Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts

Michael Malinoski

Jacques, I am a fan of the "bring whatever you want" wine theme--it keeps you on your toes. I am also a huge fan of the '79 Pichon Lalande and have posted some TNs here not too recently about it's virtues. I have a couple left, too, which I'm pretty excited about. What I am NOT a huge fan ...

Michael Malinoski

Having started these wine and poker tournaments back in early 2007, our group recently held our 60th official game over at Zach’s house, with the wines supplied by the winner of the previous month’s tournament, Blair (who also happens to be the founding father of the series). Per the usual, all of t...

Michael Malinoski

A little while back, we had the Lawton family over for dinner, which of course required us to collectively open 6 bottles for the 4 adults. Susan cooked osso bucco, so we ended up drinking largely Italian wines. As always, it was a lot of fun, with several standout wines, to be sure. With cheeses an...

Michael Malinoski

Yeah, 7 of the 8 tasters had the 1989 in their top 3, and nobody had the 1988 in their top 3, so it was a pretty clear victory for the '89, at least on this night!

Michael Malinoski

Albert organized a Dominus tasting with 8 of us at one of our favorite local Italian restaurants in Newton, where we took over the back room to taste through a really impressive set of wines from this vaunted producer. We didn’t taste the wines blind, and we had dinner served throughout the course o...

Michael Malinoski

Alex and Laura hosted dinner for 10 a little while back, with a vertical of Paloma Merlot as a perfectly good excuse to get together. A friend of theirs cooked up a ferocious storm in the kitchen and we dined like kings, with some wines that really surprised me with their expressiveness and fine bal...

Michael Malinoski

A recent dinner at China King had 7 of us working our way through several Peking Ducks and all kinds of other dishes while drinking down 15 really interesting wines. The wines were not served blind and there were no formal flights. White wines: 2005 Schloss Gobelsburg Grüner Veltliner Gobelsburger S...

Michael Malinoski

I got together one recent Monday night with 2 friends to drink some nice wines and eat a ridiculous amount of take-out Chinese food. There were plenty of leftovers of both, but we did plenty of damage nonetheless. 2002 Pol Roger Champagne Extra Cuvée de Reserve . With some cheeses and spreads, we st...

Michael Malinoski

I say far out with no sense of irony that an 03 from that commune, which I believe was supposed to have fared worst after Pomerol, would be most or many people's WOTN. Indeed! Looking back, I found the rankings. 03 du Tertre received 4 first-place votes and 3 second-place votes. 79 Palmer was 2nd o...

Michael Malinoski

The 2010 Peppino really wasn't my cup of tea the one time I tasted it, but that was at the tail end of a bunch of Bordeaux wines, so I admit I need to try it again to give it a fair shake. You can search the site here for my tasting note if you're interested. Curious to get your take if you try the ...

Michael Malinoski

A little while back, I was invited to join a group of 7 other people for dinner when one of their regular members couldn’t make it. The wine theme was anything from the Margaux appellation, so how could I refuse? All wines were served blind, with the tasting order randomized by the restaurant staff....

Michael Malinoski

My wife and I were happy to join three other couples a little while back for dinner at Peach Farm in Boston's Chinatown, where we enjoyed a wide range of wines with a bevy of delicious dishes, per usual. 2002 Vincent Dauvissat (René & Vincent) Chablis 1er Cru La Forest . This is quite classical ...

Michael Malinoski

Comte, Peter says he felt the 2003 Lagrange did turn more roasty and uneven later in the evening, so I guess it probably is best to hold off a while on that to see how it comes together for a more consistent showing down the road.

-Michael

Michael Malinoski

Five of us gathered recently for an informal evening of cards and wine over at Pete’s house while the family was out of town. 2005 Marchesi Fumanelli Terso Bianco Veneto IGT . There’s a burnished gold tint to the color of this wine, which smells of honeycomb, beeswax, wool, nectarine and lemon pith ...

Michael Malinoski

Thanks, Harry. I think that is the first vintage for Eastside Vineyard for Aubert, yes? I believe it may be the first wine he's made from Russian River specifically--did it feel similar to the Sonoma Coast offerings, or was there any additional weight or other character to the wine that stood out re...

Michael Malinoski

Looks like fun. I see some Bourdy from Jura there on one table... What else?

Michael Malinoski

Same here, enjoy yourselves, everyone!

Michael

Michael Malinoski

Great to hear! I have a few bottles resting. My last set of experiences would have Lynch, Pichon Lalande and certainly Montrose ahead of it, but I do place it ahead of Pichon Baron and definitely LLC for my tastes. Could be time to do some added testing, though...

Michael

Michael Malinoski

My 9 year old daughter just finished reading a biography of Neil Armstrong, which I know she really enjoyed. It was one of those <100-page kids' biography series, but I read it too and really got a kick out of it. I had no idea there was just that one photo of him from his historic journey. As an as...

