Wedding Anniversary Dinner

We got together some friends for a Sunday night dinner to celebrate our 12th wedding anniversary which was an excuse for me to choose all the wines from my cellar (except one) and to select a food pairing menu without the normal "committee" involvement. Annoyingly, I had a fast-degenerating cold on the night but it didn't detract from the overall enjoyment of the evening.

Grilled Prawns With Tequila Mayonnaise
&
Stuffed Wild Mushroom With Chorizo

• 2002 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut 91 Points

  France, Champagne

  Very light green-gold colour. Vigorous mousse of very small persistent bubbles. Nose of fresh-risen dough, raw-peeled hazelnuts and Thai kaffir lime leaves. Palate is a gorgeous immediate rush of lightly-toasted hazelnuts fllowed by soft and fresh-baked pitta bread. Good length. Lovely as always.

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Fresh Figs with Finely Sliced Proscuitto and Fresh Salad
or
Seared Fresh Scallop With Wine Ripened Tomatoes Topped With A Saffron Dill Dressing

• 2007 Domaine Fontaine-Gagnard Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos St. Jean - Clos des Murées 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru

  Light lemon-gold colour. Lovely nose of light sharp fresh-crushed whole lemon, hazelnut.....a deep and surprisingly long and resonant nose. Plate is very buttery but lemon-sharp....extremely saliva-inducing and refreshing. Good heft on the back end...quite weighty...with great length and persistence of finale. This was very impressive indeed and the surprise of the night for me. It punched a class heavier than its recent US$40 purchase price.

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Porcini Mushroom Risotto With Herbs, Parmesan & Saffron Emulsion

• 2007 Ridge Chardonnay Santa Cruz Mountains 89 Points

  USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

  Rather deeper gold colour than the Fontaine Gagnard 1er Cru Les Murees that preceded it. Nose is lemony in several lemon dimensions and then mushroomy in a good way. Palate is rich lemon meringue, crushed roasted whole lemons, crushed rocks and lots of minerals. Heady finish as there is quite a lot of alcohol but not enough to unbalance things. The finish is long and with a satisfying persistent lemon juice note. This paired beautifully with lemon-infused wild mushroom risotto....as I had hoped. On the night I was increasingly struggling with a cold and I may well have under-pointed this wine even though I scored it higher than previous bottles I've drank. It is developing very nicely.

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Grilled Certified Angus Tenderloin served with Seasonal Vegetables & Bordelaise Sauce
or
Oven Baked Wild Alaskan Black Cod in Hazelnut with Lemon Olive Oil Sauce

• 1995 d'Arenberg Shiraz The Dead Arm 93 Points

  Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale

  Two bottles decanted 3 hours beforehand. Deep red opaque colour...almost blood-red. Nose is just the epitome of "sweaty saddle"....superb. Palate is a grand assertive harmony of brambly fruit acidity and soft leather plushness and age. Wonderful depth and length on the end with a really persistent finale of resonance inside the head despite my increasingly intrusive cold on the night. This rocked....more than any of the many bottles I have drank before.

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• 1988 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Two bottles opened but for several hours then decanted an hour or so before serving. Sadly these were my last two bottles and even more sadly my cold had got the better of me by this stage and I had stopped taking notes. However, the overall lasting impression was of an really elegant wine at its full maturity and ready to be bade adieu in the company of some great friends.....who all seemed to enjoy it a lot.

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• 1997 Penfolds Shiraz RWT

  Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley

  Kindly provided by Runny to go with the platter of cheeses. No detailed notes as my cold had got the better of me by this stage but I remember it being very unctuous and hedonistic in contrast to the powder-puff restrained elegance of the 1988 Pichon Longueville Lalande Comtesse that preceded it. Unfair to score in the circumstances but fortunately Runny has more in his cellar.

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Warm Apple Crumble served With Moevenpick Vanilla Ice Cream

• 2001 Château Rieussec

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  I had this in reserve to pair with the traditional English Apple Crumble & Vanilla Ice Cream. When Frankie the sommelier asked if he should open it I was tempted to say no as I had got to "go home" mode with my cold that had now turned into 'flu. However, I'm pleased I did open it because although I have absolutely no recollection of this bottle nearly everyone else voted it their WOTN, which ended the dinner on a nice note. Fortunately I have more.....

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A great evening with great friends where all the wines showed well and complimented both each other and the food courses without serious mishap. Crown Wine Cellars did a great job with the service and the food.....thanks guys!