We had plans to go up to dinner with friends. He said he had some duck leg confit, so Betsy said she would do beans and sausage, and we’d do a deconstructed cassoulet. She used Touluse sausage and jowl bacon from local butcher. But in the afternoon wives started consulting, and ultimately decided in favor of social distancing. So I drove half the bean base to Briarcliff, where I picked up 2 legs and a surprise decanter.
Betsy & I enjoyed the “cassoulet” as well as Caesar salad.
1988 Jadot Mazis-Chambertin
Wow, this is light and elegant for a 1988. Some red and black cherry, earth, gaminess. Faint but distinct horsey/bretty notes, but a walk down a road next to a pasture, not stepping on a cow patty. It’s still a pretty wine, and ready to go. Betsy liked it even more than I did. B+
Blind wine in a decanter
I thought from color and the fact he was pairing with duck it was going to be Burgundy, then changed mind when I tasted. Bright acids, red fruited, quite herby/mentholy. Got better and better. Floral, light, long. Using my social engineering expectations (known Mark and his cellar a long time) I rejected my first thought of Morgon, as Mark is not a Gamay guy. Mark loves Bandol, and that might give the herbiness but not that bright red fruit . I thought of CdP and old school CalCab, but really had no clue . But loved the wine. Never thought of 2000 Edmunds St. John Rocks and Gravel. A-/B+
A fun meal, but it would have been better with Mark and Nancy.
Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C
drinkable. 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.
