David's 21st is next week, but we'll be away that day, so held little family dinner /presents tonight. Betsy went all out, starting with a cold tomato soup with a poached egg and fresh herbs with toast and tapenade, main course was duck breast with a red wine and demiglace sauce, salad, and a corn/avocado salad.
Apertif was the 2007 Schafer-Frohlich Kabinett (Nahe). Heavy for a Kab, but not ponderous. Ripe peaches and apples, this is Spatlese weight/sweetness, but there is a solid acidic backbone. A bit exotic, and more 2006 than 2007. Good, but I'd rather spend the extra $10 for the S-F Spatlesen. B
Duck wine was the 1988 Mugneret-Gibourg Vosne-Romanee. Now, I know 1988 is supposed to be a (comparative) lowpoint for the MG/Dr Georges M estate, with the daughters taking over and learning the ropes. Plus the village Vosne isn't supposed to be a strongpoint for estate. Well, I liked this. After a while I liked it a lot. Not a huge amount of palate depth, but ok for 21 year old village. Red cherries, raspberries, a little coffee and Vosne spices. Good acidity, no perceptible tannins, appealing. Really unwinds over about a 90 minute period, getting spicier and more complex, in the end all one could want from a village wine. I'm a happy camper. B+/A-
Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.