Christmas Eve Dinner and Wine

With appetizers

• N.V. Michel Turgy Champagne Réserve Selection Brut Blanc de Blanc - France, Champagne, Côte des Blancs, Champagne
  I really liked this. Got us started tonight and was a great food wine. Pretty yeast and brioche flavors and crisp apple that I find so common for BdB from Mesnil. Very dry. I almost wondered whether it was zero dosage. I would buy this anytime.


• N.V. A. Lancelot-Pienne Champagne Brut - France, Champagne, Cramant, Champagne
  I didn't like this as much as the Turgy. Still a great bottle of Champagne, but the mousse was a little finer and the fruit a little sweeter than the Turgy which showed much drier. Still a solid wine that shows less yeast and brioche than I am used to from BdB. Almost seemed that it had a roasted hazelnut and yellow flowers profile which I don't find commonly in BdB (of course for my palate).


• N.V. Cameron Hughes Lot 25 Carneros - USA, California, Sonoma County, Carneros
  This wasn't half bad. Clearly not as good as the Champagnes, but certainly not horrible. Good quaffer, especially considering the price.

With cream of wild mushroom soup

• 2004 Merry Edwards Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
  Very good. Dark garnet/ruby color and nice nose of cherry and allspice. Solid texture and mid-palate with good, sappy finish.


• 2004 Domaine Ponsot Chambolle-Musigny Cuvée des Cigales - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny
  Dark, but completely translucent appearance. Funky nose of leather, tobacco, and red berries. Needed a lot of time to open up, gain weight, and show fruit. Once there, this had a tremendous palate presence and finish. All I am looking for in a young, affordable Burgundy.

With homemade duck breast confit

• 2002 Château Pradeaux Bandol - France, Provence, Bandol
  Showing even better than the last bottle. Dark plum color with slight bricking at the rim. Sweet fruit and nice leather and truffle flavors. The Provencal sun is almost detectable in the wine. Super soft texture, but good, persistent finish. I would buy this again.

With rolled rib of beef au jus

• 1995 Réserve de la Comtesse - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
  From magnum. Opened hours in advance but not decanted. I thought this may be good, but it was a real shocker just how good. Dark garnet color with killer nose of cigar box and cassis. Suave on the palate with layered fruit, earth, and tobacco/cigar box flavors. Finish was good enough to make this the ultimate food companion and incredibly fun to drink. Would buy again.


• 2003 E. Guigal Crozes-Hermitage - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Crozes-Hermitage
  As always very reliable. Bacon fat and black olive tapenade dominate this wine along with nice blackberry. Very consistent profile between the nose and the palate and a great finish. It's worth twice as much as I paid for it and I'd buy it again. Fun wine.


• 2001 Neal Family Cabernet Sauvignon Second Chance Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley, Atlas Peak
  I'm not a big fan of California Cab in general, but this was very, very tasty. Lots of dark soft blackcurrant and blackberry fruit with some nice tobacco and tar mixed in. Light on its feet but lots of structure. No heat on the finish and no angularity to this...shows signs of high elevation restrained fruit (in a good way). Drinks incredibly well right now. Was decanted for about an hour before consumption.

With fruit tart and chocolate cake

• 1996 Château Guiraud - France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
  Drinking in a sweet spot right now. I can't imagine how this will get any better. Great aged flavors and smells of honey, poached pear, and white blossoms. Great acidity. This is really a great performer right now. Would buy again in a heart beat.


• 2000 Château Tirecul La Gravière Monbazillac - France, Southwest France, Dordogne, Monbazillac
  I still think this is showing a little weird. Very high residual sugar (much higher then the 96 Guiraud) and very low acidity. Viscous like motor oil and massive flavors of honey and flowers. Almost overbearing. Very good, but a tough match to food in my opinion. Would probably not buy again.