The 2014 Cos d'Estournel has been uncorked and other ramblings....

[JimHow]

So tomorrow begins my first day of Medicare coverage, which happens to coincide with my annual September/October alcohol fasting season leading up to my two annual doctor checkups at the end of October, during which I diet and exercise and fast from alcohol to get my blood work numbers artificially squared away, so that I can then resume abusing my body for the next ten months. The stretch also coincides with a lengthy murder trial on the horizon scheduled to start after Thanksgiving, I usually get in shape for those long trials as well by trying to get into marathon shape, so I should be quite a dynamo for the rest of the year until about Christmas. My only deviations will be a couple gatherings with some BWEers and the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. And now with Medicare kicking in hopefully I can go back to my fancy cholesterol medication that Anthem Blue Cross, the most despicable company on the planet, had stopped covering.

A lot to celebrate! Thus I decided to celebrate with something a little special, a big 2014 Cos d'Estournel that is quite fragrant upon uncorking, deeply ruby colored, going to have it tonight with a nice juicy high cholesterol strip sirloin. Celebrate good times, come on! It's a celebration.

[JimHow]

Mmm, this has some Lafite-like nuances to it, I like that in my Cos d'Estournel.

[JimHow]

My political mentor, George Mitchell, turned 90 this past week.

Every American should learn his story:

Part 1:

https://www.newscentermaine.com/video/n ... 4ad64f2181


Part 2:

https://www.newscentermaine.com/video/n ... dbb96bc126

I was a 30 year old mayor of a city in Maine back in 1990 when George Mitchell took me under his wing. He was/is my political hero.

He took on Oliver North at the height of Ronald Reagan's popularity in a moment of courage that I have seen virtually no elected officials match before or since....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThEMsxcAqu8&t=7s

Maine common sense. Won't you all join us? It's really not that hard.

[Blanquito]

This is encouraging. I had an 04 Cos not long ago that totally sucked. Spoof city. Sounds like they’ve dialed it back.

[JimHow]

We were in Senator Mitchell's Senate Majority Leader office. it overlooks the Washington Monument, it's the best office view in the Russell Senate Office Building. That office has the famous portrait of Harry S. Truman in it. We were there, it had to have been the spring of 1993 because Judy was with me, it was the week I testified before a U.S. Senate committee about the regressive impacts of federal clean water mandates upon local municipalities. We used to go down to Washington regularly to lobby Olympia Snow, Bill Cohen, and George Mitchell, our Maine federal delegation, on municipal issues. By then I would have been president of the Maine Conference of Mayors, so I was there in a dual capacity. So we were in the waiting room, me and the city administrator, and some local city councilors, waiting to meet with George Mitchell. And out walks Senator Mitchell, and greets me like I am the King of Siam. As it happens, that day they were deliberating the transportation bill, which is the biggest pork bill of the year, it is the one day each year when Democrats and Republicans are friends. George greets me and proceeds to introduce me to... Ted Kennedy.... tall, larger than life... Pat Moynihan.... friendly, gregarious... Frank Lautenberg from New Jersey.... Followed closely by Robert Byrd.... And one or two others, lost to memory... Last was Bob Dole... It was me, Bob Dole, and George Mitchell. I remember shaking Senator Dole's left hand. And I remember, like it was yesterday, Bob Dole saying something funny, acerbic, I can't remember what it was, but I remember George laughing with genuine friendship with his Republican minority colleague. The whole interaction lasted probably less than 200 seconds. But George Mitchell and Bob Dole took that moment in time, back in the spring of 1993, to talk to some 30 year old nerd from Maine who thought he was a big deal. It was the way things used to operate. Maybe some of that stuff still happens on Capitol Hill, it has been decades since I've been in that sphere, but I'm guessing probably not. Too bad.

Having said that.... Get well soon, Mitch McConnell.....

[JimHow]

The 2014 Cos is NOT the 2004 Cos, or the 2009, or 2010.
It seems like they have dialed it back.
This is a great New York steak wine.
To me it is everything we look for in Cos, including the Lafite component, it just needs a good blanquito.
I have five remaining bottles in my cellar and will drink the next one after a good solid blanquito.
In the meantime, this is still very enjoyable now, albeit young.
Dark and brooding, but also balanced, ripe, and rich, but classy. Love it.
I rank it 95+ points and it will only improve and never decline during my lifetime.

[Nicklasss]

So tomorrow begins my first day of Medicare coverage, which happens to coincide with my annual September/October alcohol fasting season leading up to my two annual doctor checkups at the end of October, during which I diet and exercise and fast from alcohol to get my blood work numbers artificially squared away, so that I can then resume abusing my body for the next ten months.

