Birthday Dinner, 2016

[stefan]

For my 72nd, Lucie gave me oyster gloves and an oyster knife and said, “shuck these oysters”. I had never shucked oysters, but managed to open a dozen without piercing an artery. Unfortunately, the oysters came from the Gulf of Mexico because our good oyster procurer is closed on Monday, so my shucking effort was disproportionate to the results. With the oysters we drank 1999 Billecart-Salmon Nicolas Francois Billecart. I remember this as being an excellent mature Champagne, but this bottle tasted undeveloped and not as attractive for current drinking as the NV Billecart-Salmon we had at Thanksgiving even if its class was evident. Lucie made one of my favorite meals—quail with brown rice and collard greens. Normally she cooks chard or some other fru-fru greens with quail, but I was glad to have greens that tasted like GREENS. I opened our one and only bottle of 1981 La Lagune. There is a special story about this wine. All long time BWEers know how much Lucie and I like La Lagune, but somehow we missed out on the 1981. In our 2015 BWE visit to La Lagune, Ian found out that the estate still had some 1981 and gifted us a bottle. We intended to drink this on our anniversary in 2016 but we were traveling at the time, so had to wait until my birthday to open it. It is an amazingly good example of La Lagune. After resting 34 years in the L-L cellars it is still vibrant. The nose is strong and inviting, while the licorice taste is laced with violets. It is very well balanced with flavors all over. I give it 92 points.

Thanks very much, Ian.

[William P]

Happy Birthday Bill. Also love La Lagune.

[JimHow]

1981 La Lagune. Nice.
Happy Birthday to The Man of BWE.

[Blanquito]

Many happy returns. Nice gift too from our man in a Blighty.

[DavidG]

Happy Birthday Stefan. Glad you're still as vibrant as that La Lagune less than half your age

[AlohaArtakaHoundsong]

Distant memory suggests Louisiana oysters were pretty good four decades ago. Have things changed? Chincoteague-rs remain my favorites but I seem to recall a long stretch where Gulf oysters were being served in the Mid-Atlantic region because of the DMX(?) disease. Happy Birthday regardless.

[robert goulet]

Great story....happy bday

[Nicklasss]

Very nice story, very representative of BWEers!

Happy birthday to a man I know since that first BWE convention in Chicago, who opened my eyes on Ridge Zins, and who is very knowledgeable and generous when wine matter.

Happy birthday Stefan.

Nic

[Comte Flaneur]

Happy Birthday stefan!

I'm glad the 1981 La Lagune showed well. I thought the one we tasted at the estate in May 2015 was very good, especially in the context of what is regarded as a mixed vintage.

[Tom In DC]

Happy birthday, stefan!

[jal]

Happy birthday Bill. Oysters, Champagne, Quail, La Lagune! Nice celebration, wishing you many many more.

[AKR]

outstanding

[Jay Winton]

Very nice and Happy Birthday from mr and mrs vino.

[Michael-P]

Happy birthday Bill!
Glad to hear you had such a yummy birthday dinner with a perfectly stored LL.

I still recall the 81 Haut Brion from that vertical we had in Dallas a few years ago. I was shocked how good an 81 could be since it's not one of those highly rated and talked about vintages.

Michael-P

[dstgolf]

One more behind you and sounds like a nice way to celebrate.

Happy belated Birthday.

[Daytonnc]

Happy Belated Bill!

[sdr]

Happy Birthday, stefan. I'm glad to see you doing so well.

Great stories, both about the L-L and the meal.

I like quail but not fighting with the bones since my surgical skill is inadequate for the task. I like fru-fru greens too but I have never tried collards.

The '99 B-S Nicolas François I had recently was dull. I'm still waiting for a really good '99 champagne, 2002 is much more interesting for my taste.

Stu

[stefan]

1999 Winston Churchill is very good, Stuart, though not at the level of the 1990 or 1998 or even 1996. I agree that 2002 is a great year for Champagne. I bought 2002 Winston but will never see it.

[Blanquito]

Seems like 06 is the highest regarded vintage between 02 and 10. Do we concur?

[stefan]

I have not tasted enough in that range to make that call, Patrick, but 2006 is good IMO.

[JonathanP]

Happy Birthday, Stefan.

I have had some very pleasant experiences with 81s, a vintage that was mistakenly written off. I recall a Cheval-Blanc a few years back lurking at the bottom of a restaurant list for not very much which was truly excellent. Light, but fruity and tasty. Not sure how much life there would be in it now, mind. 35 years on.