Post-Christmas Dinner at home with friends

At home
Tasted Saturday, December 26, 2020 by ilee with 82 views

Introduction

This being the first Christmas Mrs L and I have spent in HK for many years, we had some close friends over for dinner: VK, CW, PH, JL and D. It is rare for D to come to dinner, since as a chef and restaurateur (one of Asia's Top 50, no less!) he is always busy at dinnertime. But when he does come, it's extra pressure: I literally started cooking the night before. But the effort was worth it; and any faults in the food were also well disguised (I hope) by the very nice wines.

Flight 1 (3 Notes)

  • 2000 Château Larrivet-Haut-Brion Blanc 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Charming nose of lilies, ripe pear and mineral. Mature, nicely rounded yet retaining much freshness, the wine dances ever so lightly on the palate. Magnum bottle.

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  • 2004 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Bolgheri Superiore Ornellaia 95 Points

    Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri, Bolgheri Superiore

    Oh the nose -- dark, heady fumes of blackcurrant, mint and tar; so pungent, so powerful you could get drunk just breathing it in. No less intense on the palate, the wine is medium bodied but packed with creamy, smoky layers of black fruit that leaves a plush, slightly sweet finish in its wake. A terrific vintage from this estate, the wine is ready now but it's worth keeping some bottles for 2030. Magnum bottle.

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  • 1985 Château Margaux 94 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

    Popped and poured, because I wasn't sure if it needed (or indeed, would survive) decanting. Out of the bottle, the nose is a gorgeous, complex bouquet of cut summer flowers, ripe red berries, aged leather and shaded forest floor. Medium bodied, the fruit has a vibrancy and precision of a wine half its age, with layers of bright red fruit giving it an intense, uplifting finish. But this was just the first 15 minutes. Later, what remained was just a nice but somewhat muted old Bordeaux. Over the last 10 years or so, this wine has brought much pleasure. And this was the last bottle.

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