Jean, having been frustrated last night in her desire for steak, requested ribeyes tonight for dinner, so I duly obliged. With a dinner of broiled ribeye, potato and salad (hey, we're in the Midwest, after all!), we opened:
1996 Ch. Haut Batailley Pauillac nose: initially, a bit closed, opening to pencil lead, cassis and later mushrooms palate: medium body, good acidity, dusty tannins, deep cassis fruit, pencil lead
This wine was opened and decanted a half hour before serving, but was still a touch too cold when we got to it. As the evening progressed, though, the wine opened up nicely, showing a fairly primary and Cabernet Sauvignon-driven profile, with mushroomy notes entering in only late in the game. No hurry on this one, but drinking pretty nicely right now. Good but not profound.
Mark Lipton