On the occassion of Josh Wood's 32nd birthday we uncorked a handful of very interesting and tasty wines. Lori and Marita started with the Gruet Grand Rosé (which Lori brought back with her from New Mexico) while I went to pick up Josh at his apartment on 1st Street. Josh, of course, was sleeping when I got there and would neither open his door or answer his phone. My heart sank a little thinking that his grand birthday gala would be postponed yet again (not to mention that I wouldn't be able to crack open those two 1975 Bordeaux that I had been sitting on for a while now). I called repeatedly until the sound of ringing woke him and ten minutes later he came out of the door looking as fresh a chef can on his only day off.
We returned to the house and Marita promptly poured Josh his glass of Rosé (for we cannot let him be without a drink for too long) and I went back out to get more charcoal for the oysters that we were preparing to grill. I came back soaked as the remnants of some tropical storm dumped buckets upon us (why does this always happen when we want to grill oysters?) and promptly poured myself a glass of Rosé (I don't like to be without drink too long either).
Gruet Grand Rosé (I suspect a quite high dosage - it nearly taste like a kir royal, as though someone had added a little creme de cassis - a great party rosé) was followed by Gruet Blanc des Blancs Vintage 2002, which I have to admit was elegant, refined, and about as subtle as is possible for a new world sparkling wine. A nice apple component with an autolytic character showing through as well. Yum. Went great with the oysters that we grilled served with a Mignonette (with blue cheese cut into it) that acted as a granish (yes, of course we had Josh cook on his Bday)
The first of the Birth year bottles I uncorked was the 1975 Pichon Lalande Comtesse. While decanting it smelled sweet and promising despite the completely saturated cork. The bottle was in very good condition, the fill level at base neck, but the capsule was corroded and the cork totally, I mean totally saturated.
I poured immediately, concerned that this wine would be fragile, frail, and defenseless against the onslought of oxygen now encroaching upon it. The nose was bit muted at first and on the palate it was all Big Red cinnamon gum. The nose evolved however with menthol coming out of the woodwork as well as some of that spicy cinnamon and even a bit of licorice. The texture was smooth, nicely balanced with still some grip to it. Later, evolving still and expressing itself a lot more. The fruit began to emerge: a cherry liqueur like sweetness and a mineral component like wet stones; the palate was still cinnamon but with a little fig. A half an hour later it was in decline, getting musty with tobacco notes while he alcohol began showing imaking itself all too conspicuous.
Up next Montrose, Opus One, Mas Amiel.
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