1997 laurent-perrier champagne

I do not know much about Champagne. Usually I ask for Veuve Clicquot and everyone nods approvingly. I am also aware, thanks to popular culture, of Dom Perignon and Cristal. But I have never had either one.

So on New Years Day Sara's father popped the 1997 Laurent-Perrier Champagne and I drank it. It was good. I do not have the adjectives to describe it. Here is a picture though:



It was crisp. Not too sweet, not too dry. Not buttery, not white-grape juice tasting either. It was just a nice, well made, drinkable wine. Tiny bubbles.

2005 Turley Atlas Peak Zinfandel Mead Ranch (and a Champagne)

Friday was a quite a night. We went to Palace Kitchen, a Tom Douglas restaurant and also the site of our first date, for dinner. I've never had a Turley wine before, but I've heard the legends. Raph had an empty Turley bottle that occupied a special place on the mantle. So I finally broke down and ordered the 2005 Turley Atlas Peak Zinfandel Mead Ranch. My god, what a wine. It was powerful when first opened for tasting. Huge in the mouth with all kinds of spice, cassis, and strange chemical and mineral tastes. But 15 minutes in the decanter an it settled down quite a bit. It was very big and bright. It stayed spicy and the pepper became more apparent on the back end. The finish is long; it goes, as Tim put it, "on and on and on." This is Zinfandel as it should be and I enjoyed it completely.

I had earlier surreptitiously instructed the waiter to bring a half bottle of the Veuve Clicquot since I would be giving Sara her ring. Well, they were out of Veuve Clicquot so instead he brought a half bottle of the Billecart-Salmon Brut Reserve Champagne. I don't know a lot about Champagnes, but I do know most of them I don't like because they're too sweet or too something. This one was very nice and not offensive in anyway. I would order it again if the occasion called for bubbly.

(And Sara said "yes, of course.")