Xmas 2023
Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2023 1:06 am
This year was too hectic for me to keep a journal of our holidays, but I thought I would share the dinner experience we had on December 25 with stefanJr and family.
We began in the late afternoon with
2004 Winston Churchill. Pol Roger Champagnes have been family favorites for a long time. We don't drink the luxury cuvee often, and stefanJr begins by 'complaining', "Yummy; I could drink this every week..." I think, "maybe with a richer dad". "Very apple-y", Lucie and stefanJr say simultaneously. This is a good but not exceptional vintage for Winston. I opine that it should be drunk in the next 2-4 years, and Irena agrees. "Really rich", comments Irene, and stefanJr adds, "and the bubbles are superfine". The family is in pretty much agreement about the wine; what about the scores?
stefan 92. Irena 91. stefanJr 93. Lucie 94.
With prime rib we drank
1983 Lafite. This bottle has that magical nose that is unique to Lafite--rose petals steeped in a leather-laced red and black berry compote. After a few minutes stefanJr says, "now the leather and pencil lead is coming out", and I agree. "Every time I take a sip it gets better", comments Lucie, and I agree. I probably should have given the bottle more air time. "I just got some cranberries", says stefanJr. "Every time I taste I get something different", Lucie adds. Agreeing, stefanJr says, "that is amazing". This is why one should judge wines when drinking through an entire bottle. s 94. L 94. I 93. sJr 93.
1986 Pichon Lalande. "Very pronounced nose', Lucie. "Crazy licorice", Irena, "but something else". "Brett", says stefanJr, "and a lot more tannin than was in the Lafite". "Some TCA", complains Irena; both stefanJr and I agree. At first we thought the slight offness was from a different mold, but with time it became clear that this bottle was slightly corked. "It is such a huge wine that it fought through the TCA", pronounces stefanJr.
After eating chocolate mousse, we had a second dessert of potica with
1990 Yquem. I sniff and go into a sneezing fit even though I don't detect excessive Botrytis. The potica is unusually non sweet and makes the sugar in the Yquem more pronounced; the match is really good. The minerals in the Yquem become strong and I understand why I sneezed. While less unctuous than the typical Yquem, "it gains weight as it airs", says stefanJr, "I love the sourness on the sides of the tongue". s 93. sJr 95. I 94.
We began in the late afternoon with
2004 Winston Churchill. Pol Roger Champagnes have been family favorites for a long time. We don't drink the luxury cuvee often, and stefanJr begins by 'complaining', "Yummy; I could drink this every week..." I think, "maybe with a richer dad". "Very apple-y", Lucie and stefanJr say simultaneously. This is a good but not exceptional vintage for Winston. I opine that it should be drunk in the next 2-4 years, and Irena agrees. "Really rich", comments Irene, and stefanJr adds, "and the bubbles are superfine". The family is in pretty much agreement about the wine; what about the scores?
stefan 92. Irena 91. stefanJr 93. Lucie 94.
With prime rib we drank
1983 Lafite. This bottle has that magical nose that is unique to Lafite--rose petals steeped in a leather-laced red and black berry compote. After a few minutes stefanJr says, "now the leather and pencil lead is coming out", and I agree. "Every time I take a sip it gets better", comments Lucie, and I agree. I probably should have given the bottle more air time. "I just got some cranberries", says stefanJr. "Every time I taste I get something different", Lucie adds. Agreeing, stefanJr says, "that is amazing". This is why one should judge wines when drinking through an entire bottle. s 94. L 94. I 93. sJr 93.
1986 Pichon Lalande. "Very pronounced nose', Lucie. "Crazy licorice", Irena, "but something else". "Brett", says stefanJr, "and a lot more tannin than was in the Lafite". "Some TCA", complains Irena; both stefanJr and I agree. At first we thought the slight offness was from a different mold, but with time it became clear that this bottle was slightly corked. "It is such a huge wine that it fought through the TCA", pronounces stefanJr.
After eating chocolate mousse, we had a second dessert of potica with
1990 Yquem. I sniff and go into a sneezing fit even though I don't detect excessive Botrytis. The potica is unusually non sweet and makes the sugar in the Yquem more pronounced; the match is really good. The minerals in the Yquem become strong and I understand why I sneezed. While less unctuous than the typical Yquem, "it gains weight as it airs", says stefanJr, "I love the sourness on the sides of the tongue". s 93. sJr 95. I 94.