To celebrate my brother's birthday, I booked a 2 BR penthouse suite atop a luxury hotel a mere 8 block walk from the Queen Elizabeth Theater where I had 7th row tickets to see Sting in concert. We had a dinner reservtion at a great Canadian bistro just two blocks from the theater.
We got to the hotel early and popped the cork on this to enjoy on our private 13th story terrace:
2020 Louis Jadot Saint-Aubin Blanc Chardonnay
Yes, a still white, not a celebratory bubbly. Chris can enjoy bubblies but he would never buy them for himself; what he loves most is great chardonnay. These Jadots have evolved in a very interesting way. At age six it's no longer taut but riper/fuller yet vivaciously so--an Anna Nicole Smith kind of wine--and there's a boatload of minerals that really sells it. Not my preferred style but absolutely 100% Chris', and it worked well as a cocktail wine.
I brought two reds: ostensibly one plus a backup, but since they were both there I opened both so Chris could choose which one for dinner at the Homer St. Cafe. Btw, kudos to the restaurant, because when I called with the courtesy question about BYOB one should always ask of a new restaurant, I was told "yes, we LOVE it when people bring special bottles". Perfect answer! Chris chose the Nota Bene and so did I, no contest:
2008 Black Hills Estate Nota Bene Okanagan Valley VQA Red Bordeaux Blend
Took my own advice (for once) circa 2022 and waited to open my last bottle. Great move: this is so perfectly in it's moment! There's dust, sturdy cabernet fruit and a lot of herbaceousness from the minor CF component. Really, really beautiful.
The show lastest so long we unfortunately missed having a nightcap as planned at the hotel's rooftop bar, so back in the room we ended the night with a glass each of the second choice red:
2003 Château Pontet-Canet Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend
Full secondary, but no tertiary notes yet. Seemed very ready on pulling the cork. Dark purple-black with graphite notes on California-ish fruit, not surprising given the vintage. Tasty, but needs rare beef.