Festive Drinking 2021

[nac]

As I’m currently sat at home self-isolating and looking for things to do, thought it might now be an opportune moment to continue the age-old tradition (this is the 3rd year) of some chat about what we’re all drinking (Port and otherwise) over the festive period.

I’ll kick off with a dinner at 67 Pall Mall last Saturday with some ex work colleagues that we’ve been having every Xmas for a number of years. One of the attendees recently had a 60th birthday, so we had something special to mark the occasion.

The festive line-up was:
Moët et Chandon Brut Imperial 1961 (magnum, disgorged 2003)
Gosset “Fine & Rare Wines Selection 2nd Edition” 2006 (magnum)
Coto de Imaz Grand Reserva Rioja 1985 (magnum)
Coto de Imaz Grand Reserva Rioja 1987 (magnum)
Tentative di Trinoro, Le Cupole 2007 (double magnum)
Sauternes 2009 (actually declassified d’Yquem, but doesn’t say so on the label)
Croft 1975 (magnum, recently? released library stock)

Star was the Moët, but really enjoyed the Le Cupole (and no rush with that). The Croft was lovely but wasn’t recorked on release, so take care if you’ve got any of these, as the cork was a bit loose.

So, what else are we enjoying or planning to enjoy?

[rich_n]

Ah mate, you too? I'm awaiting a PCR but pretty certain it'll come back positive.

Provided I can get to my parents on Christmas Day, I'll take the following with me:

1985 Dow
1981 Kopke Colheita

Plus some standard prosecco.

[winesecretary]

No decisions yet about the festive season but by golly last night's lineup was something

1904 Cockburn
1920 Graham
1920 Taylor
1936 Malvasia
c1940s Unknown
1947 Smith Woodhouse
1947 Cockburn
1955 Graham
1960 Sandeman (1)
1960 Sandeman (2)
1960 Warre
2005 Declassified Sauternes
2015 Graham LBV

[Justin K]

No decisions yet about the festive season but by golly last night's lineup was something

1904 Cockburn
1920 Graham
1920 Taylor
1936 Malvasia
c1940s Unknown
1947 Smith Woodhouse
1947 Cockburn
1955 Graham
1960 Sandeman (1)
1960 Sandeman (2)
1960 Warre
2005 Declassified Sauternes
2015 Graham LBV

What a great lineup I have only had the C47, G55, W60 and the G15LBV. Fond memories of several half bottles of the Cockburn’47; how was it?

[winesecretary]

@ JustinK - on this evidence, on the down slope. The fruit had gone, but what was left was still jolly interesting drinking. Overall, I slightly preferred the 04 (this sounds like dreadful showing off, but neither were my bottle, and I really did).

[jdaw1]

Just decanted an N70 to drink with a London friend. And a half of Qv03 ʟʙᴠ. Plus, not decanted, Coates & Seely ɴᴠ.

[MigSU]

Two and a half bottles of Porto for two people sounds like a well spent evening.

[nac]

2005 Declassified Sauternes

I’m guessing this is the same as the 09 I had? Has been available on & off for a number of years, usually via Bordeaux Index.

[nac]

Tonight, Dujac AC Morey-Saint-Denis 2010 and Palmer 2013 LBV (which will hopefully last a few days).

[winesecretary]

A mystery tonight - dinner with a wine merchant. He is a burgundy specialist but his last text says he was opening a bottle of port...

[nac]

A mystery tonight - dinner with a wine merchant. He is a burgundy specialist but his last text says he was opening a bottle of port...

Sounds intriguing. Dinner for me tonight is by myself (again) and the same until Christmas Eve. Deep joy.

