TN: Snowy night with lots of Right Bank claret, + 89 L d'Or, Germans, white Bdx, more

Patrick was in town and Ramon proposed a dinner based on traditionally styl ed Right Bank wines. A good group was rounded up, but it’s hard to find a restaurant in NYC for a December Saturday that has a good corkage de al. So I offered to host in Westchester. And that’s when it snowed. But the intrepid group all made it, and we were able to sample a lot of wi nes. While we hosted, others generously brought salmon, bread, and cheeses, which we sampled as introductions were made before we settled down. I didn ’t take notes during the night, just wrote down grades as end.

NV Doyard Champagne “Cuvee Vendemiaire Premier Cru” Brut Blanc de Blancs, some age to it (auction purchase), full but a little sweet for me. B

2010 Yann Alexander Blanc de Blancs Champagne Crisp, young, high acid, needs time. B

Before I had run to train for pickup I had put 2 whites in decanters to ser ve blind. This bottle of 1986 Ponsot “Clos des Monts Luisants? ? Morey St. Denis Vieilles Vignes was a bit darker than one last month wh en first poured, but by time we returned it was really dark, and clearly ox idized. I thought about grabbing another but we had so many wines.,,,

On the second blind wine John got white Bordeaux immediately, the 2010 Aile d’Argent (white wine from Mouton-Rothschild) had honeydew and grap efruit, some slightly honied notes, tasty but needs a little more zip. B/B-

Jay brought the 1989 Luneau-Papin “L d’Or” Muscadet , and a stellar showing as usual. Good acids but without any edge, wet rock s topped with lemon zest and oystershell. A-/A

Then to table. I grilled some quail and trumpet mushrooms, served over len tils. Then later roast lamb, individual potato gratins, and Shanghai/bokcho y with oyster sauce

We had 2 blind off theme reds to start. Jayson’s wine- I wasn’t sure this was Bordeaux at first, it had a herb and pepper note that made me wonder if was like a classic 70s/e arly 80s Napa. But no, Bordeaux, the tobacco notes should have tipped me of f. 1985 La Lagune A-/B+

JC’s wine- riper, more tobacco, earth, midbodied. I think Jason go t producer. 1989 Beychevelle B+

After that, no blinds.

1990 Ch. Magdelaine- young, full, ripe and delicious. Even better when tast ed at end of night. B+/A-

1990 Ch Canon - structured, but mature tasting on palate, smoke and mushro oms. B

1986 Certan de May Still some tannin, black plum and espresso, elegant for ‘86. A- 1985 L’Eglise Clinet Ripe, soft finish, tasty. B

1985 Ch Canon Fresh, elegant, long. A-

1982 La Dominique Black fruit, cigarbox, tasty. B+

1982 Ch. Magdelaine Black cherry, plum, cocoa, and cedar. Lovely and lush but with bright acids , just lovely. A-/A

1982 Ch Canon Redder fruits, floral, a little leather. A-

1982 Ch. Pavie Popped and poured. Gentle black fruits, tobacco, not as long as some others but fun. B

1981 L’Evangile Elegant, lush texture, balanced. A-/A

1970 Ch. Magdelaine Cedar/cigarbox, red fruits, herby, smoky, long. A-/A

1970 Ch Canon Bright acids, redder fruits, citrus zest. B+/A-

1970 Ch. Figeac Herby, complex. A-/B+

1966 Ch Fonplegade Apparently next to Magdelaine. I’d only tasted the (overmodern) 05 before. This was a classy old lady, black plum,herb, and earth. B

1966 Ch. Magdelaine another bottle from same lot was delicious recently, but this had a definit e madeira note. C

1962 Ch. Pavie Still holding on, but heading towards generic old red. B-/C+

Jay had brought some tarts (lemon and coconut I believe), and we had some w ines with sugar.

1990 Lafaurie-Peyraugey Quite dark, apricot, lots of botrytis, a little soft. B

2001 JJ Prum Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Auslese For a toast/tribute to John Dawson. Zingy/zippy acids, green apple and grap efruit zest, honeycomb, long finish. A-

1994 Muller-Catoir Mussbacher Eselshaut Rieslaner Trockenbeerenauslese Tons of botrytis, red and white fruits, good finish but a little simple. Re ady. B/B+

2001 Muller-Catoir Gimmeldinger Schlossel Rieslaner Auslese Those 01 acids strike again, lovely and complex, I double check to make sur e not Riesling. A-

OK, a longer night than anticipated, and more snow, but awful lot of fun. L ots of classic wine.

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C drinkable. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a p arty where it was only choice.Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivi ty, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.