We were visiting a most gracious host in the burbs of Indianapolis last Sat. evening and started our nite with a 1996 Jean Laurent with smoked lake trout, a match made in heaven. Near my last of 1/2 case and finally losing some of the excess acidity and showing lots of yeasty, doughy light pear flavors. A hit. Than needed some more bubbly so Terry, our host,opened a NV Lucien ALbrecht Alsatian Rose which is always welcome. Then we sat down for our meal of slow cooked lamb and mashed potatoes. A 1994 Olivier Laflaive Meursault "Les Perrieres" was in excellent shape with great acidity, spicey pear flavors, chalky nose and all wraped is a velvety smooth medium long finish. Next up was the Bennet Lane Maximus 2004 from ??? I forgot to note but I believe Napa Valley. It was young but with great black fruit and just starting to mellow out with lots of future potential. The 1999 Verite "La Muse" was next with a very attractive nose and palate of iodine, menthol, cassis and other black fruits. Very well integrated/balanced and near peak but will stay there for probably 10 more years. The 2004 Briar Rose Petite Verdot from Temecula Valley was next. Very nice and amazing that such an attractive red could come from such a hot micro-climate. It had lots of forest floor notes with black fruit, good acidity and abv of %13.9. We opened the 1995 Les Cailloux Chateauneuf du Pape next and it had some bricky colors at the rim with mature lightly spicy red fruit and notes of tea and cinnamon. Excellent but ready to drink up and at peak. The 2005 Eagles Trace came next. Made by the folks at Andersons Conn Valley Vineyard, it had some medium-intense black fruit and a camphor/medicinal note. Interesting but not the "wow" wine I was hoping for. Can age some or pop-n-pour now. We actually started with the 2007 Andrew Will "Ciel du Cheval" from Wash. state but my notes got mixed up so it is listed here. Lots of sediment and left in craf for quite a few hours, it was open for business with lots of black fruit, good balance but my memory and notes are pretty fuzzy on this one. I have two left and will give them some more time. The 2006 Faust Cabernet from Napa Valley was memorable with full-bodied black fruit of cassis and blackberry and an attreactive mineral component. The 2002 Vine Cliff Cabernet vied with the last wine as my wines of the nite. It had all of the previous wines notes and a black olive note also. abv of %14.2 and very smooth. Glad I have a bit more of this. Our last wine of the evening was a 2001 Lafaurie Peyraguey
from full bottle that I remember really liking with viscous full bodied pear fruit and fine acidity but further details unfortunately are lost by me. We actually stayed up until 3:00 playing euchre. Great food, company and wine made for an altogether memorable visit. Lets do this again next year (or sooner)!