My birthday dinner

[Nicklasss]

Saturday January 13th was my birthday and I wanted to have a nice dinner with JeanFred's crew, so it would be time to open a good bottle. I tried to invite them but in addition to their 3 kids, they were babysitting 2 more kids so, refused our invitation. Anyway, we would do it back another weekend. But 5 minutes after i closed the phone, ringing, and JeanFred was calling back to reverse the invitation. So this is how we ended up at their place for dinner.

Meal was very good, with raw oysters, snails and ages beef steaks. For the wines, we opened:

2006 Piper Heidsieck : a very nice mature Champagne, with a good amount of roasted hazelnuts, bread crust, good yellow fruit, with still having good bubbles and a final that is long and dry. A joy to drink with the oysters, delightful Champagne. Tn: 93.

2012 Jean-Luc Jamet Côtes-du-Rhône white: an excellent and high standards regional wine. Medium yellow, nose is full of pears, other yellow fruits and flowers. In mouth, dry, fat, low acidity, with that dry thick fruit, and some mineral soily length. A well made white. Tn: 90.

2003 Chateau Léoville Barton: a bit atypical but excellent. Nose was very open right from the start, with nice oak, integrated with ripe sweet blackcurrants, seductive rasberries, sweet vanilla and leather. In mouth, seductive, warm purple fruit, rich, sweet oak, perfumed finish. Medium tannins, became more meaty with time, bordering the over ripe limit, but stay in control. Very ripe Cabernet. Tn: 92-93.

2001 Chateau Léoville Las Cases: at the opposite of the 2003 Chateau Léoville Barton. Strong fresh blackcurrants nose, black fruits, earth. Even if decanted 90 minutes, needed minimum another 60 minutes to open to it full potential. Then, more redberries, light bluefruits, more minerals. Mouth is still austere, with those earthy graphite tones and some blackcurrants flavors. Invading in mouth, straigth, severe. Last glass was the best one,but if you have some bottles, wait easily 5 more years. But the breed is there. Tn: 92.

2003 Chateau d'Yquem: a half bottle, a bit less fresh than the full bottle opened 20 days ago. But this is still impressive, with crême brûlée, all kind of fruits like apricots, peaches, vanilla pineapple, white flowers, caramel. Honey, caramel, fruits, lots of roasted botrytis in mouth, and that mixture of intensity and balance that Yquem is used to. Tn: 95.

A very nice evening, in good company. We should repeat it soon.

Nic

[Comte Flaneur]

Happy birthday Nic, nice line up. As you suggest Leoville Barton 03 and LLC 01 are polar opposites

[DavidG]

Well done and happy birthday. Looking forward to reconnecting in DC.

[AKR]

Hey we share the same birthday!

[Nicklasss]

Happy birthday my dear Arv.

Nic

[Winona Chief]

Like in lots of otherwise so/so vintages, Yquem shines once again in 2003. Just like 1995, 1996, 1999, etc. They take the trouble to make sure their wine is great in every year they make it.

Chris Bublitz

[JimHow]

I was amazed at the quality of the 2003 Lafaurie Peyraguay, it completely surprised me.

[AKR]

I like the 2003 Sauternes personally - fat honeyed dense.

Zaftig as we would say in the old country.

I think SFEd poured us the yummy 03 La Tour Blanche a couple of months ago.

[Nicklasss]

The 2003 Chateau La Tour Blanche is excellent in that vintage. Honeyed, fruity, botrytized, thick, delicious. Unfortunately, I have one bottle left.

Nic