Birthday Wines

16 Sep 2012: It's not usual for the birthday boy to buy the wines, cook the food and even mop up shattered glass pieces at a birthday dinner! As it happened, our friend Paul did all of that and he even put up with our dietary request for vegetarian dishes instead of the very delicious boeuf bourgignon that he lovingly prepared. The Chinese alternatives of "ma po to fu" and "stir fried long beans" were really yummy, as was Julie's nicely-textured cauliflower mash, which looked and tasted healthy.
2002 Clos des Goisses, Philipponnat. Racy, precise, showing purity and depth of gorgeous underlying fruit. A bit on the austere side now, this is a serious champagne that would benefit from 4 - 5 more years of cellaring to allow further development of flavours and bouquet. It showed much better with a couple more hours of aeration: green apple, peach, white flowers, smoke and spice, with detailed minerality. 18.5+/20
2001 Bourgogne Chardonnay, Coche-Dury: This was the biggest surprise of the evening. An opulent and complex bouquet of floral, marzipan, pear, roasted pineapple, fig, toasted almonds and smoke, laced with beautiful minerality and spices. Very smooth mouthfeel, nicely weighty on the palate, balanced by very vibrant acidity, with a lengthy finish. Drinking at peak and will drink well for another 4 - 5+ years! 18/20  The quality of this Bourgogne surpassed its appellation level. Wonder if this was declassified stuff? This went so well with the peaty smoked salmon that Paul ordered from this place called Hebridean Smoke House (www.hebrideansmokehouse.com) - I highly recommend - very difficult not to love it! I would have to have it again with a dram of peaty whisky!

1978 Beaune-Grèves Vigne de L'Enfant Jésus, Bouchard: A nicely mature nose of coffee, pot pourri, autumn leaves, tea leaves, floral and coriander seeds. Silky on the palate, with a sweet entry and some depth, but the sharply acidic kick at the finish would indicate it being past its peak. An elegant and classy wine but probably 3 - 4 years past its peak. 15.5/20

2001 Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Saint Jacques, Rousseau: I rather liked this - a more extracted forward style. Bright medium ruby. Savoury, animal saddle notes, complementing the bright red cherry and raspberry notes, with violet, spice and earthy nuances, all layered with bright minerality. Gorgeously balanced, velvety ripe tannin, with richness, weight and concentration that left you gobsmacked. Will continue to develop over next 12+ years but why wait! 18/20

2000 Meursault-Perrières, Lafon: Ripe concentrated fruit, apple, peach, toasted almonds, with heaps of stony minerality. Classy and sophisticated, with phenomenal precision and purity.  Crisp and very long finish. Drinking beautifully now and for next 10 - 15 years. 18/20

Thank you again Paul and Julie for an excellent evening and the doggy bags of peaty smoked salmon!