Birthday Weekend Kickoff

I typically don't bother to make a fuss about my birthday, but this upcoming one happens to be a milestone and so I will indulge myself a bit and have some fun. As it happens, Futronic and a friend from our Friday group both celebrate birthdays a few days before I do, and the latter is also celebrating a milestone this year. Fut flew in to town for the weekend to join the celebration, and we got together for a casual dinner at a local Thai BYO to kick things off. In typical fashion, Fut went over-the-top with a couple of extremely generous contributions.

We started with satay chicken and shu mai. We then ordered a few entrees for the table- blazing salmon, basil chicken, basil duck and beef pad ped. The Beaucastel was a terrific match with the duck.

• NV Ulysse Collin Champagne Rosé de Saignée Extra Brut Les Maillons 96 Points

  France, Champagne

  What a way to kickoff the birthday weekend celebrations. An over-the-top generous contribution from Fut, this was the 2016 base, disgorged March 2020. It poured a deep ruby red grapefruit color with a mousse that lingered for what felt like two or three minutes...it was really quite impressive. I initially picked up pear, cherry and cardamom. With air it develops a terrific savory, almost herbaceous quality that was quite captivating. Flavors of cherry, strawberry, mineral, chalk dust and mint. We took our time with this one, following it over a few hours and it drank beautifully over that stretch. Thank, Fut! 96+ pts.

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• 2023 Zeitgeist Trousseau Gris Fanucchi Wood Road Vineyard 93 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  Poured with dinner, this continues to shine. Pear, honeysuckle, melon, clay and waxed peach notes. The citrusy punch I remember in this wine has softened, and I like the result. Stone fruit, melon and citrus on the palate with a lovely softened acidity that works well at the dinner table, in tonight's case, at one of our local Thai BYOs.

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• 2008 Thomas Pinot Noir Dundee Hills 89 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills

  Double decanted off its sediment roughly an hour before service. A fair amount of bricking shows this has age. Notes of holiday spices and riper, red plum fruit. Medium-bodied with riper red berry fruit on the palate. Lacks the complexity and depth of prior bottles, I think this is likely just a bit of variation that comes with age- every bottle can't be a stunner.

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• 2001 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Hommage à Jacques Perrin 97 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  Another courtesy of Fut, decanted at the restaurant, and it needed 30-45 minutes in the decanter to wake up and begin to strut its stuff, but really began to sing at the 90-minute mark. Deep youthful color belies its age- I might have guessed it was ten years younger were I tasting it blind. Opens with a nice meaty aroma, followed by black fruit, soy, sassafras and a bit of barnyard. Full-bodied with integrated tannins and flavors of dark fruit and game. With even more air this develops that terrific Mourvèdre wild, feral quality- animal fur, etc., along with black currants and licorice. Gorgeous depth, complexity and balance. An absolutely gorgeous bottle of wine. Thank you, Fut!

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What a start to the celebration. The festivities will continue Friday night with our regular 3rd Friday group brown bagger, which has been decalred an uptown as it happens to fall on the date of R's 80th. We will be drinking very well all weekend long.