My friends Alex and Fred held one of their dinners Saturday night, in an environmental center on the Yonkers waterfront. We started with pate canapes and the 2008 Antech "Emotion" Cremant de Limoux rose. Raspberries, strawberries, a bit of chalk on finish. Mousse is a tad course, but this is actually quite a pleasant bubbly. B
As we moved to tables, I passed around a bonus bottle, the NV Philippe Bornard "Blanc de Blancs" Cremant du Jura. Full, apple pie with a little cinammon, a bit more refined mousse, different but I don't like one more than the other. B
Dinner was endive and beet salad, and then Savoyarde fondue with sausage and apples on side. Fred had plenty of the 2009 Domaine de L'Enclos blanc (Cotes de Gascogne) going around. Citrusy, a little grassy, I wondered if some SB in blend but Fred says Ungi Blanc and Colombard. B-
Knowing some people prefer red, I had brought along a double-decanted bottle of the 1975 Langoa Barton. Like a lot of '75s this is lacking a bit in charm, but it is still holding some fruit and has some nice tertiary notes of leather and forest floor. Quite bit of tannic structure remaining, probably as ready as it'll ever be but no hurry (one person said it was dying, but he also thinks Ch. Margaux can last 15-20 years). :) B
They finished with chocolate mousse and the NV Quinta do Infantado Ruby Port. I was thinking to snobby self I should have brought a VP, when to my surprise I quite liked the Ruby! Plum and dark berries, a bit of fig and spice, nice balanced sweetness and acidity, light tannins. More complex and more interesting than I expected from a ruby port, and my WOTN. B+
Fun night in a cool location, with great company. 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.