WTN: Powerful Precipitation, Power Outages, and Perseverance =

Great food, wine, and camaraderie. A tornado, railroad cancellations, and flooding did not deter our group of ardent food and wine lovers from a planned dinner downtown. The theme was aged French wines, and after the disappointment from last month’s dinner of 2 corked wines, we were thrilled that each of last night’s bottles was pristine.
We had an excellent aperitif with the 1990 Billecart Salmon Grande Cuvee – a warm toastiness on the nose with some apricot marmalade – rich and nicely textured with a light coating of ginger. This was sipped with our amuse bouche of a cup of sorrel soup with a dollop of crème fraiche along with grilled truffled fontina cheese. We did consider cancelling the rest of the meal and order platters of that grill cheese – it was incredibly good.
Another white, and this time it was a 2001 Jacques Prieur Montrachet – decanted right before drinking, it showed a lovely nose of sweet cream, hazelnut, and marzipan. On the palate, it was mostly mineral with apple and burnt almond. A beautifully long finish, and a perfect match with seafood sausage in a light creamy sauce with toasted pignolis.
Our oldest wine of the night was the 1961 Brane Cantenac – a noticeably mature wine by its brownish color. Its nose of tobacco and leather and silky earthy palate with some light cherry fruit and resolved tannins was a perfect match to the wild mushroom “pot pie.” An earthy wine with an earthy dish. It is time to drink up this wine.
A couple of 1990 Rhones to go with our lamb entrée. 1990 Clos des Papes Chateauneuf du Pape – 14% alcohol? It was noticeable, but didn’t detract from the meaty nose. It still has some tannins, showing mostly meat and earth with some cherries, and is drinking very well at the present. 1990 Chave Hermitage – Kim knew it was too young to open, but she was anxious to share it (after all, it was her birthday and she should drink whatever she wants). Some dark fruit on the nose, and the pepper I crave for in Rhones, was present. Lots of acidity right now, a treat to try, but it needs more time.

Last up, was the 2001 Rieussec – it had honey, it was creamy and nutty, and had a finish that didn’t end.

All winners last night.

From the heading, that could have been where I was last week! You had candles on standby, I hope, just in case you were plunged into darkness.
Your dinner and wines sound wonderful and that first course sounds divine.
Isn't it amazing how the 1961's still continue to hang in there. I would predict, that so long as the cork had held out, that bottle would have been the same in four years time. Imagine having 1961 as your birth year! Not many 61's still around, but I know a few will have their corks carefully prised out in 2011.

Cheers,
Sue