By the time 4PM rolled around last Wednesday, Greg was in a perfect vacation mode. And who wouldn’t be? He was hosting a friend’s bachelor party in Cozumel and he was ready to start his extended weekend. First popped open was a 2009 Guigal St-Joseph Blanc ‘Lieu-Dit’ which was flamboyant straight out of the bottle with its floral, peachy, honeyed, apricot and poached pear aromatics. It was full and luscious on the palate but nicely balanced by stony minerality. Its intense fruitiness and creamy texture make this wine a pleasure to drink now. As we were nursing the last drop of this white Rhone, our global, jetsetting member Mauricio walked in. He was just back in town from a five-week sojourn around the Mediterranean. AJ jumped to open a bottle of 2005 Nicolas Rossignol Pommard for him. This was unabashedly savory, meaty, and rustic. It was full-bodied with earthy spice and hints of red cherries. This was austere and seemed to be lacking in the mid-palate with rustic tannins dominating the short finish. The 1997 Trapet Chapelle Chambertin that Simon opened next was more to my liking. The wine showed a pretty raspberry jam nose and strawberries and a palate that was high-toned with hibiscus, red berries, and an undercurrent of minerality and spice. I particularly loved the freshness of this wine. Simon’s white wine du jour was passed around the table next. The 1989 Francois Jobard Meursault-Poruzots has been a consistent performer since the second bottle we opened from a case we got early last week. This was bottle #4 from the case and it was remarkable – intense toasty aromas with hazelnuts, buttered popcorn, honey, hints of earth and spice led to a rich and creamy palate. With air, the wine showed additional aromas and flavors of crème brulee and marzipan. This is a fully mature wine that should be drunk now. Since it wouldn’t have been a proper send off without a bottle of Champagne, a 1999 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs was cracked open next. This was youthful with remarkable freshness. Aromas and flavors of citrus, apple, and flint characterized this wine. The palate was medium-bodied, zippy, and vibrant. This has a long way to go before it hits its prime drinking window. Next up was a 1997 Dugat-Py Charmes Chambertin which showed a deep ruby core and a darker Pinot fruit profile. The palate was full-bodied with great density and flavor depth. It showed flavors of black cherries, framboise, toasty oak and baking spices. It started out with a supple texture on the front before the grippy tannins show up on the finish. I am hoping for an opportunity to revisit this wine in another decade.