Michael Malinoski

Our most recent poker game took place at Andy’s house, with Andy cooking and Mike C. in charge of supplying the wines. The food was great, and the wine line-up was fantastic. As usual, all of the wines were served blind. Flight 1: 2006 Aubert Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard Sonoma Coast . This is a clou...

Michael Malinoski

NOT AN OFFICIAL QUESTION:

Was this taken on the left bank or the right bank of the sea of tranquility?

Michael Malinoski

So, Sam Adams did in fact withdraw their support from the parade.

Michael Malinoski

good insights, thanks!

Michael Malinoski

I have a few of these for my kids' birthyear and am hopeful that they'll hang in there (and improve) through at least 2025! We'll see, but curious to hear your opinion...

Michael

Michael Malinoski

I guess some bar owners in the South End are pulling Sam off the menu until the brewer agrees to stop sponsoring the South Boston St Patty's Day parade. The parade continues to disallow openly gay supporters and a group of gay veterans to march in the parade, so this is a way to more or less try to ...

Michael Malinoski

Jim, one member of our party knows the powers that be there, and they came to an arrangement to let us dine there without corkage. Happens in many places all over town (if you know the right people, wink-wink, nod-nod)... :) We're thinking of doing another dinner there some time in the next few mont...

Michael Malinoski

There were 7 of us recently at Erbaluce for dinner. The kitchen delivered some fantastic plates and folks brought some tremendous wines. The wines were not served blind, and just about every red wine saw time in decanters for a while before we got around to trying them. Champagnes and white wines: 2...

Michael Malinoski

Totally agree on 2003 du Tertre. It was tremendously good last Monday night and even though it was pretty clear in the blind tasting format that it was likely a 2003, it was the group wine of the night among a pretty impressive peer group of Margaux bottlings (including a surprisingly good '79 du Te...

Michael Malinoski

It was my pleasure recently to join 3 good friends at the tavern over in Brookline to share a fine meal together and taste a few outstanding bottles of wine. Champagne and whites: 1998 L. Aubry Fils Champagne Le Nombre d’Or Brut Sable Blanc des Blancs . This Champagne is an unusual blend of 40% Char...

Michael Malinoski

Yes, the 30th Anniversary was a separate bottling in 1996, but I generally agree that Mondavi Reserve rarely disappoints.

-Michael

Michael Malinoski

I depends, Danny. If I'm winning/in the hunt, then the card game is the focus. If I'm losing/out, then it's all about the wine! And the complaining about bad cards...

-Michael

Michael Malinoski

Andy hosted one of our recent monthly poker tournaments, and Gerry supplied the wines after his hard-earned victory the month before. The food was great and the wine line-up was excellent. As always, the wines were served blind, except the after-hours bottles. White starter: 2006 Château Smith Haut ...

Michael Malinoski

Thanks for the note on the 2010 Point Rouge, my sole experience was the 2008, which was tremendous. A real elegant Peter Michael Chard.

By the way, I'm drinking the 2003 Peter Michael La Carriere right now, with a Whoopie Pie of all things....

-Michael

Michael Malinoski

Really glad to hear positive news!

Michael Malinoski

My wife and I hosted a dinner party recently for another couple and their young son. While the kids played in the other room and occasionally joined us to eat, we enjoyed some really delicious wines. N.V. Barons de Rothschild Champagne Brut . Our first wine of the evening features lovely aromas of t...

Michael Malinoski

I was supposed to drink both the 92 and the 95 earlier this week with some friends, but the tasting got delayed due to the snowstorm. I'm looking forward to trying them alongside the 83, 84, 85, 86, 88 and 96...

-Michael

Michael Malinoski

The Jadot Boudots is certainly more fully-realized at this point, in my opinion, Stefan.

Michael Malinoski

Four of us got together a little while back to play some cards, eat some food and watch some hoops on a Saturday afternoon. Of course, we also opened up a few good bottles. N.V. Pol Roger Champagne Brut Réserve . On the nose, this is light and pretty with fine aromas of lemon, ginger, apple, flowers...

Michael Malinoski

Our monthly poker gang met recently at Tom’s clubhouse, with the wine and food supplied by the previous month’s winner, Karl. As usual, all of the wines were served blind, though this time around Karl did provide us with some clues on a little cheat sheet. N.V. Billecart-Salmon Champagne Brut Réserv...

Michael Malinoski

Last month, my wife and I were pleased to join seven other friends out at the Lawton residence for a delicious holiday dinner featuring a whole bunch of foodie pot luck dishes. The kids played upstairs while the adults got down to the serious business of cooking and opening bottles. With a whole bun...

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