Thinking of opening something special at Christmas!!

You betcha. Serving girls at the Grill, knowing my admiration for all things Mosel, presented me with a bottle of the 79 Jos. Christoffel jr. Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese.
General Manager thought I would enjoy 05 Lytton Springs!! That will have to wait till Christmas 2012. Which wines are in your plan.

Bob,

On my oesteopath's advice I've been abstaining for the last week, but .....

I've just pulled the following dozen from the cellar to select from over the next five days - one dinner tonight (* vibes now added) with friends and Christmas day with the family (10 people, but not many serious drinkers).

Egly-Ouriet Blanc de Noirs GC N/V

Moet & Chandon N/V - very smart, appealing youthful blend of yeast, pastry shop and citrus, nice balance 88 points*

Tyrrell's Vat 47 Chardonnay 2000

Mount Mary Chardonnay 2000

Chateau Trotanoy 1979 - richly endowed but quite old and tertiary, excellent fully mature Pomerol, 89 points*

Mount Mary Quintet 1985 - brilliant, incredibly young and bright, high-toned bing cherry and green plum fruit, rich in cleansing acid and still firmish tannin, needs more time! Real surprise packet, 93 points*

Grosset Polish Hill Riesling 2001

Anderson Sparkling Shiraz 1998

Chateau Suduiraut 1983 - excellent, melange of creme brulee, coconut, mango, pineapple, nougart, apricot and peach with the merest suggestion of aldehyde, compact, good acid, not overly fat. 90 points*

Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage 1983

Campbell's Vintage Port 1965

Seppelt Rare Muscat N/V - beautifully luscious fortified brimming with raisans, Christmas cake, great balance, long astringent finish, outstanding 93 points*

Mount Pleasant Lovedale Semillon 1996 - gorgeous bright yellow gold colour, oily lanolin and toasty/herb/grassy nose; spritzy acid-rich palate with good fruit weight aka nose and a solid cleansing finish. Needs some more time methinks - about excellent - 89 points*


...... and then on Thursday, I have to venture back to the dungeon to pull another dozen to take to the national jazz convention I'm playing at for six days! Gotta keep the lads in the bands well-lubricated in the extreme heat and humidity of Lismore!

We are having most of the family here on Christmas Eve for dinner. We are having baked ham with trimmings and with a minimal of wine appreciation in the crowd plan to pop a couple of Salmon Run, New York, Pinot Noirs.

On Christmas we have a two hour drive to the missing daughters' from the previous day, along with one family from Christmas Eve. We are bringing along a tenderloin Beef Wellington and bottles of Tobin James Cabernet Franc, and Avalon Cabernet Sauvignon.

Nothing planned yet, but will wait to see what roast we go for, plus then figure out what to take to the rellies on boxing day.

Huge respect for Mr Lole's selection though!

regards

Ian

Saint Clair Waurau Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2007 with the Crispy skinned snapper and oven baked truss tomatoes and my Sulguni, Tomato and Basil Salad.

Rockburn Central Otago Pinot Noir 2007 with the Turkey and the Cranberry and Pinot Noir relish that I'm cooking up right now.

I'll also be contributing a Chardonnay and a sweet wine, although I have not decided on those yet.

We will be in Defiance Co Ohio at my wife's family for Christmas and my brother-in-law will be making a great Chinese dinner so it is time to open the 1993 Weinbach Gewurztraminer Altenbourg "Cuvee Lawrence" Also will take up a
2000 Moulin St. George, a 2003 La Vieille Cure and a 1976 Royal Oporto Colheita from Real Compania Velha. I'll have some back-ups in case or cork taint and some simple quaffers too.

I haven't made a definite decision yet. We're having Christmas eve dinner at our house and Christmas at my parents, eight people both days. My issue is that I am the only serious wino of the bunch. The rest of my family believes that wine comes in two flavors..... red and white. With that in mind, I'll likely trot out a few everyday quaffers for both occasions. For myself, I'm leaning toward a 2004 Caymus and a 2005 Rubicon.

CHEERS!

Art

Making a standing rib with Yorkshire Pudding for Christmas Eve. With that I'll open a La Conseillante, 1990. Going to someone's house for goose Christmas Day. Haven't yet decided what I'll take.

We are celebrating December 25 with two other couples, and this is the first time none of us has been accompanied by children. A melencholy occasion but at least there will be no wine barbarians present. These are old friends and it's our turn to host, so we're offering '98 Josè Michel "Special Club des viticultures" Champagne to start things off. The next guys promise to bring some variety of Sangiovese and we trust them, along with the dessert guy. Last time he brought Reiussec '89 Sauternes and we won't complain if there's a repeat.

We're having shrimp cocktail on Christmas Eve and prime rib on Christmas Day. Wife and I are the only serious winos in the crowd. Haven't started thinking about what to have with the shrimp but for the beef, I'll choose from:

89 Lynch-Bages
05 Lafon-Rochet
04 Pichon Comtesse
05 Tour Seran
96 Leoville Las Cases
97 Grgrich Hills Cab Sauv
98 Duckhorn Howell Mountain Merlot
99 Beaucastel

Somehow shrimp cocktail combined with Christmas Eve and family seems to call for bubbly!

...Somehow shrimp cocktail combined with Christmas Eve and family seems to call for bubbly!

