Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts

Ed and Lisa hosted a small group at their place for a wonderful dinner last Saturday.
David+Nancy
Michael-P+Nalan

Ed+Lisa: Delicious lamb shank cooked for many hours in a heavy iron pot in a full bottle of wine. Lemon (very) pastry. Special chocolate hand carried back from France (I don't like dark chocolate but this dark chocolate was in a different stratosphere - loved it).
David+Lisa: Fancy green beans and potato au gratin. Perfect match for the lamb.
Michael-P+Nalan: charcuterie and lentil soup.

two unusual (heavy) French whites I didn't get the names of
95 Angelus - fresh, tannic, still not quite all together
98 Angelus - together, soft and long
82 GPL - pure Bordeaux, delicious
50 Corbin - fresh and fruity, sturdy tannins, simplistic (blind some thought 1970)
86 Climens (half) - amazing. My WOTN
70 Taylor - a bit flat. rough bottle (m/h shoulder)

The company and conversation was wonderful, the food delicious and all the wines were good. OK, most were really good!

Thanks to Ed and Lisa for hosting!

Michael-P

I think 1986 Climens is fabulous.

Chris Bublitz

86 is my favorite Sauternes vintage all around.

Sounds awesome. Indeed the season for lamb.

Our rancher friend has called us and told us to start clearing freezer space.

The spring lamb we ordered last year is slated for a pre Easter "delivery".

Some uncomfortable questions from the girls about all that.

But lamb and Bordeaux are so great together.

Thanks for posting, Michael. Great evening with great company. Some more details:

The two unusual whites were both from the Jura from Ganevat. One was a 2010 Cuvee Prestige, a Savagnin made in an intentionally oxydized style. Not everyone's cup of tea but full, long, bright and a very good pairing with Nalan's lentil soup. The other was a 2003 Vignes de Mon Pere, a Savagnin aged in barrel for 10 years but constantly topped up so it stays fresh. Super long and bright, very rich and crunchy. Extremely special and rare wines.

On the Bordeaux, I would not have called the 1998 Angelus soft. I would call it fruity, where the ripeness and fullness of the fruit are larger than the tannins and acid. That being said, there is still a lot of evolution to be had. Classic wine, like lots of 1990s back in the day, that taste good now but will continue to improve.

Agree on all the others, especially 1986 Climens as WOTN. 1986 is such a great Sauternes year, and 1986 Climens is outstanding. Haven't had a 1986 Yquem in a while, but that is the only one that could challenge Climens in 1986 to my palate.

The chocolate I brought back was from Pralus in Paris - 3 different tablets of single region chocolates from Venezuela. Chuao, Porcellana, and Cuyagua. Pralus Chuao is fantastic and available at retail in the US, but the others I have never seen here. Extremely expensive but worth it.

SF Ed