Thanksgiving in Maine 2015

[JimHow]

The annual gathering in the Howaniec household on a splendid November day in Maine. My favorite holiday, as I usually attempt to sleep for four straight days, this one had an added poignancy, of course, the first holiday season following the irreplaceable loss of our father last February. A lot of fun nonetheless, my sister-in-law's sister has been dating our congressman, Bruce Poliquin, he is a very conservative Republican but a very nice guy, I often find myself getting along better with Republicans on a personal level, it is too bad the GOP has become so overrun with nut jobs. Bruce is very conservative but he nonetheless has that good old fashioned Maine streak of independence, or what that wise woman from Alaska might refer to as maverickyness.

The nieces and nephews continue to thrive, both Jack (13, now, and pictured below) and Anna (11) frighteningly smart, Jack is writing code, acting in plays, playing piano, getting straight A's (he was student of the year in middle school), and devouring 70s and 80s rock music (he's really into "Rush", "Yes", and "Led Zeppelin" these days). He tells me he wants to be a film director, I'm putting the bug in for law. He's a damned good looking young man. Anna has a photographic memory: She hears a song once and can then recite the lyrics perfectly.

Barbara and Tom cooked not one but two turkeys, one roasted and one smoked…. Mmmmmmmm.

I brought the wine, of course, they were all really showing very well.

The 1996 Pontet Canet was my wine of the night, an absolutely classic Pauillac that just seemed to be right on point, aromatic, complex, and all the typical Pauillac notes. The 1996 Lynch Bages was not far behind: Very similar, a classic Pauillac, all the typical cassis, cedar, meat, tobacco, etc., just a little less ready than the Pontet Canet.

The two 2012 St. Innocents were crowd favorites, the Freedom Hill (very serious, big, stern, in a JimHow appealing way) and the Momtazi (not surprisingly, a bit more accessible), both deliciously combined with the turkey and apple and pumpkin pie desserts.

2010 Cantemerle always flows very easily, it always seems to be the first bottle emptied, as was the case on this night, its youthful bright purple providing a distinguishing contrast to the other wines.

We had a delicious 2005 Domaine Jean Grivot Vosne-Romanee, ethereal, balanced, elegant, but an underlying backbone. Seems like this wine could go for another 20 years. Mmmmm, Burgundy.

I had a lot of fancy fireworks left over from this summer, we ended the evening lighting them into the sky in the backyard, ah yes, we can thank Governor LePage for the new fireworks laws (he secretly wants to be like NH). A lot of fun.

Another great Thanksgiving in the Great State of Maine with family, food, wine and remembrance, and a great amount for which to give thanks!

[Claret]

More St. I, well done Jim.

[AKR]

All the drought out west has impinged the constitutional freedoms to enjoy fireworks at all time!

Those first Thanksgivings after the loss of the family patriarch are hard.

[Nicklasss]

Great wines and great family gathering. It doesn't get better than this.

NeXT weekend, normally we'll open some nice wines, as we rent a huge cabin for the 40th birthday of my young brother. Should be fun.

Grivot makes nice Bourgogne, in a masculine way, but very true to their terroir.

Nic

[stefan]

Well done, BD: very well done indeed.

Mark Vlossak thinks that his 2012s might surpass the 2008s. He says to hold them for 10 years even if they are good now.

[RDD]

Great!