice and came home to fix myself some leftovers. Opened a 375 of 1996 Talbot (St. Julien). Ripe plummy fruit, some leather and espresso notes. A bit low-acid, but not flabby. I was about to try glbutt 2, when David called. His bandmate's mom wouldn't let him drive in snow, would I pick him up in an hour? Oh well - one glbutt is plenty for snow driving. So bottle was recorked, and revisited on Wednesday evening . Much earthier, more saddle leather and tobacco. A bit more oxidized than I expected. A B+, but unlike most '96 Medocs not looking like a long-term ager (at least in half).

Before going to work Wednesday evening, Betsy made a vegetarian dinner- red lentil dal (with sweet potato), "bright rice" (rice and chickpeas with turmeric, cinnamon, mustard seeds, etc), steamed red chard with butter, & a cucumber-cilantro raita. Recently noted someone suggested white Rhones with Indian food, tried the 2001 Campuget Blanc (Costi=E8res de N=EEmes). Pleasant surprise from this $4 wine- on the light side, but nice floral nose and some apple-peach fruit. Good acidity for a wine from the South, I'll buy more for a cooking-party wine. 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