Great dinner party at Alex and Hilary’s on New Year’s Eve. Fun by fireplace and at table with old friends.

Caviar on blinis or potatoes
NV Georges Laval Cumieres Brut Nature (‘18 base, Dg March ‘21)
Dry, crisp, green apple accented with almond and hazelnut, but not oxidative. Lovely snappy wine. B+/A-

To table
Oysters (Beausoleil from New Brunswick, Damariscotta from Maine)

2009 Piuze Bougros Cote de Bouquereaux Chablis GC
Warm and full, but with racy acids and long mineral finish. Bosc pear, citrus zest, lovely and long (and a tad more Chablis-y than the regular Bougros from mag last month). A-

2014 Vincent Mothe Chablis
I had brought this as backup as I thought the GC might be too rich for the oysters (it wasn’t), not a producer I really know but a good rep (and a great vintage). Maybe it wasn’t fair next to the GC, but I thought this disappointing, not having the cut I’ve found in basically every other 2014 Chablis (or ‘14 white Burg for that matter), and a bit short as well. It’s main virtue was that it was liquid and clean. C+

Foie gras (from Alex’s BIL’s family farm in SW France) with toast and fruit compotes
1988 Ch. Coutet (Barsac)
‘88 is maybe my fave Sauternes vintage, this is quite alive but without the depth of say Climens. Apricot, orange marmalade, and a bit of honey, good with FG and plenty of life left if not most complex 88 out there. B

Next course was our contribution- standing rib roast with horseradish sauce, “Party potatoes” (baked mashed potatoes with sour cream and cream cheese)

1989 Ch. La Fleur de Gay
Double-decanted a few hours before (no decanter time), showing quite well. Black currant and plum, herby, cedar and pencil lead. Plush and elegant at same time. A-

2005 Ch. Bourgneuf
I generally find Bourgneuf to be a solid QPR performer that drinks earlier than the big boys, and that is holding true here. Red and black plum, anise, cocoa, there’s some tannin but nothing to get in the way, solid performance. B+

A break to burn the things (well, list of the things) we wanted to be rid of for 2023, then back to table for salad, cheese (nice selection especially the Brillat-Savarin and a VT goat cheese), parfait with berries, and retrying most of the wines. We had said we weren’t trying to make it till midnight, but we did. Great to spend last of 2022 with close friends and great food.

New Year’s Day with MIL we had hot honey chicken on collards, along with blackeyed peas (you can take the boy out of the South, but..)
2007 Donnhoff Oberhauser Leistenberg Riesling Kabinett
After liking the 2009 so much recently, let’s try the ‘07. Peaches, lime, nice balance, doing just fine. Gets quite floral (citrus blossoms with air). Sweet but not at all cloying, more apparent acid than in youth. B+

Monday was shrimp Bolognese (Ottolenghi recipe), with Brussels sprouts and salad on side, and opened the 2021 Collestefano Verdicchio di Matelica. My go to QPR Italian white, and this vintage lives up to previous. Lemon, lean nectarine, oystershell and mineral. B+/B

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C drinkable. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.