TN: Nenin, roses, and a very good 2003 Loire Friday with grilled porterhouses, corn, salad, and brown rice, the 1994 Ch. Talbot (St. Julien). Some cbuttis and black plum fruit, lots of cedary oak. Some rather hard-spiky tannins (more than I've noticed in previous bottles). This is ok as a steak wine, but by the time the tannins really recede I doubt there's much in the way of fruit left here. B Saturday some friends were moving (just in-town). Last wee, , I reluctantly offered my help. Seeing the forecast was for 90s, I was quite relieved to find they had booked professional movers. But they invited us (and a few others) for dinner and a tour of the house. So we loaded up some wine and glbuttes and headed over. Nice huge old place, where we sipped: 2004 Pepiere Muscadet I've posted enough notes about this. Just stunning value at under $10. B+-A- 2003 Catherine and Pierre Breton "Les Galichets" Bourgueil You know, it's not "correct" to say this (June is officially "Diss the 2003 vintage across Europe" month), but I think I like this better than previous vintages. Really rich cherry & redcurrant fruit, hint of earth, nice wine, but it's the aromatic herb notes that make it quite interesting. Despite the digits on the label there's plenty of acidity, a nice wine that is perfect served chilled on a hot night. B+-A- 2004 La Brbutterie Ros=E9 This Vin de Pays, on the other hand, sucked. Canned cherry soda flavors, short finish, run away. C- 1999 Ch. Nenin (Pomerol) I had this with the skirt steak. I'd given it a couple hours of air. Medium-bodied, but with a deep Pomerol richness to the black plum and blackberry fruit. Some oak, but more dominated by secondary notes of leadpencil and coffee. I don't think this is a Pomerol for the ages, but drinking well now. A- 2003 Domaine de la Janbutte C=F4tes du Rh=F4ne Ros=E9 Someone else had brought this ros=E9. Rather simple, though a big improvement on the VdP. Easy cherry-strawberry fruit, a little flabby, hint of sweetness. B- NV Cristalino cava Always a QPR favorite. Light, crisp, and straightforward. B (the Janbutte CdR ros=E9 was helped by adding a little cava- B for the chickentail). Nice evening in a nice new old place. 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 
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