Usually, our modus operandi is to pull a wine from the cellar that will complement whatever meal we've concocted for the evening. In rare instances, though, we open a wine of such import that it fairly begs to have a meal constructed around it. Such was the case tonight when we opened a magnum of the 1978 Ducru-Beaucaillou that we recently purchased.
To start:
NV Pinon Sparkling Vouvray Brut ($17): n: leesy toast and bright apple fruit p: clean, crisp, creamy mousse, apples and toast
Jean is perpetually leery of my dalliance with wines from the Loire, so it was with some trepidation that she agreed to indulge me. Even Jean, though, agreed that this wine could easily pass for a good Champagne. Not a lot of Chenin blanc character to my tastes, but still a great bargain in sparkling wine (but Dale already told you so).
The main attraction:
1978 Ducru-Beaucaillou St. Julien color: dark red-purple with brick at the edge n: cedar, pencil lead, cassis, herbal notes p: medium body, smooth entry, cassis, acids, herbal, slightly bitter finishThis was an incredibly balanced wine, perfectly ready to my taste but still with many more years ahead of it. With food, the bitter finish wasn't apparent. Our 5 non-winegeek friends also found both wines very easy to drink.
Mark Lipton