30th Birthday Dinner

I had been thinking about what to do for my 30th birthday dinner for a long time and decided on Le Gourmand in Seattle, WA. I supplied the wine and Chef Bruce Naftaly created an eight course tasting menu around the wines.

The champagne was paired with a warm zucchini and mint soup. The soup was very interesting and paired nicely with the champagne.

• 1995 Boizel Champagne Joyau de France 91 Points

  France, Champagne

  Recommended by the sommelier, I was a little skeptical but willing to give it a try and was glad I did. The color is straw yellow with brilliant clarity and vibrant bubbles. On the nose there are yeasty notes with pear and lemon merengue in the background. Medium weight and excellent balance.

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The fois gras was seared and served with an apricot and nectarine shiso sauce. A classic pairing and very nicely done.

• 1976 Château Rieussec 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  Dark gold / caramel in color. This is thick, rick, and full bodied on the palate. Sweet and balanced by racey acidity. This bottle was very slightly oxidised but I felt it added to the complexity. On the nose there is botrysis, peach, mango, and pineapple. Also displays some caramel notes and a hint of brown sugar. Long pleasing finish.

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To pair with the Meursault, the chef created a seafood gratin with dungeness crab, sturgeon, and steel head. The gratin was incredibly rich and creamy with excellent flavor. The high acidity of the Meursault paired nicely. My favorite course of the evening.

• 2004 Deux Montille Meursault 1er Cru Charmes 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru

  Dark straw in color. Some kind of tropical fruit thing going on in the nose. Also a hint of grass. Lots of vibrant acidity. Full body, lush and round in the mouth giving a finish with a smoky / earthy feel to it.

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To cleanse the palate and get ready for the red wines and meat, the chef created a champagne sorbet with plum and wasabi. An unusual combination but nicely done. The sorbet was tart and refreshing with just enough wasabi to give it a kick.

I forget the name of the bird, but it was some kind of little bird wrapped in grape leaves and served with chanterelle mushroom sauce. Very nice.

• 1986 Château La Mission Haut-Brion 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Dark garnet red, fading to a red / brickish color at the rim. A wonderful nose of berries, cassis, and leather. Excellent structure with nicely integrated firm tannin and good acidity. Medium to full body on the tongue. Long finish of tobacco and fruit.

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Superbely prepated duck that was cooked to an even medium all the way through. The black currant sauce was a nice pairing with the red bordeaux. I was aprehensive about the wine. Would a 30 year old bordeaux from an average at best vintage show well? Or worse, what if it was corked? The wine was not corked and showed very well. Wonderful balance, soft and light on the palate and a wonderful "old bordeaux" nose. A nice pairing too.

• 1976 Château Lafite Rothschild 91 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Garnet / brick red and slightly brown at the edge of the glass. The nose displays cedar, currant, black licorish and charcoal. On the palate, very soft tannin and nice acidity. Some fruit remains. Excellent balance. Light body, burgundian in character. A lovely wine that was probably better a few years ago but is still drinking nicely today. Drink 'em if you got 'em.

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No wine with this course. A small salad of fresh garden lettuce, nasturtiums, and pansies. A dressing of olive oil and mustard. A very nice salad

Chocolate cake with black cherries. The first bite was light and fluffy cake with some frosting that was decadent and rich. I didn't think it could get any better but the second bite revealed sweet and juicy black cherries. Not a really great pairing with the port so I ate some of the cake and then moved on to the port.

• 1970 Taylor (Fladgate) Porto Vintage 91 Points

  Portugal, Douro, Porto

  Medium red and good clarity. Soft tannin and balanced acidity. Smooth and sweet in the mouth. The nose is a pleasing mixture of cherry, cinnamon, ginger, and plum. Complex warm finish. A very nice port but not the best bottle of this that I have had as this one displayed a very strong spirity character on the nose as well as on the palate. Even with four to six hours of decanting, the alcohol was very strong. The next day after double decanting back into the bottle the alcohol slightly subsided but it was still very apparent.

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I know some would call this a nice snack but for me this was the best meal I've ever had. Many thanks to Bruce and the staff at Le Gourmand for making my 30th birthday dinner very special and one I'll never forget.