But, of course!

I'll choose from:
89 Lynch-Bages
05 Lafon-Rochet
04 Pichon Comtesse
05 Tour Seran
96 Leoville Las Cases
97 Grgrich Hills Cab Sauv
98 Duckhorn Howell Mountain Merlot
99 Beaucastel

Somehow shrimp cocktail combined with Christmas Eve and family seems to call for bubbly!

Mike, you choose the shrimp wine, and if I can choose 2 from the list for Christmas. I'll take the 89 Lunch Bucket, and the 99 Ch. Bo. wow, what a choice dilemma!

You better believe it, Bob,

I just ordered a standing prime rib roast for our Christmas dinner from our favorite local butcher. I just discussed wine choices with my son who loves wine. The list was:
2003 Mas la Plana
2000 Giulin Barolo by Rivetto
2005 Loring pinot

Cody's choice was the 2000 barolo He just had a great ripasso valpolicella and is in the mood for another great Italian wine. Plus brother Bob recommends it with steak.

Mike-

89 Lynch is fab. Will live a long time.

Please don't open the 96 LLC. Will be so much better down the road.

Unless you have more experience with them than me.

Mike-

89 Lynch is fab. Will live a long time.

Please don't open the 96 LLC. Will be so much better down the road.

Unless you have more experience with them than me.

Thanks for the advice! I have zero experience with the LLC. I acquired it solely because I knew it was a good house and I was offered a pretty good price on it. We did have an 89 Lunch Bags last Christmas with the rib roast and it was very nice.

[David M. Bueker]

Our big dinner will be Christmas Eve, and the wines are not yet chosen though there will be Champagne ('95 Charles Ellner may come out), Riesling & a Chardonnay for the lobster. Will report back later.

We're having dinner for 12. All but one kid will probably taste everything, but only a couple are really interested. So not opening my dearest bottles, plus probably doing a couple magnums.

Others are bringing the appetizers, I told them to tell me if I need something in place other than bubbly. A mag of '04 Pinon Brut plus a couple grower Champagnes. Then standing rib roast as main course. Possible wines:
03 Leccaia Brunello (mag)
'94 Havens Bourriquot (mag) ( I know I own this, but can't locate!)
'04 Finca Allende (mag)
83 Gruaud Larose
89 Mayacamas CS
86 or 89 Meyney
'88 Latour Corton (Dave likes to try birthyear wines)

Haven't decided re cheese/dessert wines, probably German or Port

I think I said it somewhere else, but I can repeat...right? I have a mag of 1996 Ch. Gloria St. Julian ready to go, and I will have a 2001 Beringer private reserve cabernet as a Backup. If anyone wishes we can open a 1998 Perrier-Jouet Grand Brut Champagne before dinner, and I think I have a decent port from the early to mid 90's for after.

We will start with...

Angelica Zapata Chardonnay Alta 2005
Felipe Rutini Apartado Blanco 2007

Continuing with...

Salentein Primus Pinot Noir 2000
Rutini Antologia V 1997
Benegas Lynch Meritage 2002
Benegas Lynch FBL Barrica 2003

we will toast to...

Eternum 1999
Baron B Unique 2001

and will end the evening with...

Baron B Unique - licor de expedicion
Rutini Encabezado de Malbec

I think I said it somewhere else, but I can repeat...right? I have a mag of 1996 Ch. Gloria St. Julian ready to go, and I will have a 2001 Beringer private reserve cabernet as a Backup. If anyone wishes we can open a 1998 Perrier-Jouet Grand Brut Champagne before dinner, and I think I have a decent port from the early to mid 90's for after.

What time should we show up?

For a late (after Chat) Christmas Eve dinner of a fresh truffle fritatta we opened a Stephane Robert 2000 Cornas Cuvee Prestige. Yum. On both counts.

Saint Clair Wairau Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2007 with the Crispy skinned snapper and oven baked truss tomatoes and my Sulguni, Tomato and Basil Salad.

Rockburn Central Otago Pinot Noir 2007 with the Turkey and the Cranberry and Pinot Noir relish that I'm cooking up right now.

I'll also be contributing a Chardonnay and a sweet wine, although I have not decided on those yet.

Well the Rockburn Central Otago Pinot Noir 2007 was just gorgeous but I was disappointed in the Saint Clair Wairau Reserve Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2007 - we should have had this last Christmas.
The Waimea Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2008 (Nelson, NZ) was much more vibrant and punchy.

We also enjoyed Ayala Champagne Brut Majeur NV - a beautiful bubbles with rich, creamy finish.
Pegasus Bay Dry Riesling 2007 (Waipara, NZ) - sweeter than expected for a 'dry' wine and quite spritzy too, but a beautifully piercing acid backbone.
Sacred Hill Rifleman's Chardonnay 2006 (Hawkes Bay, NZ) - a glorious wine with sweet nutty oak, nougat, butterscotch and a hint of stonefruit. The bottle was not big enough.
Marc Bredif Vouvray 1997 - a little flat to start but better from the third sip. A full-bodied wine with a touch of honey and crisp apple acidity balancing the overall richness.

We didn't get round to a sweet wine. I was given a bottle of Inniskillin Sparkling Vidal Ice Wine for Christmas and will open that on New Year's Eve.

Cheers,
Sue