So last night I invited a dozen friends and family to join Betsy, Dave, and I to celebrate Betsy's 50th. Her favorite small Japanese restaurant (Nishi in Ardsley) gave us the main wing of their L shaped room (8 Japanese businessmen took the little wing), and provided a truly excellent meal. Food was fabulous, service amazing (the husband cooks, the wife serves), company perfect (Betsy had a magic wand to move people around, so everyone got to talk to everyone). I had just suggested to Hiromi a few favorites and given a budget, I've forgotten some courses but some included:
appetizer plate with crab legs, gyoza, edamame, and tamago
miso soup
tempura
green salad
pickles
sashimi (I think there was also a negimaki for the one non-seafood eater)
ankimo
duck
chicken tatsuta
sushi
Other than soup and salad, everything was on communal plates, placed every 4 people; each was perfect visually as well as from a taste standpoint. They had set up several tables to side so I could do the wine service. I tried to bring an assortment of wines that reflected something special for Betsy (mostly by vintage, although incredibly in one of my vinuous rethinkings I somehow left out our marriage year!). Maybe it was the warmth of the occasion, but everything actually showed very well.
2004 Pinon Vouvray Brut (magnum)
I should have bought more of these. Citrus fruit over fresh baked bread, a huge hit as the greeting wine. B+
2007 Jakob Schneider Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling
Glass stopper. Lovely midweight, peach and strawberry fruit, sweetness balanced by acids, good length. B+/A-
2000 Williams-Selyem "Hawk Hill" Chardonnay (RRV)
First sip I thought this woody and awful, probably because of having the off-dry Riesling as previous wine. But when I revisited it was much improved, light oak notes framing a apple meets lemon Chard profile. Not buttery at all, decent acids. B
2000 Nigl "Privat" Senftenberger Piri Riesling
Fully mature, nice version of dry Riesling with stony minerality, a gingery spiciness, a little hint of petrol. B/B+
1997 Havens Reserve Merlot (magnum)
Pretty funky at first opening, but that settled in a mild barnyardy brett edge that I didn't mind at all. Lush, red plums and black cherries, balanced acidity, mostly resolved tannins. Drinking pretty well from magnum, but if I had 750s I'd drink up. B+
1959 Moulin Touchais
I think of ankimo as the foie gras of seafood, so had asked for it to be included. The ankimo and sweet Loire were a good match. As to the wine, a real winner. Wooly nose (as often is the case with chenin, for a second I thought this was corked when opened, but actually no trace of TCA), fresh and vibrant, no hint this was 50 years old. Moderate sweetness, zippy acids, ripe pit fruits with citrus zest. Finish goes on and on. Complex, lively, and lovely. A
1988 Drouhin Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru
Opened but not decanted several hours in advance. Tight at first, but in glass opens up nicely, sweet black cherries, espresso, forest floor. Some tannins still, good acidity, good length. B+/A-
1999 Ch. Leoville Poyferre
Cassis, cedar, a little mocha. Nice modern styled Bordeaux, and some people's wine of the night. B+
1959 Ch. Talbot
So do you decant a 50 year old wine? I should have delivered to restaurant a week earlier, but I didn't. So decided for sediment's sake to double decant just before leaving for restaurant. Very funky, but I'm relieved not corked or cooked. Served about 3 hours later, it's still got some Cordier funk (even though Talbot wasn't Cordier yet), but a solid body of blackcurrant and black plum fruit holds it up well. Every time I have a serious 59 Bdx I'm amazed at freshness/vibrancy of fruit. Resolved tannins, to be picky this isn't very long, but it is quite tasty. A winner! A-
David works at what is probably southern Westchester's top bakery, and brought a beautiful cake (with basset hound, cello, and knitting basket). I don't eat dessert, but had the 1959 Caillou Creme de Tete Sauternes. A re-release from a few years ago. Fairly deep reddish gold color, but doesn't taste oxidized at all. Pleasant midbodied sticky, a tad low acid, apricot and honey. Glad to have another birthyear wine to share with Betsy's friends, and it's sound, but not really complex and if you take out the birthyear factr a poor value (unlike the 59 Talbot, Moulin Touchais, and Ygay, all of which I'd buy again without sentimental reasons). B
Not a bad wine in the bunch, but more importantly Betsy was happy with her friends.
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.