Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts

This year due to the current circumstances it will only be 3 of us for dinner. We'll see my oldest daughter and grandkids in the morning for brunch and my son will be with his fiance at her parents. The result will be a rather subdued holiday so a few days ago I stood up a 1975 Ch Giscours and 1986 Ch Beychevelle. Beyond that I'll probably pop a bottle of Dom to linger over while cooking and maybe a 2000 Grahams half bottle to accompany chocolate molten cake for dessert.

Trying to decide between 2000 Pichon Baron and 2009 Chevillon Vaucrains for Xmas dinner tomorrow night. Have some port and Sauternes for dessert.

Also have pulled a 2004 L'Evangile, a 1998 Bertheau Chambolle Musigny, and a 2002 Bouchard Corton to drink over the lazy holiday week off...

2017 PYCM Le Banc, 1990 Lagrange for tonight and tomorrow (it will just be Santa and me drinking).

Don't have any "wine plan" for Christmas as here we're only allowed to do the party with people of one adress. So it will be MC, our three kids and me.

I might go for Côte Rôtie tonight, as we'll have moose filet mignon. Or maybe a Bourgogne, as it has been sometimes since last bottle.

Still planning to do the 2008 Dom Pérignon at New Year Eve.

We add a cat to the family yesterday, kids are very happy, good for them as I'm more impacted than them by the fact that we can't see anybody from another adress for Christmas and New Year Day. I'll surely have a tear tonight when talking to my parents/brother by Facetime tonight.

Nic

Nic,

Not so bad to have Christmas all to yourselves! In a few years once the kids grow up you miss these times of being together as it becomes harder and harder to get the family all together especially under the covid restrictions. Our kids and spouses are spending tonight and tomorrow morning with us then my son leaves to his in-laws with my daughter and husband staying for dinner tomorrow. I hope Alex and his family are doing all right with covid but terrible with this peaking at Christmas. We lockdown Midnight Dec 26th through the entire province for 28 days but to be reassessed in 14 to see if some regions will loosen the restrictions earlier if things go well. Covid numbers continue to climb and hopefully this vaccination program will solve the problem so lives can return to normal soon.

98 Clos Fortet tonight with oso bucco before the kids get in from out of town.

Meery Christmas to all.

Marcs, as this is BWE after all, I'd be leaning towards the Pichon but since I have some of the 2009 Chevillon Vaucrains in the cellar I'd be interested in your impression at this point.

Blanquito, the 1990 Ch Lagrange has always been one of my go-to favorites! I only have 1 bottle left and have hesitated to buy any more given the age. I'd be interested what your experience is.

Hey Nicklasss, next to Bordeaux Cote Rotie has to be my favorite. I share your tear, on top of the Covid separation my kids lost their last surviving grandparent a couple of months who they were very close to and was a big part of our Christmas ritual.

Merry Christmas and a happy Hanukkah to everyone! Its been a rough 2020 but looking forward to a better world in 2021!

I'm roasting a goose tomorrow and pairing it with a 2002 Drouhin Clos Veugeot. Should be a good pairing with a sour cherry port sauce - we shall see.

Merry Christmas to BWEers far and wide!

Sincerely,
BD

Thanks, BD - Merry Christmas to all.

As for me, I have no idea what I will be opening tomorrow - I don’t plan that far ahead. For example, tonight I thought about several different wines before I decided on the 1996 Pontet Canet. Always have about 20 bottles standing up and ready to go with a moments notice.

Chris Bublitz

I just opened a 2014 Ch Calon Segur. Shared with my future daughter-in-law. Her reaction when I offer a 2nd glass was "yum, sure!"

I double decanted a 2009 Gruaud Larose, rebottling half in a 375 for tomorrow.
I double decanted a 1986 Ch. Talbot for this afternoon along with the GL.

Last night we drank these with Aberdeen Angus Cote De Boeuf:
The champagne from Fortnum & Mason was mediocre.

