We then moved to table, a lovely feast of soup, beef bourguignon, cheese, desserts, etc. Wines were served blind in three flights.
White Flight
Seemed like white Burg, though several had doubts about #1 (and convinced me).
#1) Fairly sweet and low acid, with very tropical flavors. When someone suggested it might not be white Burgundy, I thought maybe 2003 white Graves, but Andy said all Burgundy. Someone called it "banana bubble gum" which I didn;t get, though some sweet butterscotch notes came with time.; Not my favorite at all.
2002 Bouchard Corton Charlemagne. B-./C+
#2) Balanced, minerally, good with excellent length. Some Meursault guesses but Cathleen got Corton-Charlemagne. My fave of flight.
2005 Bonneau du Martray Corton Charlemagne A-/B+
#3)Big, herbal, mint and a little butterscotch, good but a little hot on backend.
2005 Henri Boillot Corton Charlemagne B
First Red Flight
#4). Fresh, youngest seeming, this was called out as a Rhone ringer by some. Beautiful wine in any case. Some animal and earthy notes around a solid fruit core.
1971 Camille Giroud Bonnes Mares A-
#5)I liked the nose on this one, a sandalwood meets ripe red fruit combo, but on palate it's a bit angular and disjointed. But in other company (of wines) I'd have liked more.
1971 Camille Giroud Charmes-Chambertin B
#6) Edged #4 as my fave of flight. Big, full bodied, black cherry fruit with earth and forest floor aromas. Luckily I had brought extra glasses, this held well for the entire meal.
1971 Camille Giroud Chambertin. A-/A
#7) Mushrooms, earth, red fruit, nice nose with palate only slightly marred by an astringent note.
1971 Camille Giroud Richebourg. B+
Second Red Flight
So the sweet/brown sugar notes marked this as old PN, my guesses are useless on anything this old, but I was impressed as John, Cathleen, and Craig got vintages.
#8) Sweetness of fruit, a bit lifted, but tasty and complex.
1937 Hospices de Beaune (Camille Giroud elevage )"Cuvee Blondeau" Volnay A-
#9) I liked this, but can't even read the one word I wrote down, just my grade. Was paying too much attention to others.
1947 Camille Giroud Corton B/B+
#10) Animal, meat, dried herbs, still plenty of fruit, my WOTN by a hair
1947 Camille Giroud Richebourg. A/A-
#11) Jammier than other wines, but I liked.
1949 Camille Giroud Musigny. B+/A-
Last blind wine was a dessert wine with cheese and desserts, a powerful/thick wine but with good acids. Lots of botrytis, intense flavors of candied orange peel and apricot, with some vanilla. We pretty much assumed a great vintage of Yquem, but it was something rarer, the 1989 Coutet "Cuvee Madame" A-
Some delicious wines, all new to me, a night to remember.
edited to add cuvee to '37 Volnay, thanks Craig
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.