Just over a year ago, a small group of us got together to celebrate my 50th birthday. The evening was such a success that we promised to do something similar this year to celebrate the 40th birthdays of two of our group and the 50th birthday AND upcoming retirement of another. The event was held at the beautiful hillside home of the inestimable Gentleman farmer and his blushing bride. In attendance were Gentleman farmer, (50th birthday and retirement) & his wife Mrs. farmer, cometspider, (40th birthday) Festiva, (40th birthday) PurpleHaze (thirsty) and Lentini and Papa Lentini. irwin and Mrs irwin were a late scratch, but kindly sent along a bottle of 1982 Cos d'Estournel with their compliments. Hope they'll make the next one!

Although the food at last year’s event was very good, Gentleman farmer was wise enough to retain the services of one of Maryland’s great chefs, the very talented Mark Schek formerly of the Rooster Café in Elkridge, MD to do the cooking for this event. Mark and his lovely assistant Sue came to Gf’s place to prepare the meal of a lifetime for our group. For the record, the MD offline group has only chosen one restaurant to hold offlines at 3 times. The Rooster Café will be missed!

The day could not have been better, with crystal clear skies and temperatures in the low 70’s. The menu and wines consisted of the following:

Hors d’ oeuvres: Duck Foie Gras & Poached Apple on Toasted Baguette

First Course: Napoleon of Red Tuna and Crab with Julienne Beetroot and Oyster Vinaigrette.

• 1996 Taittinger Champagne Blanc de Blancs Comtes de Champagne

Second Course: Russet Potato Wrapped Rock Fish with Leek Puree, Sweet Garlic, Fresh Thyme & Red Wine Sauce.

• 1990 Krug Champagne Brut

Third Course: Ragout of Duck Legs, Pearl Onions, Petit Carrots, Turnips, Mango and Smoked Pork.

• 1982 Ch. Cos d'Estournel
• 1983 Ch. Margaux
• 1986 Ch. Leoville Las Cases

Fourth Course: Salad of Duck Foie Gras, Fresh Apples and Fig Vinaigrette

• 1986 Ch. d’Yquem
• 1990 Ch. d’Yquem

Fifth Course: Roasted Lamb Chops with Herbed Crust on Slow Roasted Sweet Red & Yellow Peppers

• 1990 Ch. Margaux
• 1990 Ch. Haut Brion
• 1990 Ch. Lafite Rothschild

Cheese Course: Camembert with Pain d’raison

• 1989 Ch. Lafite Rothschild
• 1989 Ch. Leoville Las Cases

Dessert: Roquefort panna cotta with Almond Caramel and Crème Fraiche with Lavender

• 1986 Ch. d’Yquem
• 1990 Ch. d’Yquem

It took me way to long to get this post up, and I rushed this a little. I’m hoping the rest of the gang can fill in blanks and make corrections. I’ll dig up my notes on the dinner and wines and post them later on.

This group is among the most generous, fun and unpretentious group of wine lovers I could ever imagine raising a glass with. What a blast!!

Photos of this little shindig may be viewed here!

PH

Happy Birthday and Congrats to all - Sounds like a great event.

WOWSA!

Don't forget the warm-up NV Ferrari Rose with the foie-gras appetizers! Both delicious.

Chef Mark did a spectacular job… In fact, my dad who has been around when it comes to restaurants said that the meal was maybe the best “restaurant meal” he had ever had. Food was to die for and provided some wonderful pairings to the wines. Those appetizers he whipped up… I’m still fantasizing about them.

The champagnes with their acidity paired very well with their courses. The pale Taittinger some sweet, some biscuit, and that tartness keeping it fresh. The Krug was an animal… really changed over time… dark yellow with that sherry/madeirized flavor. It had tartness, too with so much character… as it warmed and sat (in PH's glass), it really integrated. Long, long finish.

