TN's: '71 Taittinger CdC and '66 Bouchard Chambertin at Ai Fiori

WINE TALK
1

Went to Ai Fiori for the first time last night. Food and service were both great. Michael White’s fingerprints were clearly on the menu. Room and tables are both quite spacious, but the room, at least last night, lacked energy. Will certainly go there again, but Marea will still get the vast majority of my “Michael White” visits.

’71 Taittinger CdC - I watched the sommelier open the bottle from across the room and could see the light color and effervescence in the glass she poured for herself, which were both good signs. I’ve drunk a number of bottles of this from the same batch so I was confident it would be sound, but one never knows so I brought a back-up just in case. Fortunately, there was no need. Really no need. A ton of yellow fruit on the nose with mature notes of butterscotch, honey and white chocolate. Tremendous richness on the palate with great expansiveness. Proper acidity on the finish completes this hair from perfect Champagne. Its one very minor flaw was the effervescence dissipated a bit too quickly for my preferences. This was the best example of this Champagne I have had, and I’ve had a number of other great '71 CdC’s. So far, my clear Champagne of the Year. Killer

’66 Bouchard Chambertin - Another bottle from a batch I’ve had good luck with, so I was relatively confident with this bottle too. Great cherry fruit, with hints of licorice and some leather. Some red berries too. It doesn’t explode from the glass, but it is still forthcoming. Good density of fruit on the palate. Acidity keeps this 45 year old wine vibrant. Opened an hour prior to serving, this grew as the evening wore on. Staggering

After dinner headed to the bar at Marea for a Gimlet as a nightcap. The vibrancy compared to Ai Fiori was obvious.

For those interested, Ai Fiori’s corkage policy is $60 per bottle. I am not sure, but I think there is a two bottle max per table.

2

The backup should have been opened anyway, boy scout. Since you missed the PET 71 Magnum in the Taittinger cellars, your best is only so good. [wow.gif] We have one 71 Mag to drink sometime, looks perfect. 66 CDC vs. 71 CDC I wonder. CDC is off the chain. De-licious. 71 CDC is perfect.

Should I just drop your name there? Also, jk notes aren’t quite this strong on that wine, so I’ve heard. [rofl.gif]

3

Hmm, no love for the '76 CdC, nor King Angry…from the Hillbilly, lol.

In my yut, I slid my recently purchased '74 Alfa Spider into a curb on a bright, top-down summer’s day; after those damned rock-hard stock Michelin’s let go on a turn…silly yut, I had just consumed the better part of a bottle of my 1st, current-release, CdC '73? …watta light-weight [rofl.gif]

4

And I’m trying to leave the Gimlet alone, The Chairman has gotta have some material.

5

Todd, you of all people know we can’t “leave the Gimlet alone”, and we won’t leave the Gimlet alone! This was plainly a sad attempt to turn another disappointing Par 2 into something more–what, a 2.1? I’ll open the bidding by suggesting a new moniker: KG!

6

Beautiful - that’s why you’re the Chairman.

7

No, no honorable Chairman, he is going through his own Bronze Age per avatar and trying to change his own nickname to the King Cultured or some such.

When the Gimlet is better than your backup bottle, you’re scraping bottom barrel.

Drank a 95 Taittinger CDC tonight, ridiculously beautiful wine. Hope and bet it is the closest subsequent vintage to the 71 stylistically.