WTN: Champagne, Pichon Baron, Primitivo and Choklat

Short notes from Monday night dinner at Luciano's restaurant at McKinley Hill with Sharon, Jim and Luciano

Champagne Telmont Brut Rose NV - Attractive old rose color. Rather fruity with lots of strawberry. Medium-bodied. Charming and easy although the finish is a little weak.

Chateau Pichon-Longueville Baron 1999 - Very soft, earthy. Sweet fruit and pronounced acidity. This wine needs drinking up. Past best.

As we were finishing the Bordeaux, Luciano came in for dinner. We sent a glass of Bordeaux and Corte Riva Cabernet Franc 2006 over to him and he graciously ordered a bottle off the restaurant list to share:

Feudi di San Marzano Sessantanni Old Vines Primitivo di Manduria 2005 - Luciano explained that this was from a farm confiscated from the Mafia and is now used as a drug rehabilitation center with the patients helping to make the wine. The vines are between 60 to 80 years old. Very rich, port-like. Sweet and slightly overripe but very attractive and well-balanced. This wine is all about the fruit. Very good.

We also ordered a half-bottle of a Vin Santo-like dessert wine but I forgot to take note of its name. Very ripe and raisined grapes rather than botrytis. Rich, honeyed and silky. It went quite well with some mild blue cheese.

We finished with Jim's beer:

Southern Tier Choklat Imperial Stout - Very little head. Bittersweet chocolate. Very rich in a Hershey chocolate syrup kind of way. Unique and absolutely stunning. Very easy to drink but better to just sip this as it is 11% alcohol. A great dessert by itself although it would probably go very well with any number of chocolate desserts. Jim doesn't have any more of this in stock although I believe he should have some more before th end of the year. He'll also be bringing in the Creme Brulee beer from Southern Tier which should be another stunner.

Chateau Pichon-Longueville Baron 1999 - Very soft, earthy. Sweet fruit and pronounced acidity. This wine needs drinking up. Past best.

You mad me look in my database. I still have three Pichon Barons from 1990. I hope they're all right.

Chateau Pichon-Longueville Baron 1999 - Very soft, earthy. Sweet fruit and pronounced acidity. This wine needs drinking up. Past best.

You mad me look in my database. I still have three Pichon Barons from 1990. I hope they're all right.

They are (assuming decent cellar conditions). I see I have 3 myself and there should be no rush at all on them.

Other than the 1982, PB was just cruising along making workaday wines until 88 when they started in on a string of excellent vintages - the 88, 89 and 90 astounded predictions, and all are still alive and kicking.

Probably time I popped a 1988 soon!

Other than the 1982, PB was just cruising along making workaday wines until 88 when they started in on a string of excellent vintages - the 88, 89 and 90 astounded predictions, and all are still alive and kicking.

Probably time I popped a 1988 soon!

Agree that those vintages you mentioned were terrific for PB (although, admittedly, I've not had the 88 .. so I'd say that the 3 that I've had were very good PB vintages). Not as lauded was the '86. The '86 PB that I had a few months ago was more than workmanlike with its complexity and elegance amidst that somewhat austere '86 style. It was also very much alive and which seemingly could use a few more years to reach full potential.