Ha ha ha , good one. It is a good strategy, as you have access to a doctor. I can't do that, not having any doctor.

With all the 2014 you opened, enjoyed and rated positively, i understand the type of vintage it is, one coming out not that often but greatly balanved and complex from start and for many years.

That brings me to think we all have our favorite vintages, from different eras. For me, in recent years, it is 2016 but, only God knows why few 2014 made it to Québec. I think i have zero 2014 on hand. That sucks a bit.

[barsacpinci]

So tomorrow begins my first day of Medicare coverage, which happens to coincide with my annual September/October alcohol fasting season leading up to my two annual doctor checkups at the end of October, during which I diet and exercise and fast from alcohol to get my blood work numbers artificially squared away, so that I can then resume abusing my body for the next ten months. The stretch also coincides with a lengthy murder trial on the horizon scheduled to start after Thanksgiving, I usually get in shape for those long trials as well by trying to get into marathon shape, so I should be quite a dynamo for the rest of the year until about Christmas. My only deviations will be a couple gatherings with some BWEers and the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. And now with Medicare kicking in hopefully I can go back to my fancy cholesterol medication that Anthem Blue Cross, the most despicable company on the planet, had stopped covering.

A lot to celebrate! Thus I decided to celebrate with something a little special, a big 2014 Cos d'Estournel that is quite fragrant upon uncorking, deeply ruby colored, going to have it tonight with a nice juicy high cholesterol strip sirloin. Celebrate good times, come on! It's a celebration.

I love Medicare (along with Cigna 2nd). I don’t seem to pay for much now compared to what I had when working.

Congrats on hitting that milestone!

[DavidG]

Happy belated birthday Jim, and welcome to Medicare!

Funny, I do the opposite and let myself go before my annual blood work and doctor visit. I figure if I'm not in trouble after a couple of months of my worst behavior, I should be OK for another year.

Love the stories about your adventures in politics.

[Racer Chris]

I've been on Medicare nearly a year and still haven't used it yet. One of these days I''ll get around to scheduling a routine physical so my doctor can update my file. I've been feeling quite good since I'm using a Water Rower for exercise.
I felt good enough to demolish and remove 300 (15x20) square feet of old concrete patio this summer. And I rewarded myself with plenty of red Bordeaux, both purchased and consumed. Although I won't touch my 3 bottles of 2014 Cos or PLL or PB anytime soon.

[PghMike]

This was one of my favorites of all the wines Iast year. Maybe not highest scored but was very interesting and memorable.

[JimHow]

It's a beauty, PM, I was pleasantly surprised that it was quite open, still young but showing a lot. A quite different animal from those big bad Coses of the 2000-2010 era. I think the 2014 vintage just seems to coax the best out of these wines.

[stefan]

Congratulations, Jim! Yesterday Lucie and I went on Medicare B because I retired on August 31. We have been on A for 16 years but used it only for some home visits Lucie had after her knee replacement. I will be happy that BC/BS (a really terrible company) will no longer be our primary insurer.

To celebrate my retirement Lucie prepared one of my favorites (grilled quail) and I opened 1999 Ducru-Beaucaillou. The bouquet was slight but lovely and the taste perfect with great balance. This unheralded vintage of Ducru is awfully good.

[Blanquito]

Dr. Stefan has retired!? Congrats, Bill, I hope they give you some nice emeritus digs.

[stefan]

They have not yet thrown me out of my nice office, Patrick. Probably they will within a year, though, and give me a cubby hole. A problem I am working on now is that I am cut off from viewing my grants and other accounts. I contact x, who says "not what we do; contact y", and then y refers me to z...

[Chateau Vin]

Wish you, stefan, all the best. Your students will sorely miss you. Hopefully, TAMU atleast will name a building after you, and I will get to show it to my kids one day... So I take you are moving out permanently to your lake house??

[stefan]

No, CV. We have one house in CS and another in Eugene in addition to our lake house. Our domicile in the near term will continue to be CS.

[DavidG]

Congratulations Bill, wishing you many happy years of retirement!

[Comte Flaneur]

Belated happy birthday Jim, the 2014 Cos sounds like a peach of a wine.

And happy retirement Bill.

I popped a 1999 Ducru eight days ago and it opened up magnificently and was really singing at the end - I have encountered some bottle variation with this wine and one of the somewhat less impressive bottles had something missing on the mid palate, but this one ticked all the boxes.

[Nicklasss]

I miss that, but better late than never :

Belated happy birthday to my great friend Jim H.

And happy retirement to a great friend, and mentor, William J.

That reminds me that life never stop, and friendship is more precious than time.

[Jay Winton]

Best retirement wishes to a leader of BWE! When Father Stefan speaks, mr vino listens!