Tokyo Trip : 1st dinner at Brian's

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After a 2 1/2 year absence, the old gang reconvened at Brian's for a wonderful dinner. As is customary, my friend Hinata and I brought the wines and Brian fed us multiple courses. Needless to say we were all drunk and full at the end...

As usual we started with some finger food like cheese, Spanish ham wrapped around mozzarella cheese balls...these were accompanied by the Veuve Cliquot Yellow Label NV.

Then we moved on to the wonderful vichyssoise that was perfect for summer, full of leek and potato flavor topped with a bit of cream. This was washed down with a bottle of '96 Peter Michael Belle Cote, which was now mature and a nose of sweet, buttery flavor.

Next was pan fried shredded bacalhau with onions, potatoes and eggs, which brought me back to Spain and Portugal in travel memories.

For main course, Brian cooked us duck breast which was wonderfully tender. We opened the '67 Marey-Monge's Romanee-Saint-Vivant, and initially found it a bit "cooked" since I smelled stewed prunes in the nose.

We decided to open the '93 Domaine d'Auvenay Bonnes Mares. Both wines opened up very nicely, and the '67 RSV was particularly amazing after a little more aeration.

I was very drunk by this time, but we finally opened up the half bottle of '99 Guigal Condrieu Luminescence, the first vintage of the wine that Guigal made in the traditional way. I smelled overripe melons, citrus and pears, and absolutely loved it.