my continuing wine-ucation

my friend chris invited me and phineas to another of his family bbqs yesterday. the last bbq is still so fresh in my memory... i was really chomping at the bit at the possibility of another one. yeah i know it was only a month ago but i'm old and i really do tend to forget things more than i did before. (where was i?...)

so i know i've mentioned this before but, his family is so incredible. it's really mind-boggling. they're all so full of joy and kindness - not in a spiked kool-aid sort of way... totally genuine and seemingly without judgements. seriously, they're great.

ANYHOW... chris' mother-in-law comes over to us while i'm in the kitchen helping chris prepare this roasted tomato and mozzarella tart (basically a caprese pizza on puff pastry dough... yum!) and says she needs our help. we follow her out to the garage where she opens up the holy grail (as far as i'm concerned) of wine cabinets and asks us to pick wine for the evening. the choices were mind boggling but here's what we picked:

#1

1990 cos d'estournel, saint-estephe
(typically a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc)

this one was great but, honestly it was a little thinner to me in the nose and front that i expected... still, with a finish that lasted for a good 30 seconds, it was a great way to start the night.


#2

1990 chateau longueville - baron de pichon-longueville, pauillac
(a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc)

this was more in keeping of what i understand a good bordeaux should be... vegetable-y, oily, slight minerality... subtle fruit... complex. and finish that lasts for days. just incredible.

#3

1990 chateau cheval blanc, st émilion
(the '89 was 66% Cabernet Franc, 33% Merlot, 1% Malbec so this one may follow a similar blend)

words can't describe this one... i'm just fucking dumbfounded.

take what i said about the chateau longueville and wrap it in a velvety leathery coating dipped in cherry infused chocolates. add a complex, earthy nose and a front that honestly tasted like bell peppers straight from the garden in a fresh pomodoro sauce... and a finish that kept going... OMG. just shoot me 'cause i don't ever want to drink any other kind of wine. seriously. i dunno if it's worth what the collectors pay for it but man this was a stellar wine.

in all seriousness, i think katherine may need to marry me. though, that would make my friend chris my son in law (of sorts) which might make subsequent family reunions be a little awkward.

ok well... in lieu of that, more bbqs!