Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts

Michael Malinoski

Alex,

There are 12 guys in the group, and every once in a while we get all 12, though we always have at least 6. This was a rare one with full participation. I was the winner (for once!) so had a good budget for hosting the next game.

-Michael

Michael Malinoski

Starter white: 2013 Sandlands Chenin Blanc Amador County . To my mind, this is fairly easily identified on the nose as Chenin Blanc, with very nice, clean, fresh and refined aromas of wax, lanolin, lemon tea, white peach and powdered mineral leading the way. In the mouth, it’s waxy-textured, rounded...

Michael Malinoski

After my big birthday blow-out dinner with a group of friends, we had a more low-key birthday dinner at our house the following weekend with my extended family. The food was great and we enjoyed some very nice wines, though we had to work around a few less-than-perfect bottles. 2011 Roses de Jeanne ...

Michael Malinoski

VERY belated, but I'm trying to catch up!! Thanks, everyone!

Michael

Michael Malinoski

It was my birthday, and I wanted to celebrate in style. So, nine of us planned a really fun menu, with everybody taking turns contributing their cooking skills in the kitchen, and everybody bringing beautiful wines to help make it a truly special evening. Needless to say, it was a night to remember!...

Michael Malinoski

For a whole bunch of reasons, I've managed to fall desperatey behind (to the tune of about 7 months) in posting my tasting notes, but I'm going to try to make an effort to catch up to some degree over the next few months. So, apologies for the time delay on these. Andy was the host for one of our po...

Michael Malinoski

Great tasting and outstanding notes, Comte, thanks for taking the time to share. I have not had the pleasure of trying a Verset wine, never mind one from a great vintage. I haven't lost hope, though...

Michael

Michael Malinoski

A little while back, four of us got together over at Ed’s house on a Monday night for a whole bunch of take-out food and some good wines. There was a general consensus to drink some Southern Rhones followed by some Syrahs, and while perhaps a bit jarring to go from the former to the latter, in the e...

Michael Malinoski

Hah ha!! No, I'm sure there are plenty of other types of bulletin boards I can frequent if I want to go down that road, David!

Michael Malinoski

My wife invited another couple over for dinner recently, and we learned they had just started exploring wine through some executive seminars and such. We were having Indian food and the request came down for me to open some moderately off-beat wines for their education that might still work well wit...

Michael Malinoski

I'll admit, it got a bit out of hand...

Michael Malinoski

Charles arranged for 9 of us to BYO at a Persian restaurant in Watertown a little while back, and we pretty much took over the small space with our table of overflowing dishes and bottles. There was a ton of food and way too much wine, and it’s safe to say that a good time was had by all. Sparklers ...

Michael Malinoski

A couple of us got together on a Saturday night over at Andy’s place to play some cards, eat his delicious cooking and open a few random bottles. NV Delamotte Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut . This is bright and airy on the nose, showing a lot of flint and smoke notes atop a core of apple, lemon pith...

Michael Malinoski

Six of us gathered at the Tavern a little while back to enjoy some outstanding wines from our cellars to go with the delicious food there. Some mini-flights were pulled together from the assembled bottles, and we were off and running... Sparklers and white wines: 2002 Nicolas Feuillatte Champagne Br...

Michael Malinoski

Gerry, thanks for sharing these insights about your Dad. I know you've had some difficult weeks these past few months, but to hear some of these anecdotes about his life, his contributions to our country, and the legacy he's left is a great way to celebrate his life. Take care.

Michael

Michael Malinoski

A little while back, Bill arranged for 10 of us to dine at Sweet Cheeks Restaurant, where we gorged on fun and delicious Asian-influenced starters and a whole host of various BBQ dish entrees. It was a fun and festive environment, with some great wines brought by everyone. Sparklers and white wines:...

Michael Malinoski

I traveled recently with my family to upstate New York to visit some close family friends who had moved up there a while back. My brother-in-law and I brought some wine, and we spent a fun weekend cooking, drinking, gaming, catching up and just generally relaxing with one another. NV Billecart-Salmo...

Michael Malinoski

My wife and I were invited to dinner a little while back by good friends, and as usual we couldn’t resist opening too much wine for the four of us. Still, we managed to do some damage, and had great leftovers for the next night, as well. 1990 Krug Champagne Brut . Served from magnum. This is a beaut...

Michael Malinoski

We had some celebrating to do with my wife’s family a little while back, and we needed some wines to help us along. These seemed to do the trick for us. NV Domaine Collin Crémant de Limoux Brut Cuvée Tradition . We started with this wine, which is rather crisp and super-flinty on the nose—featuring ...

Michael Malinoski

About twice a year my wife and I have a dinner party with another couple, and we always try to pull out all the culinary stops if we can—which usually brings forth some really fine wines from our respective cellars for pairings. This night was no different, I’m glad to say, as the food they served w...

