Belgian Christmas Eve (Reveillon) is traditionally graced by "boudins de Noël" (literally Christmas black pudding but not at all similar to the implications that description) and by "buches de Noël" (a chocalate based concoction in the shape of a log). Both are difficult to pair with wine and we added a fish fish stew in a cream sauce, which should have been easier.
Bollinger Special Cuvée (bought August 2006) was its usual reliable self; crisp and fresh with good body, flesh, minerality and length. It had gained subtlety from 3 years extra in the cellar and coped with the boudins quite well; 16.5/20++.
Egly-Ouriet Grand Cru Ambonnay Blanc de Noirs Cuvée Vieilles Vignes (disgorged September 2001 after 51 months on "lattes") was not as good as previous bottles; perhaps kept too long. At first there was a certain funkiness and hints of oxidation but these tended to reduce with air; deeper in colour, richer, more concentrated and structured than the Bolly but lacking its elegance and perhaps too powerful for the fish stew; 15/20.
Maury Vintage 2006 - Mas Amiel was more tangy and rustic and less sweet seeming than in some previous vintages with invigorating grenache fruit, pepper and marked structure; the chocolate in the "buche" was too milky and insufficiently bitter to show this to best advantage; 15.5/20.
I am agonising over the choice of wines for dinner tonight. Perhaps Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese 97 from Prüm with foie gras, Côte Rôtie with richly stuffed capon and Taylor's 70 with Stilton and a another more bitterly chocolatey "buche". The bootles are standing up but I may change my mind about some of them when I smell the food.