Wedding anniversary wine

In general the Loire prices look better than the rest of the list (very impressive list!). Some interesting Chidaines. Bdx are mostly pricy, although 229 euros for '82 Poyferre is not that far over retail the way Bdx is going up.

If it were me (you're staying the night, right?), and I was ordering a tasting menu, I'd consider ordering two half-bottle or even three

If you knew you were eating a red meat heavy meal, the '90 Thalabert is superlative (btw, some strange ways to divide up regions- Cornas in Crozes? )

In any case, hope you and Adele have a glorious time!

First of all, congrats to you both, Emery! And, yes, that is quite a wine list. I assume that you'll probably want to stay within some sort of budget, so we can dispense with the various trophy wines (DRC, 1st Growths, Guigal LaLas, etc.). I'm also trying to recall your tastes. There's quite a nice collection of Trimbach Rieslings, including a '73 CSH that I've heard wonderful things about, for the low low price of €280! More down to Earth, there's the '90 and '99 Graillot Guiraudes, a demi of '83 Beaucastel for €110 and the '96 Baumard Clos du Papillon. If the stuff of legend is what you're looking for, there are those CSHs, the '95 Rayas and the now legendary '47 Huet LHL Möelleux. Prices are certainly not low, but there is some exceptional stuff on the list.

Please let us know how it goes! Mark Lipton

The list is interesting. They seem to have a good selection of foreign wines for a French restaurant. I did spot something one can pass up. That is the 1970 Yquem priced at 1037. That wine is only fair and likely needs drinking soon. Broadbent rates it only 3 out of 5 stars, and I have not read a review that was very favorable, and I was not much impressed when I last tasted it. But for the same 1037 you can have the 1975 Yquem that is very highly regarded in most quarters. Broadbent rates it 5 stars out of 5 stars and expects it to last quite a while. I have not tasted mine yet, as I am still working on the 1967 which is outstanding, but more developed than the 1975. But this situation is not unusual for restaurant wine lists. They may have bought the 1975 at a lower price than the 1970 and held it in their cellar quite a while without adjusting the price upwards. Of course I bought my Yquem long ago when it was cheap compared with prices today. I do not buy it today, and especially not at restaurants with their usual high markup.

Emery Davis wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@loki.domain.org:

What an amazing wine list! for wealthy people, but still amazing.

How many wines do you think you will have for the dinner?

Domaine Luneau Papin Le L d'Or 1990 is a great wine, and it will not show old at all. It could be great if you are having some fruit de mer or delicate fish at the beginning of the menu. A Guy Bossard's Domaine de L'Ecu 1990 at about the same price would be a good aged Muscadet also.

Then, un demi de Chassagne-Montrachet "Les Ruchottes" 1996 from Domaine Ramonet at should be very, very good. The full bottle is not cheap but I think you could drink much, much worse with other wines. This is a note from AM:

Tasting note: Unlike some of the Ramonet 1ers in 1996, I have had consistently good luck with the Ruchottes with its elegant, pure and beautifully complex nose of white flower and citrus that merges into racy, intense and mineral-driven medium weight flavors that explode on the long finish. This is a really lovely effort and is clearly of grand cru caliber. While it could be enjoyed now with pleasure, another year or two in the cellar should see it at its best. Tasted: Oct 01, 2006 Score: 92 Drink: 2008+

For the red, if, as is my case, you find the 950 euros for a bottle of Henri Jayer Cros Parantoux 1996 a bit too much for the wallet, a half bottle of Haut Brion 1988 could be a great ending to the menu, providing there is some meat on it.

And the Haut Lieu you suggest should be delicious, as should be Le Haut Lieu Demi-Sec 1961 (listed under "tendre") for a similar price. I've had it before and it is not tendre at all now, and my bottle was atomic!. With wines of this age, as you know, each bottle is different.

Anyway, congratulations on your anniversary, have a great dinner!

S.

Thanks Dale. Yes, we're certainly staying the night! We may do some tasting that afternoon or the following morning, but otherwise we're free agents 'til late the following afternoon.

Indeed the problem with a list like this is a) can't taste everything we want to, and b) can't afford to anyway.

Still, this is our present to each other, so we may as well be a little gluttonous!

Best to you and Betsy,

-E

Thanks from both of us, Mark.

No, not looking for any trophies. But like another friend said today, 20 is a nice round number, so we should splurge a bit.

Nice tip on the 73 Trimbach, might be an option. Too bad no half. Have you (or anyone) tried the 81 CSH? Quite a line up they have there.

Think I'll give the Rayas the miss, though! Probably be more tempted by the 37 Latour for around the same money. :)

As to the pricing, it's a Mich 2 star, in the Relais et Chateaux chain, which is not generally known as a bargain. But they do take care of you.

cheers,

-E

Yes that's true, very unusually so. But I don't somehow imagine we will stray from a domestic wine. Especially in this patriotic time we find ourselves. :)

Ack! How about the '79, should one let oneself be tempted? (Said in the snootiest possible voice).

