Christmas Day!!

25 Dec 2010: Christmas Day!  We went round to Patrick and Debra's for a "casual" lunch.  We knew it wouldn't be quite so casual, with Patrick in charge of the stove and wine cellar!  We started with some smoked trout on blinis (with a touch of orange zest) and a glass of Cristal 1996, which tasted rich and well-matured.  Then we sat down for a dish of angel hair with anchovy-flavoured bread crumbs, lightly garnished with chili and oregano.  Such a simple dish, and yet so full of flavours and texture!  This was accompanied by a 2001 Leflaive Chevalier Montrachet.  A pure expression of terroir and vintage.  Elegant, very poised, mineral, citrus peel, with some guava and melon.  Drinking well now and for next 5+ years. 17.5/20

The star of the lunch was the 1990 Chambertin, Rousseau.  This wine just tasted so "à point" and drinking at its peak now and for the next 5+ years.  Ripe red fruit, complemented by aromas of leather, earth, herb and spice. Extremely well balanced, structure holding well with silky tannin and a good level of acidity.  Exceptional length.  19/20 A fabulous wine that went so well with the rouladen dish!  "Rouladen" is a German dish consisting of bacon, onions, mustard and pickles, wrapped with a thin slice of beef.  Patrick made two versions, one the traditional way with veal and the other a deviation from the tradition, with string mushrooms with beef. Deliciously served with a rich mustard and mushroom sauce!  So yummy!

The first bottle of 1999 Bonnes Mares, Comte Georges de Vogüé, was slightly corked.  So we opened another one.  Still a little closed on the nose and it took a while to coax the intense aromas out.  Concentrated black fruit aromas, blackberry and black cherry, still very youthful.  Acidity and tannin well wrapped within a firm and velvety texture. This wine will need a lot more time to realise its full potential.   Can do with another 3 - 4 years in bottle to further develop.  18/20

After being refreshed by a pear cooked in red wine, we tackled the spread of cheese, mince pies and various goodies, including roasted chestnuts!  A favourite of mine!  (I have fond memories of warming my hands with a bag of these November last year while walking along the Champs-Elysées back to Pascal's apartment where I would devour them one by one in front of the TV.)  Patrick opened a bottle of 1960 Port -  what a treat!  We needed the extra boost to help us through the wine games!   All we missed was a roaring fire to make a complete picture of the "perfect Christmas lunch"!  Great lunch and thank you to our hosts!