A fantastic birthday lineup

Dinner at Seventh Son.

First flight:  a trio of blanc de noirs Champagne

1996 Billecart-Salmon Le Clos Saint-Hilaire - nice and ripe.  Sweet on the nose, with a little cane sugar.  Later on the acidity became more obvious on the finish.  Very enjoyable.

1998 Krug Clos d'Ambonnay - a little more toasty, fresher, more vibrant, and yet more elegant.  Pretty sweet, full-bodied on the palate, with a long finish.  Later on the nose got to be a little more pungent.  The best of the trio by a hair.

1980 Bollinger Vieilles Vignes Françaises - initial nose was coffee.  Pretty oxidized by now, very ripe, with big nose of cane sugar.  Full-bodied on the palate with slightly high acidity on the finish.  Also a little bitter on the finish.

Second flight: a pair of Montrachet.  Breathed for a little more than 2 hours.

2000 Domaine Leflaive Montrachet - initially the nose was more muted thanks to over-chilling, then toasty corn came out, which was lovely and not in-your-face.  A little bit grassy and straw notes, which led some of us to wonder if it was un petit bouchonée.  Soft and buttery on the palate.  Such an open and beautiful wine now.

1992 Joseph Drouhin Montrachet Marquis de Laguiche - nose was a little more muted, flatter, more flinty.

Third flight: Burgundian twins

2007 Hospices de Beaune Mazis-Chambertin Cuvée Madeleine Collignon, élevé par Faiveley - minty, forest notes, very classic.  Seemed to be from cool fruits.  Lovely.

2007 Hospices de Beaune Mazis-Chambertin Cuvée Madeleine Collignon, élevé par Pierre André - a little sweeter, still good concentration on the palate, but somehow less interesting.

Fourth flight: a pair of 1980 Musigny with a backup bottle thrown in

1980 Comte de Vogüé Musigny - grassy, vegetal, oxidized, a little over the hill and kinda off.  A little acidic on the palate.

1980 Maison Leroy Musigny - soft and smooth on the palate.

1980 Bouchard La Romanée - a little smoky.  Soft on the palate.  Not bad.

Fifth flight: a pair of 89 Pomerol

1989 Lafleur - minty, some ripe fruit, a little smoky, a little savory, mineral and tea leaves.

1989 Le Pin - so sweet on the nose, like Cantonese sugar cane water (竹蔗茅根), and a little coconut.  Classic Le Pin.

Finally there was the dessert wine...

1980 Yquem - nose of plastic, polyurethane, a little toasty.  Not too sweet and nice acidity balance.

Full post on dinner is here.