-E

Yes, it is not often we will indulge so. Of that you may be assured!

Good question. If we stick to half bottles, perhaps 3 or 4. Really depends very much on the menu, so hard to plan in advance. Might be nice to be able to bracket with the Vouvray, for example.

Thanks, this is very useful.

Yes, I spied the 88 HB and the 83 also at the same price. Anyone had these recently?

Or in the Bordeaux frame, how about the 59 Rauzan Gassies? Some interesting Las Cases also, but only in 750. Very fond of 70.

Part of the fun...

Thanks Santiago!

-E

I posted this note on the '73 CSH last year:

But that price would scare me off. But your 20th....

Funnily, the '83 and '88 HB are 2 of the only 5 bottles of Firsts I own (and others are '01 HB, our anniversary year). Both very good wines, can't find a recent note on '83, but the '88:

I still have a little Clos Ste. Hune Riesling 1971, 1973, and 1976. It has perhaps been about 2 years since I last tasted the 73, but it was still holding very well then and was very good. I would have to rank the 71 and 76 just a bit higher. Even the CSH from that very unpopular year, 1974, was holding well several years ago. It was not nearly of the quality of the others mentioned, but it still was decent.

Emery Davis wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@loki.domain.org:

I cannot offer first hand experience, but from last Robert Parkers "Bordeaux" book, he says that the 83 has been quite erratic in the last bottles he have tried (with excellent storage) and it was supposedly decaying in 2002.

Best,

S.

Emerys where is the restaurant?

Judith

We had half a bottle of Yquem recently, for a special occasion, I'm not sure of the year, I should have been as it cost £130 for a half bottle. However, it was a very special occasion, our 31st wedding anniversary and I would mary him again tomorrow, it was the wisest thing I have ever done, I got me a good, kind, real man and a brilliant father and grandfather.

I have bought him a case of Levert Barault Mercurey 2004 and a case of Gevrey-Chambertin, Domaine Maume 2000. I don't drink red wine and I am hoping that I have got him something that he will enjoy, does anyone know wanything about these wines?

Judith

Judith

Nice presents, nice sentiments. Don't know the Mercurey. I've only had limited exposure to the Maume wines, but my impression is very well made in a mostly traditional style. I like 2000s more than the general image of the vintage, they are mostly accessible now but in no danger of falling apart. I bet he truly enjoys!

Aah thank you Dale, it's nice to know that I haven't made a boob this time. We are going to France at the end of the month for a week. If you were going, what would you buy - remember wine in England is really expensive becausre of the tax but in France, at wine retailers, it is much more reasonable.

I can't tell you, I'm going in July, don't want you to clean out France. :)

Seriously, as far as I know there are 2 primary reasons* for buying overseas (or anywhere you need to cart it back): a) I can get a wine I want for far less in XXXX or b) I want this wine, and it's not imported or available in my country.

Assuming there are no reason b wines, you would have to decide what is good deals for you. For me, with the weak dollar, a look at Paris retail doesn't look like it would save me anything. American importers have been trying to somewhat cushion the blow of the dollar's fall, and so savings are minimal for me. But with the pound really strong, you maybe could find some bargains. Although in general even when dollar was strong in 2000, I found it was mostly at low end I saw big differences- classified Bdx and 1er/GC Burgundy were about the same. Of course, you may be driving, so even smaller differences can look appealing (I need to save lots of money to make it worthwhile to either ship or lug in checked baggage).

Of course, if in a wine region buying ex-cellar can greatly increase your savings.

In general, if your primary interest is white, I'd look for 2004 Burgundies (less hyped, but more consistent than 2005s) and 2005 Loires. I'm less clear re recent Alsace vintages.

For your husband, 2005 is very hyped for red Burgundy, but the good news is that it seems very strong top to bottom, so should be some deals at low end.

Let us know what you find!

• there are other reasons such as insuring provenance, of course.

Near Nantes, can't remember the exact town. I'm sure the address is at the web site! :)

-E

Where are you going in July? I will be there at the end of July for 5 weeks, maybe you can visit????

big snip of useful information

Hi Dale, I have written down the years of Burgundy you suggest. We are taking the car as we are going to the Auvergne where we have an old stone farmhouse as I need to decorate the kitchen.

We will pack the car up with wine that we enjoy as it is a fraction of the price that we pay in England because of the tax levied on it. Also if it is for our own consumption, there will not be any duty paid on our return to England. I retire from the hospital this year and I am looking forward to spending at least 6-8 months in France and travelling the other 4 months but I also need an extra month to do x, y and z!!!!

Judith

I was in Nantes 3 weeks ago, sitting on a plane which was picking up passengers en route to Guadeloupe!! I didn't see anything of Nantes!!

Judith