The Cos d’Estournel did have that herbal tarragon aspect (as nailed down by Cometspider and Gentleman Farmer) with the dried cherry. The Cos flavors seemed to disappear to a low rumbly finish that kept going and going. My last sip of that was the best. Slight bricking on the Cos might be the only bricking I noticed on any of those reds… They were all young and vigorous… You could have them all again in 10 years and be in great shape. And each one deserved an audience for an evening… We finished them all before they were done showing off.

The ’83 Margaux was probably my #2 red of the night. The unbelievable nose – I honestly thought someone with floral hand lotion had grabbed the decanter before me when I lifted it to smell. I think both Margaux took some time for the flavors and taste to catch up to the nose, but they did so wonderfully. The ’83 had a woody finish and great structure. In my mind, the best pairing with the duck course.

I could almost pick any of the other wines, but I think the ’86 Las Cases was my favorite red. Both Las Cases were so tight compared to the other wines… but I loved how they developed over the evening. In fact, if PH hadn’t saved a sip of the ’86 for me until later in the night, the ’86 would definitely not have been in my top three. I’d love to spend an evening seeing that wine develop. Cometspider identified a hint of white chocolate on the finish that kicked in at about 20 seconds. Wonderful wine with pronounced juicy fruit to go with the myriad non-fruit flavors.

The two d’Yquems were a revelation. The ’86 had so much sweetness and botrytis… gold colored… incredible nose, incredible sweetness. Just fantastically concentrated with a killer finish. But the ’90 was a totally different animal…. Very pale colored, fresher, with less botrytis and a lot of acidity. Such contrasting wines, but both were spectacular. At first I thought I preferred the ’86… but then the ’90 was so good with the foie gras… but then back to the botrytis of the ’86. Kill me either way and I’ll die happy. (I loved the caramel on top of the desert, and how Chef Mark prepared it. Everything gets top presentation scores.)

Ah, the 1990 first growths. That Margaux nose that I’ll never forget – best of the three ‘90s, but so different it should be in a different category. The Haut Brion had a little barnyard/earthy/spicy character that was very well integrated with its fruit. Burlier than the other two, it was delicious and maybe my #3 of the reds. The Lafites were so middle of the road in style, it seemed, but only if you’ve elevated that road and made it into a super highway of quality. Very impressive and elegant. The ’90 Lafite was the best with the lamb chops I thought. The crust on those lamb chops was a great flavor and made for an excellent added texture.

I didn’t take any notes on the ’89 Lafite and ’89 Las Cases other than that they were very smooth, with some plum? in the Lafite, unless I just copied down that plum from what I overheard from you guys.

Any wine could have been wine of the night. What a line-up!

Thanks for the pics. Looked like a great time and a great line-up of wines.

Wow...

I'd be hard-pressed to come up with a nicer group of folks who also happened to have so much to celebrate! Congrats!!! And, those wines...I'm one of those who has been treated to perhaps a few (mostly off-vintage) first growths, and so am awestruck by this lineup. (That being said, I'm curious about the '89 LLC. But, since I myself don't do notes, perhaps I had better not inquire...) <heh heh>

Lots o happy faces in the pics (no surprise there). And, the presentation on the russet-wrapped monk fish and roquefort panna cotta...woof! : ) (I took a class once where they showed us how "easy" it is to do that carmelized thing. I'd like them to "bite me".) Just joshin'...Een, please don't corroborate the teacher's claims...

Again, congrats on sharing such happy occasions with one another!!!

Wonderful photos! I just could not stop looking at the food.

Skosh, my lips are sealed

So THAT`S what inspired the major celebration!You guys do have great style!
Happy Birthday to you guys .

