A Quiet New Year's Eve Dinner

[Gerry M.]

Happy New Year to all!

We usually just stay in on NYE and have a quiet dinner including our youngest daughter. It was a little bit of a farewell dinner for her since she leaves Sunday for her final clinical at the VA hospital in Augusta, ME for 4 months.

Before dinner we started with a simple NV Tattinger Champagne as a warm up while we finished prepping dinner. With a 1st course of crab cakes from a recipe from Del Frisco's we had a very nice 2015 Domaine Matrot Meursault 1er cru les Charmes. Light on it's feet, not too much acidity and great match with the crab.

I decanted a 1990 Ch Pichon Baron for just over an hour to enjoy with fillet mignon, mushrooms and a bourbon, maple and bacon jam. Veggies of green beans and potato au gratin. With the meal this started out lighter and slightly feminine with violets and some earthy notes. At the 3 hour mark it began to put on weight and more fully express itself. Compared to the 89', this is not a brooding "in your face" bottle. It deserves lingering over for a few hours and it demands your attention to pay attention to.

After taking a short break we finished with a 2015 Ch Climens Barsac with a classic vanilla creme brulee. Not a blockbuster but lighter, not too sweet but a very nice finish to the meal.

[Nicklasss]

Very nice family dinner Gerry. Wish you all the best for 2022.

You're right saying that the 1990 Pichon Baron is a different beast than the 1989. 1989 being bigger and broader, but very classic. 1990 being slightly riper and more exotic.

I would say the same for Lynch Bages and also Léoville Las Cases.