[winesecretary]

A few weekend bottles with friends

Bourgogne Blanc 2014 Domaine Albert Joly - I realised with shock I hadn't had any white burgundy for almost a fortnight, and this was an emergency remedy for that failure. Lovely white flowers on the nose. Sylvie Joly is truly splendid winemaker, the wines are never too fat.
Bourgogne Rouge 2015 Maison Leroy - far too young on its own, but splendidly fruited with faggots and mushy peas; blind I would have had it as a Volnay; the rest of the half case will go away for 5 years
Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeots 2014 (rouge) Domaine de La Choupette - a pretty cherry-scented vintage of this sometimes austere wine, fully ready now, but no hurry
Bourgogne Rouge Felettig 2013 - still pleasurable but getting long in the tooth with slightly wayward acidity
Bollinger NV en demi - slightly anonymous with roast trout
The two ports of the weekend were Churchill 1982 and Churchill Crusted Bottled 1985 - on both of which I have reported elsewhere - still have a half of the first in the 'fridge

[winesecretary]

@ nac - the 2005 Sauternes was indeed the declassifed nudge-wink. It was a little late in the evening for me to take much notice of it, I am afraid. I do not recall it being more than 'rather pleasant' but that was in the context of the best evening of port of my life.

And, I envy you the consumption of that splendid magnum of Moet '61.

[nac]

Last night, Chateau de la Rivière 2003.
Tonight, Muga Prado Enea Gran Reserva Rioja 2006.

[Port_funghifoodie]

A friend and I were out last week. We went back to his flat where he suddenly announced ‘I’ve got something that only you would appreciate…’ He opened one of those Waitrose 2017 vintages by Quinta de la Rosa. I said he was best leaving it but he was pretty insistent. Luckily it had been upright all day (he was planning well!) and we had a few snifters. Lovely drop, red wine nose but couldn’t help thinking if it should have been hidden in a dark place for a few years.

I’m opening a Guimaraens 2004 which I bought from the Vintage Port co at the start of the year.

[Port_funghifoodie]

I meant it should have been hidden away for a few more years rather than opened so early.

[winesecretary]

@ Port_funghifoodie - We, but more commonly our transatlantic cousins, sometimes drink vintage port young 'on the fruit' and, while in a sense it is 'not how it's intended to be drunk', the vinous quality to which you refer is very attractive and does have me popping the odd 2017 cork.

[winesecretary]

Bernardus 1997 Carmel Valley Merlot. Probably a bit above the advertised 12.9% but smooth and mellow and fully mature with a lovely balance. A delight with a veal and pork ragu and some pennette.

[nac]

Curry accompanied by Jim Barry’s McRae Wood Shiraz 2012. Excellent, but possibly still some development potential.

[Doggett]

Curry accompanied by Jim Barry’s McRae Wood Shiraz 2012. Excellent, but possibly still some development potential.

Was that a Waitrose purchase? I picked up some of those as a bin end a few years ago and agree that they were lovely wines that I may have got more out of if I had kept for the long haul.

[nac]

Curry accompanied by Jim Barry’s McRae Wood Shiraz 2012. Excellent, but possibly still some development potential.

Was that a Waitrose purchase? I picked up some of those as a bin end a few years ago and agree that they were lovely wines that I may have got more out of if I had kept for the long haul.

En primeur purchase from Laithwaites. Generally a fan of the Jim Barry shiraz, especially The Armagh.

[flash_uk]

A few things that will get consumed in the coming week:

NV Nyetimber Clasic Cuvee
NV Chapel Down Brut
2012 Morey St Denis Dujac Fils et Pere
2014 Chassagne Montrachet Les Mazure - Domaine Paul Pillot
2014 Chassagne Montrachet Les Battaudes - Agnes Paquet
2015 Gevrey Chambertin "Vielle Vignes" Chateau de Laborde
2016 Marques de Murrieta Rioja Reserva

1966 Warre
1967 Cockburn

[nac]

Tonight, Antinori Tenuta Guado al Tasso “Il Bruciato” 2018.
For the virtual tasting a 50cl of Fonseca 10 Year Old Tawny (bottled 2021).

[winesecretary]

@nac - the first sounds young!

This evening -

- Manhattan made with Whistlepig 10
- 2014 Gevrey Chambertin 'Les Marchais' Domaine Audiffred - very pretty, but not with the curried lamb...

[Alex Bridgeman]

My drink for the virtual tasting was UK Bottled bottle of Crusted Port from an unknown shipper (but from the taste my guess would be Dow) where the bottle suggested it was filled in the early '80s.

And it was just delicious.

Apart from that, my drinking has been very ordinary. But I have just taken delivery of some 1989 Mas La Plana...