Saturday Night – Birthday time! – Part 2

Click here for Part 1

 

The main course, as I wrote earlier, was Wolfgang Puck’s Chicken Alfredo.  I got away from my Italian theme here for the pairing and went with a 2006 Cristal as my pairing (nothing says Happy Birthday like high-end Champagne!).

 

The 2005 Cristal received the highest wine rating we have ever given out at 94.5 as the overall rating.  The 2006 Cristal had a slightly higher rating from the professional wine reviewers out there so I was certainly excited and curious to try it and see what we thought about it.

The nose was big and yummy with orange zest, butter and nutmeg notes.  Tasting the wine, there were flavours of lemon zest, ginger, white grapefruit and vanilla.  The wine was a lot more crisp then previous Cristal Champagnes we have tried and I wasn’t a big of fan of this style of Cristal; I prefer the more creamy style of the 2005.  That said, it made a very good pairing with the Alfredo and we had no problem finishing two bottles of it.  Reading a number of the professional reviews out there on this wine, most are saying it is young and could do with some aging.  We have another bottle in the cellar so this will be one I will keep down for a few more years and try again.

Here is the group rating for the wine - Mick – 90, Mark – 90 Kathy – 89, Amy – 89, Overall – 89.5.

 

Here is the LCBO Information on the wine –

 

CRISTAL BRUT VINTAGE CHAMPAGNE 2005

VINTAGES 268755

750 mL bottle
Price $ 287.95
Made in: Champagne, France
By: Louis Roederer
Release Date: Aug 31, 2013
Wine, Champagne
12.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Style: Rich & Complex
Varietal: Sparkling
Sugar Content: 11 g/L
Sweetness Descriptor: XD - Extra Dry

 

Tasting Note -  Vibrant and mouthwatering, this offers a range of patisserie pear and apple fruit, candied lemon zest, pastry dough and marzipan notes set on a finely detailed texture, which imparts a great deal of finesse. The lasting finish echoes a smoky mineral note. Drink now through 2025. Score - 94. (Alison Napjus, winespectator.com, Nov. 30, 2012)

 

The Alfredo was very good, but very rich and very heavy and I knew it would be like that so I went for something lighter for dessert.  I picked up a Lemoncello cake for dessert vs. something chocolaty and heavy.  The cake was a nice way to cap off the evening.

 

Kathy enjoyed all the food, wine and great company so all-in-all the evening was certainly a success.

 

Cheers!

 

Mark