Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts

DavidG and I both turned 60 earlier this year so Dave invited Gail and me to celebrate with Peggy and another couple of friends.

We started with a delicious 1996 Krug champagne - mature white burgundy flavors, a lively mousse, just beautiful. With dinner, Dave started with a 1955 Haut Brion (our conception year ) that was perfectly mature to my taste. A big Graves bouquet, enough fruit to carry the secondary and tertiary flavors, and a smoooooooth finish. Went perfectly with the rib lamb chops off the grill. As that disappeared rather quickly, DavidG followed it up with a 2006 Screaming Eagle - what a horse of a different color! Big and bold compared to the ancient Haut Brion, this was also a delight with the lamb (everyone went back for seconds!) Then an impressive 2001 Ridge Montebello appeared that perfectly bridged the old world/new world gap between the first two reds.

After dinner, Dave opened a wine from our birth year - 1956 Gilette. I've only ever had a couple of 56's as the vintage has a nasty reputation for wines worldwide. The bottle looked to be in good shape, with an excellent fill and color; however, I'm sad to say that this lived up to the vintage's reputation. A very diminished bouquet was followed by a wine with almost no discernible taste. As we laughed last night, it's the thought that counts! DavidG saved the dessert course with a quick trip to the cellar, returning with a bottle of 2001 d'Yquem. Just magnificent.

All in all, a wonderful evening. Thank you so much, Dave and Peg!

Happy birthday to you guys. I wish i could open bottle like this at my birthday...

I remember that David opened a 2006 Screaming Eagle and served it blind in Jim's room a few tears ago, at a BWE in DC. The wine was excellent, and really in my top California Cabernet experience. More amazing, I remember Tim nailed it blind!

I did not had the Ridge Monte Bello often, i think just once or twice (I remember 1984 at MichaelP's place in 2002, brought by CabFan or SFEd?) but liked it a lot.

Nic

Wow.

Happy bday, fellas. Great stuff.

Happy Birthday gentlemen! \Wishing you many many more celebrations with great wines

So what is 60 gents? The new 45? Congrats...

Happy B-day, guys.

Glad to see you are both holding up much better than the '56 Gillette.

Sounds like a wonderful night. Happy Birthday to both of you.

Bill

Thanks all, we had a great time.

Tom, my impressions of the wines match yours word for word. My expectations for the 1956 Gillette were very low. I guess it's fair to say that it lived up to 1956's reputation as an utterly miserable failed vintage.

Everything else was excellent. I thought the 1955 Haut Brion had lost a step compared to a bottle opened 10 years ago (with the same group) for my 50th. But Peggy held a half-glass until the end of the evening and despite having Audouzed the bottle for 4 hours, it really developed additional complexity in the glass over the course of the evening. Tannins fully resolved but I wouldn't be too concerned about a well-stored bottle going over the hill for a few years yet.

One thing I've learned from Tom is that when your wife calls for Yquem at the end of the dinner, it's best to satisfy her. The 2001 is remarkably intense and sweet yet beautifully balanced, and will likely reign for many decades to come.

Great way for you guys to pass from being youngsters to becoming mature!

Our wives might disagree with that assessment Stefan. One of the topics of conversation last night was how girls mature into women, while boys just become bigger children. Probably an accurate assessment for me, though I am gradually getting there...

Congrats on your 60th guys. Man we're entering the age of maturity and hopefully with a long plateau. Sad to say I'll be joining you in 4 weeks. Yikes....60!!!

Where did you guys find the Ch. Gillette? Did you bring it back from France?

I've had their more conventionally made Les Justices, I think in 97 and 01, but it didn't seem to have the specialness I hear Gilette has.

Arv, I got the Gilette from Belmont Wine Exchange.

Very nice. I always feel lucky when I hear about folks with universally bad birth years for wine (e.g. 1956, 1960 or 1965) whenever I pop a 1964.

SF Ed

Happy birthday guys.

We were with you in spirit .

Alex R.

Looks like a great celebration old men (says the youthful 57 mr vino).

Like a great 1989 Lynch Bages, may you stay… forever young.

May God bless and keep you always
May your wishes all come true
May you always do for others
And let others do for you
May you build a ladder to the stars
And climb on every rung
May you stay forever young
Forever young, forever young
May you stay forever young.

May you grow up to be righteous
May you grow up to be true
May you always know the truth
And see the lights surrounding you
May you always be courageous
Stand upright and be strong
May you stay forever young
Forever young, forever young
May you stay forever young.

May your hands always be busy
May your feet always be swift
May you have a strong foundation
When the winds of changes shift
May your heart always be joyful
And may your song always be sung
May you stay forever young
Forever young, forever young
May you stay forever young.