New Year's Eve 2008

Byfield, MA
Tasted Wednesday, December 31, 2008 by cgrimes with 524 views

Introduction

Our annual gathering with Anton, Jen and families at home. Our celebrations were able to start early thanks to a daytime snowstorm which shut our offices early and A&J rushed over to get their car in the driveway before they were plowed out. We prepared our feast while the kids dined on pasta, veggies and sparkling apple cider. The fireplaces in our new old place were christened making it especially cozy while the snow raged outside.

Flight 1 - Aperitif (1 Note)

Served with a tarte d'Alsace.

  • 2002 Schramsberg Vineyards Blanc de Noirs Brut 92 Points

    USA, California, North Coast

    Golden color with a nice mousse. Nose of sweet apple, pear, yeast. Similar palate with nice acidity and some minerality. Great sparkler to usher in the new year. Drank as aperitif.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

Flight 2 - White Flight (2 Notes)

Served with assorted appetizers while preparing the main course.

  • 2005 Domaine François Cotat Sancerre La Grande Côte 91 Points

    France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre

    Light golden color. Nose of flowers, pear, some apple, toast. Palate of pear, apple, honey with a similar toastiness supported by lovely acidity and minerality. Great wine.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

  • 2007 Paul Blanck Riesling 88 Points

    France, Alsace

    Finished off the bottle from the other night: Light yellow color. Nose of apricot, peach, apple. Similar palate with some lemon and minerals. Dry. Very nice.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

Flight 3 - Main Course (2 Notes)

Served with a simple tenderloin roast, broiled white beans, sauteed spinach and portobello mushrooms.

  • 2005 Clos du Marquis 90 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

    Decanted for 5 hrs. Dark ruby color. Nose of blackberry, cassis, wet stones. Similar palate with some green pepper. Tannic, even after extended decant. Great wine but still very primary.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

  • 1998 Groth Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 89 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

    Dark ruby color with some lightening at the rim. Nose of blackberry, cassis, some leather and vanilla. Similar palate. Tannins resolved. No real flaws but it was somehow a bit disappointing.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

Closing

The evening wound down by the fire with Poire Guillaume (our collective favorite after dinner drink), and "The Game of Things..." I proceded to fall asleep on the couch only to be awoken at 2AM by my wife (in full snow garb) knocking on the window after having done some nighttime sledding. I was completely beat from work and home renovations earlier in the week and could not get myself off the couch. My wife (who is usually asleep by 9PM) has an uncanny ability to rise to such occasions and apparently went until 4AM with the others while I was dead in bed by 2:30. I, however, was thankful for my decision when the kids bounced on us at 7. I was also thankfully without workingmen in my head.

×
×