Holiday Gluttony - 6 courses, 54 wineglasses, 14 bottles, 9 people, 6 loads for the dishwasher

We were so blessed to have a fantastic holiday season socializing with our loved ones, but it continued into the new year as there simply wasn’t enough time to get ALL the partying in. I offered to host (cleaning, location, and cooking only) a wine dinner with my friends and wine colleagues who ship my wines to you all year long. I thought, “Let’s go out with a bang!” And that's just what we did.

The Menu:

Course One

• NV and 1995 Pascal Doquet Champage
• Crab Beignets
• Salumi and Rillettes from Fatted Calf
• Notes: The NV was welcoming and bright and crisp. The '95's minerality was expansive and embracing. Both were amazing with the crab.
  

Course Two

• 2012 Château Carbonnieux Pessac Leognan Blanc and
• 1992 Domaine de Chevalier Pessac-Leognan Blanc
• Alaskan Cod with Classic Beurre Blanc
• Notes: Both wines worked with the fish and sauce extremely well, but the age of '92 became this elegant voice of reason, resonating like a soprano. There was no way to ask her to be quiet.
  

Course Three

• 2012 Claudie Jobard Rully Rouge La Chaume
• Braised Endive Wrapped in Black Forest Ham with Béchamel Sauce and Gruyere Cheese
• Notes: This course was an attempt to be lighter.. ha! The youth of the Burgundy played nicely with the gruyere and béchamel and ham. We all want to retry with a beaujolais.
  

Course Four

• 2010, 2011, 2012 Domaine Pichat Cote-Rotie Les Grandes Places
• 72-Hour Sous Vide Beef Short Ribs
• Notes: 72 hours in a sous vide then sprinkle a little fleur de sel atop and voilà. Lots of happiness in your mouth. As for the wines...at first I fell in love with the ’11 with its flirting nature. Then as that flirty-ness grew old, I went to the ’10, and then the ’12 opened up and I was in love all over again.
  

Course Five

• 2004 Albert Belle Hermitage
• 1989 Domaine Chave Hermitage
• Cheese Course and the Amazing Chocolate “Crack”ers from Goody Goodie
• Notes: Show stealer… '89 Chave Hermitage. Almost didn’t even want to speak. This is what aging wine is all about. The richness and age told a story in your mouth. Wisdom showered down upon our palates.
  

Course Six

• 1975 Chateau Coutet Sauternes (Barsac)
• Candied Kumquats atop Pastry with a Yogurt Sauce and Nuts (Goody Goodie)
• Notes: Perfect dessert to an astounding Sauterne. Rich and honeyed but never goes over the edge of sweetness.
  

6 courses, 54 wineglasses, 14 bottles, 9 people, 6 loads for the dishwasher.

In the end, it was a glorious evening with some beautiful human beings! Ok… now it is time to start the diet.