FEBRUARY GUILD EVENT

“We who are about to be drained salute you.”  Nine great Bordeaux await their fate. 

This evening’s Guild event - at Petite Auberge in the Toco Hills Center - promises to be something Extra Special.

The wines of the evening will all be Bordeaux of the exceptional 2000 vintage, said to be the best year since the legendary 1961. With the exception of the Speaker’s Wine, we’re talking Serious Reds - my favorite kind of grapey beverage. And these wines, while nowhere near their peak, have all been laid down long enough to soften any rough tannic edges and create that indescribable bouquet of Old Bordeaux.

I suspect Denny, the Curmudgeonly Superannuated Paraplegic, will take a pass - although both Houston Steve and I would love to see him. He’ll just have to experience it second-hand, alas...

Here’s the list of Planned Offerings:

Speaker’s Wine:
2005 Blanc de Lynch-Bages Bordeaux**

First Flight:
2000 Château Gombaude-Guillot Pomerol***
2000 Château Monbousquet Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé (Classification status as of 2006)***
2000 Château Château Beau-Séjour Bécot Saint-Émilion Premier Grand Cru Classé****

Duck Breast à l’Orange: Pan-seared Maple Leaf Farms duck breast topped with a duck jus flavored with a hint of orange. Served with cauliflower gratin.

Second Flight:
2000 La Chapelle de la Mission Haut-Brion Pessac-Léognan****
2000 Domaine de Chevalier Pessac-Léognan Grand Cru Classé****
2000 Château Cantemerle Haut-Médoc Fifth Growth****

Beef Wellington: Beef tenderloin, ham and mushroom duxelles baked in a puff pastry crust. Served with a bordelaise sauce.

Third Flight:
2000 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou Saint-Julien Second Growth*****
2000 Château Pedesclaux Pauillac Fifth Growth****
2000 Château Calon-Ségur Saint-Estèphe Third Growth****

Grilled New Zealand Lamb Chops: Herb-encrusted rack of lamb served atop a vegetable root purée with a mint reduction on the side.

Dessert:
2005 Château Grand Garron Première Côtes de Bordeaux**

Update: Per my normal practice, I have indicated my preferences with asterisks.



First flight: Mmmmmmmmmm, good.
Second flight: Oh. My. Sweet. Gawd.
Third flight: Ohboyohboyohboyohboy, is this stuff great!

Had we eaten only of the tasty food and not consumed the excellent wines, it would have been enough.

Had we drunk of the excellent wines and not eaten of the tasty food, it would have been enough.

How much more, then, are we indebted to the gentlemen of the Sommelier Guild who have graciously opened their cellars full of excellent wines unto us, and the staff of Petite Auberge who have turned their culinary skills to the task of preparing the tasty food, that we may enjoy them together?


The Guild sits down to a serious tasting at Petite Auberge.

And wait, there’s more. A serious Wine Event tends to bring out a lot of lagniappe... the extra bottles that show up after the formal dining and tasting agenda is complete. Here are just a few of ’em:

1986 Château La Lagune Haut-Médoc Grand Cru Classé***
2000 Château Lynch-Bages Pauillac Grand Cru Classé****
1986 Château La Dominique Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé**
2000 Château Moulin Saint Georges Saint-Émilion Grand Cru****

Parks, a long-time Guild member and wine merchant, refers to the act of drinking wine before it reaches its optimum age as “vinicide,” and I suspect that we may have been guilty of that particular crime... for most of these, good as they were, were well short of their peak quality. You have to wonder what these same wines would taste like in another five years or so. With luck, I’ll be around to find out.