A few wines that we opened for my recent birthday . . .
2021 Chateau d’Esclans Les Clans Rosé.
Popped & poured, and enjoyed over appetizers and conversation. A distinctive, blush, greige-salmon color and a different-to-me rosé taste profile. Scarce fruit. Mineral and herb emphasis. Very dry. Became much more interesting as it lost its chill. Overall, this seemed like a wine in search of a good food pairing.
I double decanted two red wines well before dinner. Both had a small amount of sediment. I gave a small glass of each some aeration time and sipped at the glasses until each wine started to show. I then stoppered and put aside until dinner.
2018 William Selyem Westside Road Neighbors Pinot Noir.
Tasty almost from the start. Opened up early. Sweetly tart cherries and cranberries up front, followed by mushroom and earth, and then a pleasantly delicate and energetic acidity, all combining and lingering on the aftertaste. Wonderful balance. Delicious. A real treat.
2017 Stewart Napa Cabernet Sauvignon
Tight, brooding, and tannin dominant at the first pour. Evolved slowly and revealed some good stuff after an hour plus in the glass. Green bell pepper, bloody iron, dark fruit. Almost sweet fruit on the aftertaste. Better and better with time in the glass. Well balanced. Very enjoyable. Nice wine.
The centerpiece wine was a birth year wine that I was cautiously hopeful for, but I was also prepared for it to give an elderly performance. I removed the wine from the refrigerator, opened it, had some issues with the cork, and left the wine to breath in a decanter for a half hour or so.
1949 Moulin Touchais Anjou Reserve du Fondateur (Chenin Blanc)
Amazing! Very surprised and pleased how much life and tasting enjoyment was still in this 75 year old wine. (I should be so lucky!) A slightly tart, apricot and peachy nectar. A bit of unexpected dryness in the finish, but nothing unpleasant. Grateful for the experience of tasting and enjoying this wine.
