Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts

While I froze my ass off tonight grilling, it was well worth it as this wine was open for business and drinking but I def see the room for an extra point or 2 with a couple more years of bottle aging.

2 hr decant. Fragrant aromas of blackberry, earth, leather an tobacco lead way to a plush, polished medium bodied red fruited and mineral driven palate (92+ points)

Last vintage of Branaire that i had was the 2004. It was very good but probably not as good as your 2005.

Not a wine we see that often, but always an enjoyable Saint Julien.

Nic

I don’t mind bundling up to grill in the winter, but when it’s this cold the grill doesn’t seem to get hot enough to produce that perfect outer crust like in your picture. Maybe time for an upgrade.

The last Branaire Ducru I had was the 2003, 3 years ago. It was fiercely tannic. The 2005 sounds like it’s good to go. I have a few 2010s resting. The 1982 is famous in BWE history for its appearance and performance as part of a blind 6-pack at the 2003 BWE convention in NYC.

DavidG wrote:I don’t mind bundling up to grill in the winter, but when it’s this cold the grill doesn’t seem to get hot enough to produce that perfect outer crust like in your picture. Maybe time for an upgrade.

I was left an older model Weber Spirit gas grill by the couple that I bought my house from and while I had originally wanted to upgrade to a newer, snazzier model, this one works just fine and it really fires up as I let the grease pan with all the drippings underneath catch fire and the grill pushes past 600*. And you really just have to be careful not to singe your arm hairs when flipping the steaks

Yes, you have found secret to great steaks on a gas grill - grease fires! I do the same since I had to give up my charcoal grill with the last move.

Great pictures. I really like prepping steaks sous vide before grilling them now.

Been drinking a lot of the 2003 B-D in splits the last few years. Tannins taste resolved (to me) in that format.

I also prep sous vide but no grilling in Florida alas.
I had a really crappy 2003 Branaire a few months back but the onesl I drank before that were quite good. I don’t think I have ever had the 2005.
We had a very friendly visit to the chateau in June 2017 and I remember loving the grounds and was very impressed with the modern facilities.

JCNorthway wrote:Yes, you have found secret to great steaks on a gas grill - grease fires! I do the same since I had to give up my charcoal grill with the last move.

Exactly, Pittsburgh style!

You can also put butter on them to fire it up. But don't tell Doc Glasser, or your cardio, that little Alfert trick. Or be prepared for the explanation that I give my wife: "Oh honey, the butter burns off, it's just to char the meat a bit."

And to the OP, dude, did you eat that that entire steak? It's Yuuuugeee.

I don't know that the method of cooking increases cardiac risk so much as what you eat (ok, the added fats from deep frying, e.g., aside), but I seem to recall a study or studies purporting to show that grilling in that fashion is associated with increased risk of certain types of cancer.

I don't let such studies deter me from eating x food, or food prepared y way, in limited quantities.

I don't like the taste of beef, and especially lamb, when its gotten grease fire charred.

I just do rib eyes - on the rare times I make those - inside now.

No matter how much I trim them, they still flare up.

Sous vide and a super hot iron skillet are a nice combo of new wave and old school.

The Reverse Sear works very well too, but you need a good fan to finish the steak inside. Pretty much ad good as sous vide.

https://jesspryles.com/recipe/how-to-co ... ar-method/

I bought a case of 2003 and 2005 (I loved the 82 who was dirt cheap in the early 90s). Quite pleasant meal wines that never let you down.

Who cares about the fat? The nitrites in the char will get you with cancer anyway.