Chateau de Beaucastel, 2005 - A wonderful wine from one of Chateauneuf top estate. Smoky, dark and complex but IMO, slightly too manly and full body for tonight’s more ‘gentile’ Cantonese food.
Fortunately, the stand-by, smoother and fruitier, Pruno 2013 - Ribera del Duero manged to save the day ( meal )
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Did dinner include any roasted meat(s)? That Beaucastel is calling us, by the way.
Just want to take this opportunity to mention that I have 2 bottles of '04 lying around, next to the bottle of '04 Clos des Papes. 
Sadly not this time! Only meat dishes were ’ Fried pork spare ribs with minced chili garlic salt ’ and a Chinese style pan-seared Angus beef filet mignon with honey mustard sauce. Both not good candidates for the wine since seasoning were very dominating.
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It is a known fact amongst chefs and foodies that Crab ( Dungeness ) together with Riesling is part of the Creator’s plan. Today, for our dinner’s appetiser of " BC Dungeness Crab prepared Chinese Chiu-Chow Cold Crab " style, I tried pairing the crustaceans with a more floral and exotic, fairly rare, off-dry German Siegerrebe from the great 2019 vintage.
The complex profile matches the inherent sweetness and delicate umami and salty component of the crab meat surprisingly well. However, the best part was the wine’s mildly sweet component that complemented the ’ foie gras ’ creaminess of the Crab brain/tamale so perfectly!
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For our 9 dishes take-out Cantonese meal, we opened up a magnum bottle of an ‘excelente’ vintage 2010
Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 904…ripe, spicy and still elegant with a tangy vanilla edge.
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Drank the above wine, given to me by a friend on another food board last year, at a dinner cooked by a different friend whom I met on yet another food board (many years ago) & whose horse just won the 1st race at Saratoga this afternoon. And folks ask why I love food boards.
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I had a Pet Nat from Paso at a bbq, not much in terms of flavor but the course bubbles helped it pair with everything. Does anyone like pet nat or is it just hype?
Luckily someone brought Donny Doon Vin Fris de Cigare which did a good job holding up to the bbq and side dishes.
Enjoyed some Pet Nat from La Garagista in Vermont, on a tip gleaned from Eric Asimov writing in the NY Times.
Thanks, they no longer have any available but I will keep an eye out.
They do tend to sell out quickly. Sign up for their email list so you’ll have a good shot at the next release.
For tonight’s dinner. Putting away all wine tasting and wine pairing notes and doing some winging instead!!..PAIRING a 20 year old Spanish Priorat with…wait for it!..POPEYE’S FRIED CHICKEN!! 
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That’s a bit unexpected from this vantage point. We’d probably go with something leaning acidic. No matter, as long as everyone had a good time.
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I have a variety of wines in my cabinet because, but tonight me and my friend had some Taltarni Brut wine.
Surprised to find a 2019 “Pleiades” Mendocino County Sangiovese Rose in my cellar. Nice rose for a hot afternoon.
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Labrusca lambrusco. Bottled in 2020. Given the heat wave, a fizzy, off dry wine was just the thing to go with spicy brats with onion and mustard.
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Ah, brats. Looking forward to my next trip to Madison WI.
BIL brought a 2002 Chateau Lafite to dinner at an Italian restaurant in Tel Aviv last night. High or low wine can define the experience.
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As Lambruscos go, this one was pretty good. I see getting some more to have on hand for weekends like these.
That Chateau sounds wonderful 
What temperature did you serve? It’s been ages but some of my earliest and fondest wine memories on the road to discovery were Lambrusco’s in Boston’s north end.
