WTN: Chave 1985, 1986

Gosset Brut (nv ) – always a great way to start a meal – crisp dry and clean.

Alfred Gratien Brut (nv) - much more colour, clearly getting on in years and very little mousse at all. More complexity and acidity, but over all a tad to tired.

2007 Mulderbosch Sauvignon Blanc – good varietal nose, clean and crisp, with very good passion fruit nose. From the Cape.

2009 Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc – what gives with this wine? In days past, I always gave this wine at least 2 years in the cellar in order to allow it to tone down the aggressive acidity. This one was fine right out of the bottle, with a more gooseberry less tropical nose, good but not overboard acidity, and good fruit. Have they changed their style?

2005 Alain Voge St. Peray Fleur de Crussol – always a crowd pleaser, this showed a bit of colour, a lemony nose and good fruit level on palate. very good.

1985 Chave Hermitage – these wines went back and forth in terms of our preferences. The 1985 is a slightly superior vintage, but the 1986 was in magnum and therefore fresher. This one showed medium garnet with a nose that included leather and tar as well as a floral element, was balanced, long and delightful on palate with some black pepper at the end and some red fruit. I liked this better at first.

1986 Chave Hermitage – slightly lighter colour, and more acidity, and the nose was far funkier and barnyard/poop. Good length and good midpalate fruit, segueing to tea flavours as it sat in the glass. I’d give it about a toss up – I think I liked this better at the end, but had liked the 85 better at first; both were very enjoyable.

Served with roast lamb and a savoury bread pudding – yum!

1994 Ch. Dauzan La Vergne – Haut Montravel – about the last wine I’d expect to see, although I enjoy both dry and sweet Montravels, and toured through the area a few years ago. A slightly honeyed nose with a hint of orange, nicely balanced, and not too sweet in the mouth – good choice with fruit or a not too sweet dessert. Given the lower RS than Sauternes, I expect it would pair beautifully with foie gras. Some opined that they didn’t enjoy it as much on its own as they did in conjunction with the food.

Oustanding meal; and some wonderful wines!

[Jenise]

With pinwheels of halibut tartare stuffed with a spicy sun-dried tomato butter and topped with fleur de sel:

NV Gosset (cellared about five years): crisp, bready and dry. A favorite.

NV Alfred Gratien Brut (unknown age) : Deep yellow color, and no mousse but with a therefore surprisingly forceful and lasting spritz on the tongue. Spice, ginger and caramel flavors indicate a lot of age. And, while I appreciate why you call it tired, Bill, and agree that technically that's true, I have to admit that I actually love this character in old champagnes. I'll give you that those flavors aren't especially suited to aperitif service, but I'd have loved it on its own as an after-dinner drink, say.

With goat cheese and asparagus tartines on frisee with orange-shallot vinaigrette:

2007 Mulderbosch Sauvignon Blanc: what you said, would add 'grassy' and oyster shell. Also, quite dry compared to the wine that followed it. If I'd tasted both first, I'd have probably put the two SB's in the reverse order as the Cloudy Bay matched the flavors in the salad. Although, perhaps if they were together, that wouldn't have been so apparent. Oh, let me add that this course was served on the patio, and your wife astutely observed that the wine's saline character was enhanced by the smell of the nearby salt water.

2009 Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc : nose of cheese and citrus. Complex and balanced. One of the better young CB's I've had in recent years.

With a modern take on lobster thermidor:

2005 Alain Voge St. Peray Fleur de Crussol – developed lemony nose, and rich with secondary nuances from bottle age. Excellent and better suited for the food than the 08 Vieux Donjon blanc I'd planned to serve (and didn't--another guest brought this, and with the two wines coming there was no point in loading up this course).

With fennel pollen-crusted roast leg of lamb and a black/olive and leek bread pudding:

1985 and 1986 Chave Hermitage: I completely agree with your assessment here. I too preferred your '85 at first for it's more youthful red fruit core, but with time the '86 pulled slightly ahead as the classic Chave 'animale' character that makes me so weak in the knees bloomed in the glass. What a luxury to have been able to have seconds! Both wines were oustanding.

With a rustic almond-carrot cake with fresh oranges and basil:

1994 Ch. Dauzan La Vergne: "Some opined that they didn’t enjoy it as much on its own as they did in conjunction with the food." Interesting. Personally, I liked it both ways, but then I don't have much of a sweet tooth. Agree it would be a great foil for some foie gras.