Michael hosted SOBER last night, a fine meal and an interesting array
of wines. As usual, all served blind except the opening wine, the
Camille Saves Carte d'Or Champagne Brut. I really love the Saves rose,
but this is my first time trying this bottling. Hopefully, not the
last. Truly delicious bubbly, fuller styled but with a wide streak of
youthful acidity down the middle. Deep, yeasty, and long. A-

First course was a "Seafood Panzanella Salad" with salmon, tuna,
tomatoes,and bread. Three whites to accompany:

Wine #1- apple fruit, buttery/creamy texture, nice core of fruit but
just a bit flat. B/B-

Wine #2 - by far biggest nose of the flight, somewhat exotic with
tropical and apple fruit topped with a honied note. Pretty sure
Chardonnay, reminds me of the Thevenet/Bongran wine . B+

Wine #3- a bit more acidity than others, mute nose at first. Opens a
bit with some apples and chalk. B

1- 2004 Fevre " Les Preuses" Chablis GC (not thrilled to own a bottle
of this)
2- 2002 Raveneau "Butteaux" Chablis GC
3- 2005 Carillon "Champs Martin" Mercurey 1er

While I was in Burgundy, if pressed the Mercurey is the one I would
have pegged for Chablis. OK, but nothing here I'd buy at normal
pricing.

Second course was a warm "Crimini Mushroom Salad with Mussels", which
was more a soup, delicious with a hint of sherry. Three more whites:

Wine # 4- clean, clear pear fruit, citrus zest, a bit lighter than
other two, pleasant but not as deep. B

Wine # 5- big, ripe, rich. Lovely opulent nose. Nice length. John
opined Corton-Charlemagne, he got it. A-

Wine # 6- this seemed a bit more advanced than others to me, just a
bit of a nutty note. Ripe, minty, some debate over whether it might
be mildly corked. Seems to get better/cleaner with some air. B+/B

4- 2002 Niellon " Clos St Jean" Chassagne Montrachet 1er
5- 2001 Bouchard Corton Charlemagne
6- 2002 Girardin Corton Charlemagne

Third course was raviolo with a veal/walnut red sauce. We switched to
reds:

Wine # 7 - some toasty oak. coffee, fairly ripe black cherry fruit.
Young, a bit outclassed by flightmates/ B/B+

Wine # 8 - The first word I write is "Wow." Great nose, sandalwood and
cherries, flowers and mushrooms, very complex. Fully mature, but not
fading, a lovely lovely wine. A/A-

Wine # 9- pretty tight at first, but opens beautifully. Still a bit
wound up, but a lovely full-bodied Burg. Black cherries, forest floor,
espresso. Fine and long. Might have passed #8 for my WOTN if we had a
few more minutes! A-

7- 2002 Roumier MSD Clos de la Bussiere
8- 1985 Roumier MSD Clos de la Bussiere
9- 1990 Roumier Bonnes Mares

Fourth course was cheese (Brie de Meaux, a fine Comte, Leyden, Old
Chatham ewe bleu cheese), with 3 more reds:

Wine # 10- lead pencil, a bit of animal, blackcurrants, full but
elegant. Good acidity, resolved tannins. A-

Wine # 11 - pretty dull and ponderous next to other 2, though I
probably would have been ok with it on its own. A little VA, hint of
brett, solid dark fruit, still a bit of tannin. B-

Wine # 12- Sweet dark fruit, a light funky edge, cigarbox, minerally/
rock finish. Very nice wine. A-/B+

10- 1979 Chateau Montrose
11- 1975 Chateau Montrose
12- 1966 Chateau Montrose

Nice night with nice wines, nice food, nice people. Nice!

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.
*