The PYCM (2011) was my white wine of the year - just as good as the bottle in July, perfection in white burgundy

I opened the Margaux at 4pm and the Palmer at 6pm double decanting both. Quite different wines. The Palmer (1999) hits you with old fashioned spikey tannins but settles down into a glorious classic claret, with violets and floral notes evolving. The Margaux (1996) is a bigger, denser, more powerful wine with black pastille fruit, incense and rocky mineral tones. Multi-faceted and layered. It tightened up a bit over the evening and has a long life ahead. Both these wines are drinking now but I think will be even better with one Blanquito.

I have a lot more bottles standing up for until 2nd January:

La Lagune 1982
Beychevelle 1978
Ducru Beaucaillou 1971
Noel Verset Cornas minus label but the vintage is one of 90, 95 or 98
Penfolds Bin 920 (1990 cab-Shiraz)
Penfolds Grange 1986
Masseto 1994
Ceretto Barolo Prapo Bricco Rocche 2000
Daniel Rion NSG 1er Cru Les Vignes Rondes 1976
Taupenot-Merme MSD 1er Cru La Riotte 2002
Jacques Carillon Puligny 2014
Laville-Haut-Brion 2001
Yquem 1990
Rayne Vigneau 1983

I was thinking about 2002 Pichon Baron and 2000 Calon Segur with rib roast, but might decide to go older. If we drink Champagne before, it will likely be 2008 Dom Perignon. We'll have a Sauterne after dinner with apple tart and probably a 2016 St Innocent Pinot Noir with a lunch of ham sandwiches.

Racer Chris wrote:I double decanted a 2009 Gruaud Larose, rebottling half in a 375 for tomorrow.
I double decanted a 1986 Ch. Talbot for this afternoon along with the GL.

Interested to know how the GL is evolving. I have quite a few of those resting...

As a prelude to Christmas dinner, started with 2010 A J Demiere “Egreg’Or” Champagne. It’s 100% Pinot Meunier. Lovely stuff rich and lively with a very different profile from most other Champagnes. Many have heard me say that I like about 17 different styles of Champagne and this is one of them.

With our traditional turkey dinner (by the way, Marjorie did a great job on the dinner) we went with 2005 Jadot Clos des Ursules. This was a little tough at first but smoothed out over the relaxed dinner. This used to be my go to low-priced Burgundy ($40 - $60), now it’s more like $80 - $100.

Chris Bublitz

With dungeness crab clusters to start and baked Arctic char for the main, a simply brilliant bottle of the 2005 Weinbach Schlossberg Cuvee Ste Catherine Riesling. Quite dry, redolent of steel, old limes, flint, oxidized honey. Tangy, layered, long, bone dry but with loads of richness, I’m in love. 94 pts.

Winona Chief wrote:Many have heard me say that I like about 17 different styles of Champagne and this is one of them.

I’ve been enchanted by every champagne you’ve ever introduced me to. All 17 of them.

Nic
I’ve been trying for years to convince Wendy that we need a cat and preferably two to keep each other company.
I’m not getting far but I’ve been showing her videos of Persian kittens and her cat phobia seems to be lessening. No idea where it came from.
My non de plume of Claudius by the way was the name of a much loved blue Persian who got that name for being eccentric and very clever. I’d watched the BBC series “I Claudius” and he fitted the character.
Cheers
Mark

Blanquito wrote:With dungeness crab clusters to start and baked Arctic char for the main, a simply brilliant bottle of the 2005 Weinbach Schlossberg Cuvee Ste Catherine Riesling. Quite dry, redolent of steel, old limes, flint, oxidized honey. Tangy, layered, long, bone dry but with loads of richness, I’m in love. 94 pts.

Had their basic 2018 Riesling cuvée lately, but it was ok only. Of course, i'm a lover of their Schlossberg Grand Cru Cuvée and i would surely appreciate the 2005.

