Birthday Tasting

I recently celebrated entering a new age group for races and surveys by tasting some special wines with some of my wine-loving friends. The selections were designed to highlight many things in my wine “career” – places I have visited, tours I have taken, special tastings, and special occasions – and of course, my 60^th year.

Reception

Introducing the event by highlighting 20 great years in various roles with the Opimian Society with two great Opimian wines – acknowledging all those fellow Opimians with whom I have shared a glass.

Gardet Champagne 120 Anniversary Extra Brut

Gardet Champagne Byzantine

White Flight

Served with smoked cod fritter, gremolata, and caramelized cream. Remembering wonderful visits to Napa, Mount Etna, and Burgundy, and especially all the great white wines I have enjoyed from Burgundy. We tasted at Boyer-Martenot on our Burgundy trip.

2014 Agnitio Wines Sauvignon Blanc – California

2010 Tenuta delle Terre Nerre Etna Bianco – Italy

2015 Yves Boyer-Martenot Meursault Les Charrons – Burgundy

Red Flight #1

Served with beet risotto. I’ve tasted wines in visits to many of Canada’s wine regions and chose one of my favourites to represent them in this tasting, as well as some good friends from Vancouver Island discovered via wine. And of course, the great red wines of Burgundy! A birth year wine stands for multiple visits to and all the delicious wines of Italy I have enjoyed.

2009 Averill Creek Pinot Noir Reserve – BC/Vancouver Island

2000 Domaine Bizot Echezeaux – Burgundy

1958 Giacomo Borgogne & Figli Barolo Riserva  – Italy

Red Flight #2

Served with papperdelle pasta with lamb ragu. Spectacular trips to Australia, Provence/Rhône, and Priorat are remembered here, as well as my multi year efforts to collect all the Legitimo wines that other Opimians had purchased but no longer wanted – they are simply stunning now! Also the 1983 serves as a tip of the hat to the import of auction wines I organized with Tom Beckett for many years.

1999 Penfold’s St Henri Shiraz – Australia

1983 M. Chapoutier Côte Rôtie – Rhône

1974 La Conreria d’Scala Dei Priorat Legitimo Priorato de Muller – Spain

Red Flight #3

Served with tourtière pie with roasted garlic potato purée. I fell in love with South Africa and its wine on a tour in 2008, so selected one of its best wines, made available here via Opimian. Another birth year wine to recall our Rioja tour. How many great Bordeaux wines have I enjoyed due to my generous friends here, and some in Bordeaux itself – represented in this event with a fine wine from a great vintage.

2012 Vilafonte Series M – South Africa

1982 Chateau Siran – Bordeaux – Margaux

1958 Martinez Lacuesta Rioja Reserva Especial – Spain

Sweet Whites

Served with a cheese and fruit plate with some chutney and jams. Another nod to the auction wine imports here (all three wines), as well as tours of Alsace (including Domaine Weinbach) and Sauternes. And I wanted to include at least one thing older than me!

1983 Domaine Weinbach Gewurztraminer Sélection de Grains Nobles – Alsace

1934 Chateau Climens – Bordeaux – Barsac

1976 Von Hövel Oberemmeler Hütte Riesling Spätlese – Germany – Mosel/Saar/Ruwer

Other Sweets

Served with an assortment of truffles and filled chocolates. Sherry and port are two of my favourites so the perfect ending to a great event. A fabulous tour of the port region is represented by a birth year wine, while an equally fabulous visit to Andalusia is recalled via a special sherry purchased on the trip.

1958 Delaforce Vintage Port – Portugal

Emilio Lustau Almacenista Oloroso VORS 30 Years – Spain – Jerez