It’s not safe for a big birthday gathering, so we had family one night, three couples the next, then two couples over the next. I bought a canopy for the deck and kept it all outdoors, mostly masked. It was a salve to the soul to finally spend fun time with family and friends. The food and wine were spectacular; not a bad bottle or dish.
I started my birthday with an early morning mountain bike ride on Galbraith Mountain. After sitting in a recliner most of the rest of the day, I prepared baked stuffed live Maine lobster. They were a gift from Jenise. We paired them with two of my favorite Champagnes (although that’s like naming my favorite child; it can’t be done!)
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2006 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut (10/15/2020)
Exuberant lemon and orange, brioche and cream, but it’s the glycerine texture, minerals and balance that keep me coming back to this one. I’m embarrassed how many of these I’ve consumed over the years.
We finished the wine before the food, so a half bottle beckoned from the cellar:
- NV Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée (10/15/2020)
This was an older half bottle, and I didn’t check the cork to help determine the base year. Aged Krug GC’s have few if any peers. They’re magical. Citrus and hazelnut, honeyed brioche; such depth! Mineraled and majestic. Objet d’Art!
The second night was posted here.
The third night continued the streak of matchless fare:
Starting strong with Cristal!
Great pairing with anything. In this case, cold-smoked salmon carpaccio with chopped hard boiled egg and capers on crostini
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2009 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut - France, Champagne
I need to slap my hand every time I reach for these, but I can’t stop opening this wine. A birthday was a better excuse than for most of the previous empties. It’s drinking so well, yet has great potential to improve. Dense citrus including lemon, lime and tangerine. The minerals, balance, structure…superb.
Homemade lobster bisque
My first attempt ever making this, and it was exquisite. The old reisling was the perfect pairing. Vilmart provided the proper finish!
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1959 Deinhard Forster Ungeheuer Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Pfalz
I had to manually enter this wine on CT. An auction risk purchase that paid off in spades. It’s my second bottle opened, and it continues to impress. Uncorked hours before drinking but not decanted. Medium amber. On the nose, petrol, apricot, walnut. For the palate, the same plus a big citrus tartness. Quite dry; I’d have guessed it was half its age. It never declined in the glass through the night. -
2009 Vilmart & Cie Champagne Premier Cru Coeur de Cuvée - France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru
My last bottle ten months ago was grumpy and shut down. I was both excited and worried to see Ann-Marie had brought this. It was sensational. More plush than the 2008. Apple, lemon, apricot mix well, with nice yeasty brioche and minerals. I’ll wait a while to start opening these with abandon, but no harm if you have several.
Second consecutive day with truffles, pasta and Flannery beef
Inaudi Tagliotelle with a pound of Breton Au Sel de Mer butter, equal Tuscan EVOO, three planed black burgundy truffles, and a pile of micro-planed Parmigiano Reggiano bigger than my head. Heavenly!
Also, seared Flannery Hanger steak. Delicious, but not to the level of the the prior night’s Jorge bone-in full rib cut, which was the best steak I’ve ever cooked.
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1985 Marqués de Murrieta Rioja Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial - Spain, La Rioja, Rioja
I’m fairly oak adverse, except with Rioja. Good thing in this case. Oak,
cedar, tart cherries, smoke, orange peal and oak again. From the flavor and aroma profile, I’d have expected to antipathetic, but I liked this, as did the entire small group. -
1996 Château Montrose - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
Corked. Lars’ bottle. Too bad. -
2000 Château La Conseillante - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Lars’ bottle. Restrained and elegant, I really enjoyed it. Cassis, lightly truffled and earthy. Medium bodied. This was my kind of right banker.
Champagne cake
Ann-Marie made a Champagne cake and frosting which apparently took a full day and night. It was exquisite. We had leftover Rivesaltes from the night before.
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1959 Domaine Singla Rivesaltes Ambré Héritage du Temps - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Roussillon, Rivesaltes
Left over bottle from last night. Still tasty. Like an undersized tawny port with less density; buttered toffee, tobacco and spice.
Just sherry
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NV Equipo Navazos Manzanilla de Sanlúcar de Barrameda La Bota de Palo Cortado “Bota Punta” Nº 48 - Spain, Andalucía, Manzanilla de Sanlúcar de Barrameda
Ted’s bottle, hand carried from Madrid. Dry, dense, salty and intense. Nutty, with burnt caramel and brown spice. This was served late. It would have paired better with nuts and cheese. Really good though.
It was a lot of work and prep, but it was so worth it. Maybe next year we can do it all indoors with everyone together on one night. However, I’m liking out outdoor canopy with a variety of heat sources.
After three nights of vinous and culinary debauchery, it’s time to work out and dry out a while.
Cheers,
Warren