Xmas Eve with MichaelP and Nalan

[SF Ed]

MichaelP and Nalan came over on Xmas Eve for some roast goose and we drank some decent stuff.

We started with a NV Hugues Godmé Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Noirs - somewhat disappointing without the fruit or length I'd like but everyone else liked it more.

Michael blinded us on a couple of Bordeaux. He told us that they were from the same year, one Right Bank, one Left Bank.

One of the wines was well-evolved, relatively lean and tannic but with good complexity and moderate length. Felt Left Bank to me, probably from 1966 or 1975.

The other was very young and fresh, lush ripe fruit and explosive. Very long, loads of tannins but well-balanced, complex, and just spectacular. I thought Right Bank, and then if 1975, would fit as Pomerol.

I of course was wrong - they were from 1988. The first wine was a 1988 Margaux, and the second was a 1988 Lafleur.

I usually don't rate Margaux as highly as most, and I continue not to. While very nice and complete, I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as one should enjoy a first growth from a good vintage.

This was my first Lafleur, and it was spectacular. I can see why it is so expensive. Just fantastic, certainly one of the best wines I've tasted this year.

I also opened a 1964 as I tend to do - a Gattinara (northern Piedmont) Antoniolo Piemonte Nebbiolo Spanna del Piemonte Santa Chiara. Never a great wine but in perfect condition, still tannic and lively with round fruit. Not quite a Margaux or Lafleur but it held its own.

A great evening with great company!

SF Ed

[JimHow]

Sounds like a great time, thanks for the report, Eddie.
I doubt I’ll be able to swing by the Bay Area after my Alaska trial, but I do hope to get out that way come late winter or spring.
Happy new year to the west coast contingent!

[DavidG]

Nice, Ed! 1988 is one of the few years I’ve had all 5 firsts, and the 88 Margaux was least impressive to my palate.

[AKR]

Sounds like a great gathering.

Curiously, someone on another board and I were comparing notes on the best deuxiemes we'd ever tasted a while ago, and I thought the 90 Pensees de Lafleur was on another planet - right up there with the 82 and 90 Les Forts - which they concurred with.

[Nicklasss]

Have a good one on the West Coast. A dinner in company of Lisa/Ed and Nalan/MichaelP is always a hit! Happy and Healthy 2022.

[s*d*r]

Would like to hear more about ‘88s since I’ve had so few.

Only one bottle in my collection, Lafite, which I’ve never tasted but the BD prefers.

Some say they are not good, too mean and tannic, like a slightly better version of the ‘75s, which frightened me off.

A style eschewed by the “we aim to please the Millennials” contemporary winemakers .

[DavidG]

The ’88s are smaller, yes fairly tannic for the fruit that is there, but not bad though some say they’re mean or austere. Maybe rustic is a better term, and not living up to expectations of more more finesse and power. My favorite first of the '88s is Lafite, my least favorite is Margaux. The others jockey for the middle of the pack. When it comes to the first broths the disappointment is perhaps greater in part due to expectations. And in some cases other lesser growths outshine them - a few recent bottles of 1988 Lynch Bages come to mind.

[Michael-P]

I like 88s exactly because they have a lot of tannin, which has softened over the years for many wines. We had an 88 Haut Brion and 88 Margaux a few years ago and the Margaux was better.

I disagree a bit with SF-Ed's note on the Margaux as I thought it was wonderful, albeit, agreeing a bit with DavidG, rustic, which I like too. Lisa loved it as well. It was long, complex, balanced and flavorful, with just the right amount of slightly softened tannins. I'd say a 95.

The Lafleur was better, bigger, longer, more complex, more fresh, better flavors and I'd say a 97.

The goose was amazing and the home made lemon ice cream and speculoos the real deal. A 3 star dinner.

But the best was the company. As usual SF-Ed and Lisa (and their 2 birds) were wonderful hosts and fun to hang with.

One classy thing they did: we arrived at their doorstep and we did rapid tests outside their door while the 4 of us drank champagne together waiting for the results (negative).

Michael-P

[s*d*r]

One classy thing they did: we arrived at their doorstep and we did rapid tests outside their door while the 4 of us drank champagne together waiting for the results (negative).

Michael-P

A new pairing challenge, do we need a poll?

“What is you favorite wine to drink while you wait for your Covid test outside the door?”

One vote for champagne so far but not very specific.

[Blanquito]

One classy thing they did: we arrived at their doorstep and we did rapid tests outside their door while the 4 of us drank champagne together waiting for the results (negative).

Michael-P

A new pairing challenge, do we need a poll?

“What is you favorite wine to drink while you wait for your Covid test outside the door?”

One vote for champagne so far but not very specific.

In winter, definitely a dram of single malt, neat.

[DavidG]

How was the nose on your COVID test?