Significant Celebrations

In the course of one day SWMBO and I caught up with a number of friends, each celebrating our common interests and happenings.
The Jelly Bean Girl was looking better than ever, enjoying here freedom. Over a spectacular, subtle, and superbly flavoured Vietnamese luncheon, the 2010 Johanneshof Marlborough Gewurztraminer did its job. A powerful, almost spirit number, the decadent spiciness and slightly sweeter nature harmonised with and highlighted components of all the dishes.
We then met up with the Show Queen, discussing future plans in the wine arena. She put on a NV Daniel Le Brun Methode. Big, gutsy, very Pinot Noir and some of those old-fashioned aldehydes apparent. This bottle with traces of oxidation actually adding complexity, but also a touch of TCA which detracted.
The main event was with the Scribe Man and the Acute Analyst, who incidentally were celebrating a decade anniversary. The stops were pulled out. The starter was a 2002 Veuve Clicquot Champagne, super-refined and sheer class. The textures were silken, the fruit and autolysis integrated, yet with great nuance, and still so youthful on top of it. Then onto a just maturing 2002 Fevre Chablis Vaudesir Grand Cru. The weight and depth, plus concentration made it a Puligny-Montrachet look-alike. Flinty and minerally for sure, with nuts and lees and some oak barely detectable. The main course casserole was matched to a 1998 Redmetal ‘Basket Press’ Merlot/Franc, from magnum. An anniversary pressie a decade ago. Dark, vibrantly sweet-fruited, very ripe red and black plums with earth cake and tobacco, all on a firmly structured wine. No trace of the animal and horses that have plagued some wines of this ‘Californian’ vintage. A star wine indeed. Then finishing with a 2004 Ch. Lafaurie-Peyraguey Sauternes. Elegant, beautifully harmonised with waxy fruit, marmalade and honey, soft, clear-cut. Gorgeous. We love these 2004s for their elegance, pretty much like the celebrating couple. That’s why they are our significant friends.