Last night we celebrated the birthday of one of our members and a very dear friend, DDE, with spectacular magnums and birthyear bottles. We started with a bottle of 1988 Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame Brut Champagne and wow- it was a phenomenal Champagne! Fresh and alive with tart pear, bruised apples, rich baking spices, soft honey, warm brioche, toasty yet elegant and creamy. The La Grande Dame was followed up by a magnum of 1969 Remoissenet Chambolle Musigny, compliments from our favorite Australian. The ’69 Remoissenet Chambolle Musigny was beautiful with vibrant red cherry, crushed raspberry, cranberry preserves with gorgeous dried herbs and plenty of seductive spice.
The next bottle was one that has been on my bucket list this year: 1998 JL Chave Hermitage Blanc. What a real treat!! Beautiful texture that coats every crevice of the palate with silky layers of complex flavors. While loaded with honeyed almonds, juicy ripe melon and white flowers right upon opening the bottle, the complexity exploded in the glass with more air. Ripe quince and kumquat, white mushrooms and wild herbs took center stage while hints of smoky minerals balanced out the ripe fruit.
We finished the night with two birthyear bottles: 1957 Barbeito Boal Madeira and 1957 Prieure du Monastir del Camp Rivesaltes. The ’57 Madeira was riveting! Toffee, figs, roasted nuts, dried cherry, orange zest, cocoa, soft Christmas spices and more! This Madeira was a true head turner- elegant and beautifully layered. Deep in the Graileys’ cellar, Simon opened the 1957 Rivesaltes and it was on the opposite spectrum of the Madeira. Dense, rich, dark and brooding with powerful dark fruit, blackberry liquor, dried plums, concentrated spice, star anise, espresso beans and vanilla. What a treat in every level! Spectacular wines with unparalleled company.