There`s one shot of everyone around the table. Can you identify everyone (eg: left-to-right)? I can match names to most but 2 or 3 are toss-ups w/o having the pleasure of meeting you yet. As mentioned in the CDP thread (MLV's pics), it's always fun to put a face with the names

What an incredible evening! A new high water mark! Thanks for the great tasting notes and menu, and congrats on being able to 'stretch' the d'Yquem over two courses - the epitome of frugality

quote:

Originally posted by KSC02:

There`s one shot of everyone around the table. Can you identify everyone (eg: left-to-right)? I can match names to most but 2 or 3 are toss-ups w/o having the pleasure of meeting you yet. As mentioned in the CDP thread (MLV's pics), it's always fun to put a face with the names

Sigh...... .... KSC, I was actually thinking about you when captioning these shots. I'm pretty sure the each individual was identified in at least one of the shots, but to make life easy for you from left to right:

Papa Lentini, Lentini, cometspider, Chef Mark (standing,) Festiva, Mrs. farmer, Gentleman farmer and PurpleHaze!

PH

Happy birthday...and thanks for pics. I recognize the wines but not the faces.
so, thanks too for captioning...
It's been interesting seeing the community here and I look forward to going to one (or more) of these offlines...

It's been almost a week and I'm still at a loss for words as to how great this evening was. The finish on the '90 Margaux is still going strong!

I hope to have some time over the weekend to post my notes. In the meantime, I can't thank Mr. & Mrs. GF enough for orchestrating this 'little get together'. This was the highlight of my wine-drinking year... Big props!

quote:

Originally posted by Jace:
What an incredible evening! A new high water mark! Thanks for the great tasting notes and menu, and congrats on being able to 'stretch' the d'Yquem over two courses - the epitome of frugality

I stretched the 1983 Margaux for 7 hours!! I couldn't bear to say goodbye to that bouquet. Heavenly. Even after the wine was gone, the glass retained the delicious flowery perfume of this wine. Still digging around for my notes.

PH

quote:

Originally posted by PurpleHaze:
I'm pretty sure the each individual was identified in at least one of the shots, but to make life easy for you from left to right:
Papa Lentini, Lentini, cometspider, Chef Mark (standing,) Festiva, Mrs. farmer, Gentleman farmer and PurpleHaze!
PH

I admittedly whent straight to the `slide show`format (for larger pics) and failed to `notice` the captions. You`re a patient man PH It`s apprecitated.

Agree on the comments regarding a new `water mark` being set. WOW!!

You can access captions during the slide show as well. Hover your cursor over the middle of the screen and click in the "i" that appears. Voila!

And I've been called a LOT of things in my life, but patient ain't one of them!

PH

Some recently received photos from the camera of Gentleman farmer have now been posted here.................

Check out the picture of the duck liver before it was portioned. HOLY COW!!!! Or holy duck, I guess.....

PH

wow! what a celebration. please keep me in mind if there's a Round Three!!

We discussed this very subject that evening. This shindig was booked the moment it was discussed. Due to the nature of the wines we needed to keep this at or under 8 attendees to keep the pours reasonable. Either that, or we would have had to try to get 2 bottles of each wine. Gets damn complicated!!

PH

Sweet! Happy BDay PH.

Now that I have some time on my hands, I guess I should chime in on the little get together

During PH’s birthday dinner last year, we realized that 2007 would bring several milestone events to the fore. Being part of a group that never seems to be satisfied with the status quo, we figured a similarly relaxed setting with an added restaurant “flair” would be just the ticket for the celebration. So much for the historical perspective!

While speaking with Chef Mark, his excitement and enthusiasm for the evening was obvious. He immediately began to create a menu to compliment our theme. Each and every step of his planning was meticulous and very professional, including his pre-dinner visit to discuss final details and check out the kitchen. (For those considering a special dinner at home, I strongly recommend enlisting a professional chef, and if you live in the Baltimore / Washington area there is but one to seek – Mark Schek)

Chef Mark arrived at 2:00 p.m. and immediately began to organize the meal. It was a treat to snap pics, chat, and simply watch an artist at work. As a bonus, I picked up several tips while watching including the prepping of the foie gras. Chef Mark’s assistant and server par-excellence, Soo, arrived at 4:00 and immediately went to work putting the finishing touches on the dining room.

