So David's 21st was last week, as Betsy was gone to Vermont we had a small celebration with presents and an '88 Burg the weekend before. But one present was dinner at a restaurant of his choice, and last night was the night. He chose Calle Ocho on Upper West Side, and we took him and a friend for dinner. Corkage was a reasonable $10, so I carried a bottle of Bordeaux, knowing that it wasn't the most wine friendly menu.
I started with a sweet corn empanada with goat cheese and a tomato salad, followed by Uruguayan filet with braised onions and red wine sauce on a Cabrales tart. I also sampled crab meat tortillas, calamari, and "duck two ways" (breast and then confit/lentil/plantain salad), hanger steak, spinach, and green/sweet plantains. Pretty good food.
Wine was the 1988 Ch. Cantemerle (Haut-Medoc). Good fill and a good showing. Red and black plum fruit, a little leather, tobacco, and a big gravelly earth bite to the finish. A bit of slightly raspy tannin still remaining, fairly acidic, good length. I'd have guessed Graves blind I think. Good showing for a fairly cheap Bordeaux, and fun to share a birthyear wine with Dave. B+ NB probably someone with no sentimentality would give a B :)
We skipped dessert, but the ladies got tea, while Dave got a Laphroaig
15 Year (he's spent last 2 years in Scotland). Didn't want him drinking alone, so I had a glass of the Cossart Gordon 10 Year Bual. I'm not a big Madeira drinker, but enjoyed this. Raisiny, with a little mocha note and a touch of pecan nuttiness. Fairly sweet, but not cloying. I don't mind oxidative notes in sweet wines. B????
Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.