Nice story about "Claudius the cat", Claudius. Unfortunately it is not a done deal yet as Simone my oldest daugther is sligthly allergic... let see how will go the next few days.

Comte Flaneur, really mean from your part to post your next few days wine listing while no flight allowed to UK.

Nic

Tonight is 90 Angelus. Looking forward to this.

Nice line up, Ian!

Nothing special. We had a traditional Chinese meal on Christmas Eve, paired with a Prum Auslese 1998. The wine was delicious, working well with the assortment of dim sum, and crisp roasted chicken. For those living in Westchester, Abderdeen does an excellent non contact pick up, and the food is excellent.

Christmas Day was different. An enormous pork butt, roasted with Philip’s most excellent Tomatillo sauce. The Brussels sprouts with Iberico was very good, the parsnip, carrot potato mix was extremely mediocre. Served with another Prum, this time the 2003. Less impressive than the 1998, it was certainly too unctuous paired to the pork. Our much loved Taittinger rose Champagne 2007 did a much better job.

I did some crowd friendly wines with family for Christmas Eve and Christmas. The best was the 2010 Napanook which is always a solid and complex wine, with some air.

Did a 2000 Gimmonet Gastonome BDB last night that was nice, but probably peaked a few years ago and is towards the very end of its window

Some others up for the next week are, all with tempered expectations:

1990 Veuve Reserve
2004 Ch Maltroye Dents De Chien
1958 Marchesi Di Barolo Barolo
1952 Enrico Serafino Barolo

As I mentioned before I opened a 2014 Ch Calon Segur which I'm so glad to have 11 left. Its very enjoyable already and will hopefully allow me to keep my hands off of the 2016. We also opened a 1986 Ch Beychevelle which was excellent with much of what I look for in an aged bordeaux. I was also interested since I just won a 5 1/2 bottle lot at auction and was curious on where it was. I held off opening the 1975 Ch Giscours since no one looked up for it as dinner ended. Instead I reached for the 1st 375ml I could grab and ended up with 2015 Ch Leoville Barton. This will be great in another 10 to 15 years but tough as nails now. Even on day 2 it wasn't yielding much. Definately hold off from opening soon, it would be a waste.

Had 2008 Cristal Brut (wait 5+ years); 1990 La Mission Haut Brion (a great Grave/P-L); 1996 Alfred Merkelbach Urz Wurz Riesling Auslese (great wine from a tough vintage)

Nothing too special except for a wonderful bottle of 2002 Krug. Beautiful floral notes with a super long finish. Drinking so well now but not going anyplace. The only bummer is this was a solo bottle.

1990 Angelus starts out with lots of suprising bell pepper notes which dissipate after an hour or so. Wonderful texture emerges. Bought on release but not worth the current price.

Chateau Vin wrote:

Racer Chris wrote:I double decanted a 2009 Gruaud Larose, rebottling half in a 375 for tomorrow.
I double decanted a 1986 Ch. Talbot for this afternoon along with the GL.

Interested to know how the GL is evolving. I have quite a few of those resting...

Not sure if its shut down right now but it didn't seem all that expressive. I'll hold my second one for another 4-5 years.

Claret wrote:1990 Angelus starts out with lots of suprising bell pepper notes which dissipate after an hour or so. Wonderful texture emerges. Bought on release but not worth the current price.

What a terrific wine. Wish I still had some - agree the tariff is too high to buy at today's prices.

For Christmas Eve small family gathering with appetizers for grazing, Coutier NV Champagne to start. That was followed by 2003 Pontet Canet and 2009 Karl Lawrence Cabernet. The Pontet Canet was decanted for about 3 hours, and it was in a really good place to pair with a thinly sliced beef tenderloin. The Karl Lawrence Cab was also very good, in a good Cali Cab sort of way (for those not inclined toward the Bordeaux style). I got acquainted with this small production wine back on the old WS board. I ended up buying at least a case starting with the 1995 vintage, until the partners split after the 2010 vintage. And I've enjoyed every vintage.