Our last night in Minneapolis, Cal made a beef fried rice, we opened the 2005 Domaine Thenard Clos St Pierre Givry 1er Cru. Light but still alive, cranberry, raspberry, and mushrooms, not very long. B-/C+

No wine Tuesday, Wednesday I created (I thought) a water barrier at office before heading home to make mussels on pasta with a tomato sauce. 2012 Pepiere Clisson was lovely wine, seashell over citrus, crunchy and bright, just a hint of mature nuttiness. B+/A-

At 9:30 that night the alarm on backup sump pump went. For first time ever water inflow from Ida was more than my pump could handle. Several inches in basement, than about 11 pump more or less caught up. Went into office Th to discover Main St had overflowed so much it went over my homemade barriers, flooding office. As far as wine, lost a couple labels on bottom rack of home cellar, had to rebox many cases, at office (overflow cellar) several damaged boxes (flood drained from main floor into basement). Ugh. Lots of work, but no serious damage- we have friends who got 6 feet in their house (covering a Steinway grand), and know others who lost cars. Thursday night no wine ( spicy shrimp and corn/feta salad), I went to city via circuitous route, was amazed at maybe 100 abandoned cars and 2-3 dozen tractor-trailers waiting to be towed on other side of Deegan. What a storm.

Friday kielbasa and cabbage with white beans in a mustard/dill sauce. Wine was the 2013 Clos du Roilette (Coudert) Griffe de Marquis. Water had reached a box of assorted 2013 Beaujolais (it was off floor, but not enough), so decided to drink bottom layer. Very happy with this one- snappy cranberry and cherry, spice, a light cigarbox note. Nice velvety texture, good length. B+/A-

Saturday oysters, lobster, green beans, salad.
2018 Morgen Long Chardonnay (Willamette)
Pear, a little vanilla, moderate acids. B

Sunday Betsy had a concert at Music Mountain, I had dinner ready when she got home. Ribeye in coffee rub, burrata caprese, green salad, leftover corn/feta salad. Another flood bottle, a
2000 Grand Corbin Despagne (St. Emilion), found on bottom of grid racks, only other thing there were ports/maderia with painted labels. I thought I had finished these years ago, but this stray actually was drinking better than I imagined- mid modern, but not OTT in any way. Lush texture, mocha and dark berries, a little eucalyptus note that surprises me. B/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.

On 9/7/21 11:36 AM, dalewilli...@gmail.com wrote:

> At 9:30 that night the alarm on backup sump pump went. For first time ever water inflow from Ida was more than my pump could handle. Several inches in basement, than about 11 pump more or less caught up. Went into office Th to discover Main St had overflowed so much it went over my homemade barriers, flooding office. As far as wine, lost a couple labels on bottom rack of home cellar, had to rebox many cases, at office (overflow cellar) several damaged boxes (flood drained from main floor into basement). Ugh. Lots of work, but no serious damage- we have friends who got 6 feet in their house (covering a Steinway grand), and know others who lost cars. Thursday night no wine ( spicy shrimp and corn/feta salad), I went to city via circuitous route, was amazed at maybe 100 abandoned cars and 2-3 dozen tractor-trailers waiting to be towed on other side of Deegan. What a storm.

Yikes!!

> Sunday Betsy had a concert at Music Mountain, I had dinner ready when she got home. Ribeye in coffee rub, burrata caprese, green salad, leftover corn/feta salad. Another flood bottle, a
> 2000 Grand Corbin Despagne (St. Emilion), found on bottom of grid racks, only other thing there were ports/maderia with painted labels. I thought I had finished these years ago, but this stray actually was drinking better than I imagined- mid modern, but not OTT in any way. Lush texture, mocha and dark berries, a little eucalyptus note that surprises me. B/B+

I still have a couple bottles of the 2005. I would call it mid-modern
at most. Not overly big or overly oaked.

Mark Lipton