More Old Wine

I finally made it over to Kris and Ken's place for dinner, and it was great. Sujit and James joined us, but alas Mary and David did not since his flight from Paris was so late due to bad weather. In order, the courses that Kris prepared were as follows: first, sea bream with celery root purée and caramelized garlic, enjoyed with a 1986(!) Pouilly-Fuissé "Les Reiss" from Ferret which was fascinating, and then a white 2004 Priorat called "Les Brugueres." Next, foie gras on raisin toast with homemade jam, paired with first a 1990 Les Lys Montlouis and then a 1979 Rieussec Sauternes, which did sweet in two completely opposite ways- one transparent and delicate, the other unctuous and honeyed. The next course was a curried poussin risotto, creamy and spicy, and we continued with the same whites.

The reds began with my 1996 Remirez de Ganuza, still a current favorite, and praised by all. It accompanied duck confit on braised carrots and cabbage, which had a very appropriate St. Patrick's day feel to it. We moved on to Sujit's 1998 Durand Cornas, which none of us guessed (I was the farthest off) and then to a 1999 Valdicava Brunello that Kris had decanted when I arrived. The main course was guinea hen roasted with boar bacon on top and rapini on the side. We opened Sujit's second mystery wine, a 2001 Beaurenard CDP, which we did better with, and Kris stumped us again with a 1989 Chinon "Cuvée des Verennes du Grand Clos," which was pretty over the hill but interesting since we had talked aging Loire wines earlier in the evening. Then cheeses, the standout of which was a Robiola "Rustica." Quite a night.