Soon after PH arrived, flutes of NV Ferrari Rose were poured and we left Chef Mark and Soo to their craft for a spell. Once Lentini, Papa Lentini, Festiva, and Cometspider appeared, “Executive Wine Steward” PH and his able lieutenants attended to their assigned duty.

Showtime! Two plates of delicious foie gras and apple-topped baguettes were wolfed down in record time prior to seating. A mad dash to the dining room ensued and grease pencils were passed to keep track of the outstanding lineup.

Our first course, the Napoleon of red tuna and crab, with julienne beetroot and oyster vinaigrette was delightfully light and flavorful. Each portion (as were all portions that evening) was very generous. The oyster vinaigrette was a great foil for the subtle sweetness of the beetroot. The tuna, done medium rare, served as a tasty base and top to a center filling of flaked lump crab. Paired with the 1996 Taittinger Champagne Blanc de Blancs Comtes de Champagne, our first course served notice of what was in store.

Course number two was the russet potato wrapped rockfish with leek puree, sweet garlic, fresh thyme and red wine sauce. Yet again, a delicate seafood dish became my favorite course. The potato blanket was light and fluffy, enrobing a magnificent slab of flakey rock. The combination of sweet garlic, thyme, and sauce was a perfect blend fusing tart, herb, and savory flavors. This creation was meant for Krug!

A mouth-watering salad of seared foie with fig vinaigrette and fresh apple reduction was simply marvelous. Chef Mark’s adaptation using star anise gave us a little sneak preview of what would come from the Cos during the next course. With all the talk about pairing Sauternes recently, I have to say foie is about as close to perfection as it can get.

The ragout of duck leg, smoked pork, and fall veggies was the quintessential comfort food with a sweet twist provided by the mango. It was fork tender and bursting with taste. The sauce had a perfect consistency of richness without being heavy. The ‘83 Margaux was an ideal match for the dish. On the palate it was very earthy with a hint of seasoned cut wood and mulch. It was my red of the night. The ’82 Cos was the oldest vintage of one of my favorite Chateaus. Both cometspider and I picked up hints of licorice, but much more like tarragon in an herbal respect. I am so bummed Irwin and his better half could not have been with us. Your contribution was full of vigor and life my good friend. Time for me to visit Stan!

Our next course of herb crusted lamb chops on a bed of roasted peppers was another excellent match for the blockbuster lineup of first growths. Chef Mark had prepared an entire half-sheet of lamb for roasting and the meat just fell from the bone. I’ll admit it – fingers were employed! By this time my “oh my God” meter was pegged and I just kept going from glass to glass sipping and savoring. Although this may not be a category, the grouping of the ’90 Lafite, Haut Brion, and Margaux was my “group of the night”.

Fortunately, there was significant carry-over into our cheese course that was a last minute substitution: Cabot Private Stock Cheddar. It gave just enough “bite” to compete with our next flight of ‘89’s and remaining pours of the ‘90’s. I found myself sipping so slowly I seemed to end up with so many glasses in front of me. Thank goodness for the grease pencil!

A mad scramble for cameras ensued when someone spied Chef Mark with a saucepan of caramel. Fortunately we were able to catch him in action! The wispy crisps of delicate sugar were a marvel, but the most delightful component was the panna cotta. How can anyone deny the merits of sweetened creamy custard, especially after such an exhibition of gluttony? Everyone in the group carefully reserved an ample pour of d’Yquem(s). They were distinctively different with me giving a nod to the ’86 for this pairing.

After over four hours of hedonistic delight dinner was over and we stepped outside for a little music and cigars. Yes, it was a tough night.

It seems that with previous gatherings I was able to put thoughts onto paper quickly, but not this one. Maybe it was the over-the-top wines, the artistic magic of Chef Mark, or just the fellowship of good people. Whatever it was, I do know I will remember it for the rest of my life. I’m gonna like retirement!