Michael Malinoski

We'll often do more structured flights at these events, but sometimes it is just a bit of a random assortment, which suits me fine most of the time. This was my very first Bahans experience, by the way, and I definitely enjoyed it. I believe the name was retired 7 or 8 years ago. Le Clarence de Haut...

Michael Malinoski

It was another month, another wine and poker tournament, another inevitable loss for yours-truly. But, as usual, the great wines and great friends made up for that, and it was a fun day all around. As is our custom, the wines were all served blind. 1996 Henriot Champagne Brut Millésimé . This has ye...

Michael Malinoski

I agree it's ready to drink. We didn't decant or slow-ox or anything and it was no problem. I do think it will improve marginally, though.

-Michael

Michael Malinoski

Just had the 03 Sociando last Sat night, I thought it was a really nice wine, too.

Michael Malinoski

There were 7 of us at Peach Farm in Chinatown on a Friday night, downing loads of food and working our way through a wide range of interesting and delicious wines. White wines: 2002 Domaine Huet Vouvray Pétillant Réserve Brut . This sparkling Chenin presents gentle, pleasing aromas of wax, lemon pee...

Michael Malinoski

Yeah, the Montrose was from magnum. I was worried it would be way too young from that format, but it was great. At the same time, it was clear that it can indeed go 15+ years in that format, easily. I don't have a great sense of Sauternes vintages, but it's hard to deny 2001, it really is a fantasti...

Michael Malinoski

Really informative read there, thank you! I haven't had many of those wines, but I am a big fan of the 05 d'Issan, so glad (though not surprised) to hear that it's still doing quite well. Also nice to read a positive note on Phelan Segur--they've kind of fallen off my radar, but the 2005 seems like ...

Michael Malinoski

1998 on the Pol Roger, Stefan.

Tempura was just the first of many, many, many dishes, including mounds of Korean ribs and other more Bordeaux-worthy dishes that came later. But these shrimp are to die from, let me tell you!

Best,
Michael

Michael Malinoski

Our regular tasting group gathered at Tom and Sandy’s a little while back to enjoy several tons of their home-cooked shrimp tempura and all sorts of other delicious goodies. They really outdid themselves in the kitchen on our behalf, and everyone brought great bottles of wine to match, so it was the...

Michael Malinoski

Here are some brief notes on wines served at dinner with the in-laws recently. 2013 Adega Coop. de Ponte de Lima Loureiro Vinho Verde . This is crisp, compact and crunchy on the nose, showing coiled, piquant aromas of steel, quinine, herb, honeydew melon and citrus. In the mouth, it’s very dry and s...

Michael Malinoski

Tom had five of us over one night to play some cards and drink some wine. We didn’t have any specific theme or flights planned--folks just brought random bottles to try. NV Parés Baltà Cava Brut B . This is a bit darker-colored than expected, with very toasty aromas of smoke, flint, apples, toasted ...

Michael Malinoski

On nearly the same date two years ago, a small group of us got together for the first Hamtopia celebration, which was a cooking, eating and drinking excuse built around Mike having purchased a couple of whole country hams from a farm in Kentucky for us. I can’t recall exactly where this year’s hams ...

Michael Malinoski

Indeed, Comte, the 1989 is one of my favorites--I would have to put it a step ahead of this 1988, though they share many of the same qualities.

I'll keep an eye out for the 1986.

-Michael

Michael Malinoski

We'll see which of those Bruins is still hanging around after this off-season. They need to do some house-cleaning after this year's disappointing season! Already started with the GM...

Michael Malinoski

I took my wife out for dinner a little while back for a celebration, and we opened a few very nice bottles to enjoy with the tremendous meal that was prepared for us. 1996 Pol Roger Champagne Brut Vintage . There’s a little bit of bronzing to the color here, and a fine but faint bead. It offers up a...

Michael Malinoski

I'm a big Cos fan, as well. 1982 is fantastic, but I'd happily take 1986, 1989, 1996 and a bunch of others I've been fortunate enough to drink. The 2001 for some time had me wondering when it would become approachable (if ever), but it sounds like it may soon join the ranks...

Michael

Michael Malinoski

Thank you for the note, very helpful. I have a few of the '04 Langoas stashed away, and am glad to hear it is drinking well. I wonder how it will drink in 10 years' time when my kids are old enough to enjoy some birth year wines, though? Never even heard of the Sterimberg--an interesting one to look...

Michael Malinoski

Nice notes, thanks, Stefan.

Planning on drinking the 1989 Trimbach Frederic Emile next weekend (along with 2000 VT version of the same). Really looking forward to that! 2006 sure seems like it ought to be young, but glad it's showing well already.

Best,
Michael

Michael Malinoski

It was a lot of fun some time back to welcome Mike G. to Boston with a dinner at one of our city’s best wine and food locales. Angelo gathered together a diverse set of locals (7 people in total), and a sort of Italian red wine theme was vaguely put forth. Folks brought some very nice bottles and we...

Michael Malinoski

We have no choice but to obey the command! This was a helpful note, thank you.

Michael

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