Weeknights were good food but no wine, then Th some of my Bordeaux group and one guest met at Pings in Chinatown for Champagne and Cab Franc night. Fried silverfish, grouper two ways with Chinese broccoli, crab fried rice, quail, Peking duck , hot pot short ribs; baby greens with shallots, all very good with attentive service.
2006 Roederer Starck
First vintage of this (and first Brut Nature from Roederer) Drinking very well. Bosc pear, green apple, mint. Nicely balanced with enough fruit sweetness to not make you miss dosage. Elegant and long. A-
2002 M&C Dom Perignon
Rich, pineapple and pink grapefruit, fresh bread dough and mineral edge on finish. B+/A-
2006 Baudry Croix Boissee Chinon
Ripe black plum and raspberry, coffee, a little chipotle. Very nice, but a little riper and more subdued than the 2005. B+
2005 Baudry Croix Boissee Chinon
Fresh, bright, lively fruit, spice. A-/B+
2007 Clos Rougeard Poyeux Saumur-Champigny
Perfumed, black cherry and incense, very very long. A-
1989 Couly-Dutheil Clos de l’Olive Chinon
A wine I’ve quite enjoyed in past, but this was musty and became apparent it was corked.
1978 Olga Raffault Chinon
(not Picasses) Lovely aromatic/floral/vegetal notes on nose, on palate it’s like 2 packages of raspberries pureed with a green bell pepper and then aged in a leather bota. Actually the palate was a bit of a shock, but as I got used to it I enjoyed. B+
1989 Chanteleuserie Bourgueil Beauvais.
I actually took no notes on this, but liked- peppery and fresh, a bit lighter than the other reds. B
1979 Ch. Figeac
Really really corked.
Fun night with a great crew
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.