On a neighbour’s lawn

Thursday, April 24^th: Wine importer Mike Regazzi dropped of a bottle of his Urbina Crianza 2015 that will be released on Saturday in Vintages:

Bodegas Urbina Rioja Crianza 2015 ($24.95)
Deep ruby in colour; cedary, spicy, toasty nose of strawberries; medium-bodied, dry, richly extracted strawberry and plum flavours; well-balanced, firmly structured and well-integrated oak. (91)

Friday, April 25^th: Dinner party at our house for Craig and Erica and John. Deborah made tapenade and mushrooms stuffed with Boursin. I barbecued a flank steak. Dessert: Portuguese tarts from Your Bakery, St. Catharines (in the mall opposite No Frills at 33 Lakeshore Road – simply the best!).

The wines: Big Head Chenin Blanc 2020, Norton Privada Family Blend 2015 (Argentina; magnum), Pagliaro Montefalco Sagrantino 2016.

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Saturday, April 26^th: With spicy shrimp and rice dish, a bottle of Cloudsley Chardonnay 2019.

Sunday, April 27^th: Dropped into the party that Sue-Ann Staff hosted for her mother Wendy’s 80th birthday. A most amazing cake that represented Wendy’s hobbies and the airport call sign of destinations she and her late husband Howard Staff flew to. Wendy cut the cake with the family sword that Sue-Ann used on her wedding cake.

Wendy cuts the cake