TN: Valentine's Day/Anniversary dinner

[DavidG]

VALENTINE'S DAY/ANNIVERSARY DINNER - Home (2/14/2009)

Valentine's Day is pretty special around here because it is also our anniversary. Last night Peggy and I celebrated 21 years of marriage with take out from our favorite local bistro and a couple of '88s.
With smoked salmon, arugula, fingerling potato, dill and Dijon vinaigrette:

• 1988 Pol Roger Champagne Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill Brut - France, Champagne
  Light gold color, toasty/yeasty nose with citrus, full-bodied, nicely balanced, more complexity than last bottle, long finish, still going strong. Outstanding.

The following paired nicely with both of our main dishes:
Pan roasted magret duck breast, sautéed parsnips, figs, Port wine sauce, and
Grilled filet mignon with cauliflower gratin and Dijon mustard sauce

• 1988 Château Talbot - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
  Dark red core, lighter at rim, nice nose of cassis, cherry, earth, medium body, cherry and cassis fruit follow on palate, nice balance, medium finish, just a little complex, very nice match with both the duck and the filet. Will it develop additional complexity or will the fruit fade?

We finished with chocolate mousse, and then another glass of the Pol Roger for a nightcap. The Champagne was the clear star of the evening, wine-wise, anyway...
Posted from CellarTracker

[JimHow]

Congratulations, David, sounds like a lovely dinner. The 1986 Talbot I had last year was outstanding, but I haven't heard much about other vintages in the 1980s.

[PappaDoc]

David,Congratulations as well! 90 Champagne gets so much praise (deservedly so) that we tend to overlook how special 88 is. 88 had a very small harvest, the wines are austere and very lively from high acidity. I've found them very elegant and detailed. The 88 Veuve (Rare?) is gorgeous and was selling for $110 at Crush, I loved the Dom Ruinart, Pommery Cuvee Louise, Grand Siecle, Winston Churchill as well is in every vintage one of my three favorite Champagnes.

Jim the 86 Talbot is for me as good as the 82 Talbot. Both are my favorite vintages for Talbot and are still affordable for what they deliver.

[stefan]

Congratulations, David & Peggy. You've now made it half as far as Lucie and I.

Having celebrated your anniversary last night, you should celebrate Valentine's Day tonight!

stefan

[DavidG]

Thank you all...

Jim and Pappa - '86 and '82 Talbot are I think the best examples from this estate in the last 40 years.

I'm a big fan of the Pol Roger Winston Churchill, as is Peggy. I wanted to pull an '88 Krug (which I like even more!) but Peggy likes the Pol Roger. Plus we poured NV Pol Roger at our wedding reception, so she's got a soft spot in her heart for them.

Stefan - They allow minors to wed out by you? I'm confident our love will last another 21 years, I'm just not so sure about our bodies...

[sdr]

Congrats on your 21st, David.

Nice wines. PR Winston is hard to beat and most of the '88 champagnes are drinking very well now.

~stuart

[Daytonnc]

Congratulations David & Peggy - Here is to another 21 years!!!

Susan & Rob

[dstgolf]

Congrats David. I was informed by my wife that I proposed to her 25 years ago Valentines day. Maybe I made a booboo by not having a bigger celebration. I guess her memory is better than mine! I guess the 25th wedding anniversary in 2011 will have to be done up right.

Danny

[tim]

Congrats Dave and Peggy! Sounds like a wonderful way of celebrating!