Xmas 2009, Day 4

[stefan]

In the morning we started with bagels, lox, cream cheese and another bottle of Charles Ellner Brut, which is a solid 90 point Champagne.

We started Xmas Eve celebrations in our usual way in the afternoon opening presents and washing down sushi with fizzy plonk.

1998 Henriot Brut. "This is really good with the salmon," observes stefanJr. Shea, who loves raw salmon almost as much as Champagne, agrees, "yeah, da-da". We all like this food Champagne and its good flavors, structure, tartness, and acidity. stefan 91. Lucie 94. stefanJr 91. Irena 91.

Nicolas Feuilatte Brut Rose. Light for a rose. Cherry flavors on the sides. s 88. sJr 88. I 89. L 92.

With boiled shrimp we drank a wine that I hoped would provide a highlight for the week.

2002 Vincent Girardin Chevalier-Montrachet. Premox has scared me into opening white Burgundies too young. Sometimes it works; other times, like today, you want to be drinking the wine in five or ten years. Opened a couple of hours earlier, the C-M is delicate and floral up front. It intensifies with more air. "Really creamy; nice finish; nice nose," says Lucie. There are minerals, but you know there are gems deeper down. s 92. sJr 92. L 92. I 89-90.

With Lucie's mushroom tart we drank

2000 Nicolas Potel Bonnes Mares. Ah, yes; this is what Chambolle-Musigy is all about. Mushrooms and tree fungus are carried by Brazos berries. The Bones Mares is strong in the mid palate and has a good finish. "Like a basement room in a recently constructed house with a fireplace on a slate floor, adjacent to a wine room," says Irena, taking the words out of my mouth. "Some mint in the taste," comments stefanJr. I understand this better than our poet's description. I appreciate how this wine can be better in a great year, but in the context of the 2000 vintage, this Bonnes Mares is perfect. s 95. L 97. sJr 9. I 94.

With cheese and more tart we drank

1978 La Lagune. "Tons of pencil lead," says stefanJr. The tannins are surprisingly strong--I could mistake this for the '86 La Lagune. It is more powerful than other 1978 La Lagunes we have drunk but lacks the ethereal nose. s 91. L 91. sJr 90.

Some of us finished the evening sipping on

1970 Guiraud. Interesting, with botrytis, but not very sweet. We'll return it to tomorrow.

Happy Holidays, BWEers!

stefan

[Jay Winton]

Very nice wines (as usual). We enjoyed a magnum of 2000 Beaurenard CNDP which was in good form. Our musical selections included listening to several of the remastered Beatles albums which were a revelation-highly recommended. My bass playing friend Steve adjusted my subwoofer so Paul's bass rocked the house. A very fine evening with friends which is what Christmas, family included, is all about in the end. I'll leave the liturgical interpretations to others.

[Chasse-Spleen]

Great notes, Stefan. I don't know how many times I've seen you give as high a score as you gave to the Bonnes Mares.
-Chasse

[sdr]

The quoted portions make me feel like I was there.

Nice job as always, stefan.

~stuart