Turkey...

The bird, not the country... Hope everyone had something good to drink on Thanksgiving. Here's what I had... 2002 Bouchard Pouilly-Fuisse made into Kirs! So tasty... then a 1/2 bottle of Billecart-Salmon Brut Rose (perhaps the best non-vintage rose champagne out there), and finally 2002 De Ponte Cellars Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon (not much to say about it except I wish the alcohol would have been in balance with the rest of the wine - 14.4% - come on, that's a little high for a Pinot isn't it?). At the restaurant last night... 1995 Joseph Phelps Insignia - beautiful. Wonderful classic Insignia cedar/black licorice nose with wonderful black fruit. A great wine, but it's not even close to the 1994... 1997 Silverado Limited Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon - a great wine, but starting to show it's age. If you have them, drink up. 2001 Cain Five - a huge wine, beautiful classic coffee bean/vanilla Cain nose. One to lay down for a while. This is the 5th time I've tasted this wine and it's starting to close perhaps just a touch. And finally, the best wine of the night, 2001 Peter Michael Les Pavots... this is one hell of a wine. Hugely powerful, with the richness of Bryant Family, but clearly a wine all its own. None of the sweetness that comes with Harlan, but along the lines of Shafer Hillside or Colgin. Rich vanilla, cassis, black currants, black plums, hints of mushrooms with tons of clove. This is a WS 98, RP 95 point wine and I think they hit it right on the head. It's a classic wine on all accounts, but it's missing just a little bit of the depth that makes a wine magical. Close... I'd love to try it again in a few years to see what's happened to it.