In article
>,
DaleW > wrote:

> Monday Betsy was in the Verdi Requiem at Carnegie Hall , so I decided
> it was a good time to indulge in liver and onions (as she doesn't care
> for it). Wine was the 2006 Canneto Rosso di Montepulciano. I confess
> when I got this I actually thought I was buying a very well-priced
> Rosso di Montalcino, I didn't realize my mistake till putting it in
> the cellar. Well, as mistakes got this wasn't at all painful. Medium
> bodied with rich black cherry fruit, a little bit of chewy tannins, a
> sturdy Sangiovese that is satisfying if not quite exciting. B
>
> Tuesday we had a couple over in late celebration of their joint
> birthdays. Alex had told me he had never had a birthyear wine, so
> thought this was a good time to try a half of '61 Gloria (with some
> backup claret). Betsy made goat cheese/chive.mustard souffles as
> starter, followed by squab in a porcini marinade with mashed potatoes,
> an endive and watercress salad, and cheese. My only culinary
> contribution was butchering the squabs (these were plucked, but Betsy
> prefers not to do entrail/head removal) and slicing the bread.
>
> With the chevre souffles, the 2007 Domane de la Charmoise Sauvignon
> (Touraine). Lemon and gooseberry, fresh and crisp, nothing especially
> complex but a clean, correct, and comfortable Sauvignon Blanc. At $12
> I'll buy again. B
>
> On to the reds, with the squab:
> 1961 Ch. Gloria (St Julien), 375 ml
> So I knew I was taking a chance buying a couple of half bottles. Great
> vintage, but 47 is really stretching it for a Cru Bourgeois in this
> format. I warned it might be a disappointment, and the fact the cork
> was basically sawdust made me pessimistic. But lo and behold, as it
> went through funnel into decanter the color was dark and pure. In the
> glass there was some bricking around the edges, but overall quite
> bright. Nice sweet cassis and black plum fruit, a bit of earth and
> tobacco, amazingly young. I can't say it was the most complex older
> claret I've run across, but it was quite enjoyable, and the real
> pleasure was watching Alex marvel at a wine as old as himself. Lasted
> well through the course. B+ for the wine, A for the exceeding
> expectations.
>
> 1970 Ch. de Pez (St Estephe)
> I've had this a few times, always a pretty dependable wine, if not
> exciting. Redder fruits, higher acids than the Gloria. Maybe a bit
> more happening on the secondary/tertiary level than the St Julien,
> there's lots of damp earth, as well as cigarbox and cigarsmoke. A bit
> sharp after some time in decanter. B/B+
>
> 1990 Ch. Haut Brisson (St Emilion)
> Youngest red of the night, closest to the grave. Red plummy fruit, a
> hint of prune, some earth. Resolved tannins, some nice tobacco-y
> notes,but short for a '90. Drink up fast if you have. B/B-
>
> Fun night with fun people.
>
> Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent
> wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't
> drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no
> promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.
> *

So has everyone on the list had a wine from their birth year? I have
never had a '47 Bordeaux but would love to if I could afford it.