Time flies when you're having a very good dinner party!

17 Mar 2012: A dinner at home, our guests delighting us with intellectually provoking conversations around topics as diverse as politics, environmental issues, business ethics and media that sustained wits, humour and good spirits throughout the evening. Definitely one of the more interesting dinner parties at home. 

To accompany the amuse-bouches of Richard's smoked trout pâté and wasabique with confit of peppers, both served on toasted Poilâne bread, we enjoyed a magnum of 2004 Gimonnet Millésime de Collection.  Citrus, green apple, almond notes with hints of toast.  Minerality dominates the very clean and refreshing palate.  A precise and linear wine, with much finesse and poise.  Beautifully constructed.  Love the long and crisp finish.  17.5/20

This was followed by the 2007 Hospices de Beaune Corton-Charlemagne Cuvée François de Salins in magnum, élevage by Faiveley.  A very sophisticated and classy Corton Charlemagne, with plenty of complexity and intensity, that is drinking so well now, with plenty going for it for a long life ahead. Nicely washing down the starter of salt cod fish cakes with tomato jam. 18/20

1978 Brane Cantenac in magnum.  Garnet core.  A perfumed bouquet of leather, pot pourri, blueberry, with some Asian spices (nutmeg and cloves).  Gracefully aged.  Silky texture and a delicate frame. The nose was more impressive than the palate but nevertheless a fine accompaniment with roasted pork chop and bubble and squeak main course.  A very charming and elegant wine to be enjoyed now (at peak) and over next 3 - 4 years for optimum enjoyment.  16.5/20

1975 Léoville Las Cases in magnum. Ruby core, with a garnet rim.  Took a little more aeration in the glass for the bouquet to reveal itself - animal, leather, savoury, earthy, coffee, lead pencil, layered with blueberry, dark berry and violet notes.  A wine still showing much vigour, intensity and concentration, with a robust structure of well-integrated tannin and a good show of acidity. Not the most charming of wines, instead muscular and masculine, a dramatic contrast to the charm and silky elegance of the 1978 Brane Cantenac. Very impressive. Drink now and over next 10+ years.  18/20

1988 Pétrus. Ruby in colour.  Blackcurrant, black cherry, chocolate, coffee and liquorice. Some sweetness to counterbalance a slightly herbaceous character on palate. Tannin still firm, but not quite balanced by a showing of ripe fruit. A solid and well-made Pétrus, if lacking somewhat in charm and character.  Drink now and over next 6 - 8 years.  17.5/20

1963 Fonseca.  Tawny in colour.  Date, walnut, raisin and caramel notes. Nectar-like on the palate, with gorgeous complexity.  I found the finish quite spirity.  I paired it with the dessert of sticky toffee pudding.  17/20

It was a good sign that a good evening had been had when our guests stayed on for post-prandial conversations that had by then edged up a notch in intellectual content, fuelled by Green Chartreuse (albeit a very good one) and music by Amy Winehouse. Time flew by us so furtively that the next time everyone checked the time, it was already 3 in the morning!! We don't envy our two friends who had to take the morning ferry to Macau!