With a first course of seared tuna in a chili hoisin marinade and then a simple chicken and haricot verts both sauteed with shallots
’66 Bollinger - consistently my favorite vintage of Bollinger. Good effervescence in the glass with an appropriately mature golden color. Great nose of red fruits with hints of toastiness. I opened this just as I was starting to saute the shallots and the wine really smelled like caramelized shallots. I the shallots weren’t even close to being caramelized at this point, but I still went outside to see if the wines aromas were being combined with the cooking aromas. There weren’t. A hint of mushrooms as well on the nose. On the palate there is great fruit and great acidity on the finish. One of the best examples of this wine I’ve ever had. Truly great stuff. Drank some with the tuna, which was the intended pairing, but it went better with the chicken. Very full bodied. Staggering plus
’72 La Mouline - still extremely dark in color, almost black. Classic gamey nose with hints of smoky bacon that are not as pronounced as some other vintages/bottles of Mouline. I’ve drunk this wine a number of times but I’m still surprised out how youthful this wine is considering it’s from a reputed mediocre vintage in Cote Rotie. Big and bold on the palate but with the velvet like Mouline mouthcoating texture. Finish is not endless, but it isn’t short either. Down to one last bottle of this but no regrets drinking them up over the past few years. Staggering minus.