Sunday friends came over, the kids watched a video while the adults
dined. We started with mushroom with sour cream and caviar, then a
spicy squash/apple soup. Starter wine was the 2005 Ch. Lamothe de
Haux (Bordeaux AC, although I thought an earlier vintage was 1er
Cotes de Bdx). Nice bright white Bordeaux, lemon/grapefruit with some
grass. Nothing deep, but very satisfying for under $10. B
'
With the Craft short ribs, swiss chard, yellow beets, and roasted
potatoes:

1990 Bourgneuf (Pomerol)
I've had variable bottles of this from the same source. This one is
just below average - not as fresh as some, but not as tired as others-
a nice bottle of mature Pomerol for the price. Very round and full,
red fruit accented with forest floor and leather. Does have a bit of
that roasted character some '90s exhibit. OK if unexciting. B

2000 Graillot Crozes-Hermitage
Roasted meat and herbs over a bold red fruit body. Only a
middleweight, but developing nicely. Some pepper and smoke emerge with
time. Excellent for the level. B+/A-

Great food, great friends, good wine, great time

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.

On 29 Jan 2007 11:12:47 -0800, "DaleW" > wrote:

>1990 Bourgneuf (Pomerol)
>I've had variable bottles of this from the same source. This one is
>just below average - not as fresh as some, but not as tired as others-
>a nice bottle of mature Pomerol for the price. Very round and full,
>red fruit accented with forest floor and leather. Does have a bit of
>that roasted character some '90s exhibit. OK if unexciting. B

That's pretty much the same experience I had with a bottle of the '90,
which I picked up at the Heathrow airport wine shop in 1999 for about
$30 US. Seems to me we drank it in 2001, maybe a bit early, but I
couldn't find any info on Bourgneuf that would give its relative
longevity. Rather be sloshed than sorry.

Btw, are Bourgneuf-Vayron and Domaine de Bourgneuf Mercurey different
wineries?

JJ