On 7/1/19 9:06 PM, DaleW wrote:
> A few weeks ago we cancelled a dinner when Mark Ls trip to NYC was curtailed. But the rest of us decided to try again Saturday. Our table seats 8 as we were thinking Mark could have an Elijah chair in his honor, but then we added Steve and Cathleen and instead just crowded in. Hot day but the AC mostly kept it comfortable.
>
> Charcuterie (pate, lonza, culatello), Robiola Bosina, Ossua Iraty, and some Hudson Valley cheeses
>
> 2006 Philipponnat Le Leon Extra Brut Champagne
> 100% PN from Ay.Taut, elegant, long, I like a lot. B+/A-
>
> 1983 Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese
> One guest prefers low alcohol, this does the trick. Not super sweet, peach and tropical fruit with some ginger and petrol. A later sip has a distinct flavor of those orange jelly candies, which sounds terrible but I actually enjoyed. B+
>
> 1992 JJ Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett
> at first I was a little disappointed with this and preferred the Haag Auslese (others disagreed). But it really develops well- slate and petrol, apple and lime zest. Nice tension, excellent length. If all Kabinett drank like this at 25+ it would be a huge hunk of my cellar. A-
>
I am still smarting from the cancellation of my visit, but reading this
account gives me some degree of vicarious enjoyment. Thanks for posting
this, Dale! What a great way to start the meal!
> Scallop crudo with Hakurei turnips and mint
Wow. Just wow. Mad props to Betsy for this creation.
>
> 1969 Pavillon Blanc de Ch. Margaux
> Never had a "69 white Bdx before, this was part of a mixed lot where I wanted other wines, but was surprised by color and fill when it arrived. Quite alive, but not super complex. Grapefruit flavors though modest acids, floral, a little wooly. Fun to try. B/B+
>
> 2005 G. Boulay €śComtesse€ť Sancerre
> (bottle neck actually cracked on opening, but we decanted through a filter for safety)This has the ripeness/sweetness of the vintage, but theres a good acidic backbone Powerful and young, with citrus zest, grapefruit, and a little beeswax. Lovely stuff. A-/B+
>
Interesting pairing, an older SB with a young one. I'm amazed that
there was so much life left in the '69 Pavillon.
> Delia had brought some excellent stuffed mushrooms
>
> 1985 Olga Raffault €śPicasses€ť Chinon
> Just a bit of funk (tame by Olga standards), redder fruit, eucalyptus, good finish.I liked more than some others. B+
>
> 1976 Lame-Delille. €śCuvee de lEcrivain Pierre Louys€ť Bourgueil
> Tangy and a bit jarring at first, but magic matching with the mushrooms- the richness of the cheesy shrooms brings out all the best in the Loire. Never heard of this producer but this was vibrant, herby, fun. A-/B+
>
Not getting a chance to meet Delia is certainly among my many regrets.
Next time, I hope... Another interesting pairing, of Cab Francs. I
can't say that I know Lame-Delille either.
> A couple of weeks I had great luck with doing lobster sousvide with butter and tarragon, and then serving later, This time I had a debacle- I held the much larger bag a bit longer, and then plated, and then held some more. By the time I served with the surprise white Burg flight the tail piece were mushy- damn.
>
> 1999 Remi Jobard €śLes Charmes€ť Meursault 1er
> Sweet pear fruit, some hazelnut, pretty oaky., quite alive. Still have not had a premoxed Remi J. B/B+
>
> 2007 Jadot €śGenevrieres€ť Meursault 1er
> But I have had (another) premoxed Jadot. Not totally gone, but when a lot of good wines on the table€¦.. Sad
>
Oof! What a shame, Dale.
> I stepped outside to grill some 5-spice quail to serve with lentils. Those went with the claret (all double-decanted)
>
> 1979 Ch. Haut-Bailly (Graves)
> Bright red currant fruit, tobacco/cigarbox, resolved tannin, lovely and long. A-
>
> 1975 Ch. Le *** (Pomerol)
> Quite funky on opening, I thought corked then decided it was capsule must- bottle not wine smelled. Showed okay- doesnt have the opulence or elegance of the great 75 Pomerols, but solid black plum fruit, still some tannin, some light barnyard funk. B
>
> 1970 Ch. Belair (St. Emilion)
> Red plum fruit with dirt and leather, opens up in glass, funky old style St. Emilion that I like. B/B+
>
What did you think of that pairing? I generally go with more
red-fruited wines (lighter PN, Gamay, Grenache) with the assertive
flavors of grilled quail, but reading your descriptions of these three,
maybe you got that from your older Bdx.
> Duck breast with watercress, candied almonds, and green beans
>
> (this was only blind flight, I served in decanters to avoid producer preconceptions but said Chassagne rouge, kudos to Sasha who called the Ramonet almost immediately)
>
> 2001 Ramonet €śClos St. Jean€ť Chassagne-Montrachet 1er rouge
> (label doesnt say 1er, but AFAIK all CSJean is, and John says holds for red). Raspberry and bitter cherry, spicy, spicy, and spicy, in a sandalwood meets white pepper way. Bright and ready. B+/A-
>
> 1999 JN Gagnard €śLEstimee€ť Chassagne-Montrachet rouge
> Weird rounded heavy bottle. Red fruited, a little vanilla and mocha, rounder than the Ramonet, not old school but I enjoyed. B/B+
Quail AND duck? Wow, just wow. I didn't know Ramonet made any reds,
nor that reds were made in Chassagne. Live and learn.
>
> Then more PN
> :
> 1989 Faiveley Corton-Clos des Cortons
> Really fine showing, exotic nose with spice/incense and fresh black raspberry and cherry fruit, full and well-balanced. Long finish. Elegant for Corton. A-
>
> 1990 Faiveley Corton-Clos des Cortons
> A comparatively quiet nose, black ripe fruits with some light barnyard and matchstick aromas. Sweet black fruit, no real roasted notes, yet without the freshness of the "89s fruit. I think Ill take a chance and hold my remaining bottle of a decade or so. B+/B
I think of '89 as an early-maturing year in the Cote d'Or, but if anyone
was going to make a long-lived '89, Faiveley might be my choice (well,
Gouges, too)
>
> Jay had brought dessert, an assortment of whoopie pies, cookies, and shortbread.
> I was complaining about my excess of dessert wines, so we opened the
> 1990 Pinon €śGoutte dOr€ť Vouvray Moelleux. From the Partners for Pinon deal. Good acids, honey, Earl Grey tea, pineapple. Sweet but not over the top - nothing thick here. Lots in reserve, plenty of life ahead. John took bottle and said it showed very well day 2. B+/A- on Saturday.
>
> Really fun afternoon/night with a fine and fun group of people- though we missed Dr. Lipton.
> Quite lucky, good showings - other than the poxed white Burg, Id happily drink any of these. And we didnt even have any TCA- beat the odds there!
Wow, Dale, what an incredible lineup of food and wine. I cannot tell
you how sad I am that I couldn't stay until Sunday. Thanks for setting
this up anyway.
Mark Lipton
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