Eve New Year’s dinner is held in our southern home. We’ll be six, ideal number to enjoy at best great bottles to drink. Two guests live in the area and we welcome the other two to their plane out early in the afternoon of 31. They have in their luggage wines that complement the program tonight and this weekend.

According to an established tradition, I open a welcome champagne upon arrival. This is a Champagne Dom Pérignon 1999 very pleasant to drink and becomes increasingly racy over the years. On Tarama sandwiches champagne is lively. We take this time to prepare the food program and wines.

The aperitif is taken with two very different Spanish hams, slightly truffled foie gras on pieces of baguette which we will cover with truffle slices.

The menu will be: three kinds of oysters which each guest will have two parts, belons and Gillardeau and Isigny / checkered St. Jacques shells floods with truffle slices / Camerones / Grenadin of veal with mashed potatoes truffle shavings / cow and sheep cheese / Stilton, blue Termignon and Bleu de Gex / fried slices of mango / honey madeleines.

1999 Champagne Dom Perignon opened about five hours before marks a very significant qualitative leap. It is fuller, more serene, lovely evocations of white flowers and pink fruits. It is a satisfaction of champagne.

Origin Jacques Selosse Champagne disgorged the 11/15/93 is of great rarity. The Origin Champagne is the forerunner, so to say, of champagne Substance. It is a solera is to say that the casks are filled each year from the year wine that enriches what remains in the barrels, which contains all previous years. This solera started with the wines of 1986. The wine we drink, disgorged 22 years ago is one of the oldest that ever existed. The bubble is very active. The color is bright with small pink suggestions and no traces of amber. The fragrance of the wine is strong. In the mouth it is a marked acidity that foie gras will soften. It reminds me of pink grapefruit. Lively, it is a very strong character. Atypical is this wine of champagne.

The 1985 Krug Champagne is wonderful. If one were to give the definition of a perfect champagne, it would be taken. The previous Selosse explores new ways and this Krug solidifies the fundamentals of great champagnes. It is vinous, strong and complex, very rich on the palate. A small exotic side is illustrated by fig taste. It elegantly accompanies the beautiful oysters whose belons are strongest and tasty.

1985 Champagne Krug Clos du Mesnil adds a step in the climb that we make in the world of champagne. It is even more lively and more sharpened than the previous one and what the most striking is its complexity. The agreement with the shells is possible through a small side but not smoked highlights the champagne to be enjoyed alone. This series of four champagnes is exciting and will crescendo. Variety and complexity, gourmet talent are the assets of Champagne.

2001 Montrachet Domaine de la Romanée Conti is a beautiful pale gold. The nose was quite discreet at the opening is now rich and fulfilled. On the palate the wine is rich, conqueror, full with an almost infinite range of flavors and lemony accents. This wine will satisfy all our wishes. It is at the top of the hierarchy of white wines. With Camerones, the agreement is masterful. I wanted to open this wine to finish the year 2015. I am pleased that it also shows brilliant.

The 2000 Château Mouton-Rothschild has a powerful nose. I did not expect this level of wealth and breadth in this wine that evokes fine tannins and truffles. This powerful wine has much charm. It also evokes tobacco and pencil lead. It is a great Mouton, with beautiful black fruit and a nice bite, which makes me a nice surprise in being at that level. Veal grenadin with mashed truffled potatoes are exactly made to accompany the Mouton.

The 1967 Vega Sicilia Unico is a surprise, but in the other direction. From my experience, the decade 1960-1969 is the brightest for this wine. 1967 is a bit off, a little stuck. Of course it is well done, but it lacks the extra something that is normally found in this wine. I see no real defect except laziness that makes the wine is not engaged. Only the final compensate a little for the wine with menthol notes that are the normal signature of this wine.

1954 Château d’Yquem has a color of very dark caramel. The nose is delicate and citrus on the palate, it is a festival of citrus, spices and sometimes a light caramel on blue cheeses with salt and suggestions. The wine is rich, deep, very long finish. It is flexible because it shines as well with three blue cheese with just the mango slices fried. It has a pretty fatness printing mouth happiness.

There is no vote at the end of dinner. If I had to vote now would be: 1 – Montrachet, 2 – Clos du Mesnil, three wines tied for third place, Krug, the Mouton and Yquem. The best combination wine and food is the one of Camerones with Montrachet.

This dinner was a nice way to abandon 2015 for 2016.

(see pictures on the following article)