Saturday night, February 19, 2005 the DAWGS got together for our regular monthly offline. This month we held our offline at Lavendou in Dallas, TX. An incredible 24 members showed up for this month's offline. Thank you to everybody that showed up. The people, conversation, fellowship, food and wine were all excellent! Here is the menu:

Le Menu
Hors-d'Oeuvres
Pissaladière and Tarte Flambée
*******
Salad Course
Goat Cheese Salad
*******
Second Course
Salmon with Port Wine Sauce
with Lentilles and Glazed Pearl Onions
*******
Entree Course
Beef Wellington
Served with French Green Beans
or
Roast Duck with Cassis Sauce and Wild Rice
*******
Dessert Course
Crème Brûlée
or
Chocolat Marquis
or
French Apple Tart

As a result of the size of the group we broke up into three tables of eight each. the wine theme for the evening was "French Flights of Fantasy". The wines at each table were flighted into five flights as follows:

• Champagne Flight
  
• White Flight
  
• Provencial Red
  
• Bordeaux/Burgundy Red
  
• Sweet
  

Following are the wines that were at our table plus a few others that I managed to steal a taste of from an adjoining table. I'll let others post the wines from their tables.

1996 Duval-Leroy Brut Blanc de Chardonnay Champagne
Tasted February 19, 2005 at a DAWGS offline at Lavendou in Dallas, TX. Opened and served immediately in Riedel Vinum Champagne glasses. Attractive, clear straw to yellow color in the glass. Pretty nose of apple, cookie and vanilla. Flavors of citrus fruits, cream and a little butter. Excellent wine for the money. Recommended.

2002 Domaine Thibert-Parisse Pouilly Fuisse les Menestrieres
Tasted February 19, 2005 at a DAWGS offline at Lavendou in Dallas, TX. Opened and served immediately in Spiegelau Authentis WeissWein glasses. Clear straw color in the glass. Nose of lemon zest, whetstone and a little butter. Good acidity, clean and crisp on the palate. Flavors of citrus fruits, mineral and a little cream. Good wine. Recommended.

2003 Domaine de Foltenay l’Authentique
Tasted Februay 19, 2005 at a DAWGS offline at Lavendou in Dallas,TX. Opened and served immediately in Spiegelau Authentis RotWein glasses. Slightly dusty dark red color in the glass. Nose of briar patch, thistle and herbs de provence. Palate of smoke, sweet cherry and wet granite. A very interesting wine and nothing like any other Gamay you’ve had. Made in the ancient style or “l’Authentique”. Recommend QPR.

2001 Domaine de Barbeyrolles Cuvee Raymond Chandou Bergerac
Tasted February 19, 2005 at a DAWGS offline at Lavendou in Dallas, TX. Opened and served immediately in Spiegelau Authentis RotWein glasses. Dusty rose color in the glass. Slightly muted nose of tar, spruce and “dirt”. Flavors of sweet cherry, earth and a little metal on the finish. Good QPR. Drink within 1-2 years.

1994 Robert Arnoux Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru
Tasted February 19, 2005 at a DAWGS offline at Lavendou in Dallas, TX. Opened and served immediately in Spiegelau Authentis Ballon Magnum glasses. Light dusty rose color in the glass. Light but attractive nose of raspberry and spice box. Flavors of raspberry, cherry and spice. Excellent food wine. Drink now.

1986 Chateau Pichon-Longueville-Lalande
Tasted February 19, 2005 at a DAWGS offline at Lavendou in Dallas, TX. Opened and decanted approximately 4-5 hours before serving and then double decanted back into the bottle for transport to the restaurant. Served in Spiegelau Authentis Magnum glasses. Attractive nose of leather and forest floor. Very well integrated and ready to go now. Flavors of currant and plum. Started showing a little more as the evening pressed on. Can be drank now or over the next 5-6 years. Recommended.

1995 Chateau Corbin Michotte
Tasted February 19, 2005 at a DAWGS offline at Lavendou in Dallas, TX. Opened and served immediately in Spiegelau Authentis Magnum glasses. Slightly dusty garnet color in the glass. Nose of melted licorice, leather and tobacco. Flavors of tart cherry (not bad), leather, mocho and slightly earthy finish. Saved a little for the next day and was showing about the same. Let sit for another year before trying again to see if it opens a little more.

1998 Tardieu-Larent Hermitage
Tasted February 19, 2005 at a DAWGS offline at Lavendou in Dallas, TX. Opened and served immediately in Spiegelau Authenthis Ballon Magnum glasses. Deep, dark purple color in the glass. Huge nose of bacon fat, smoke, spice and currant. The palate is assaulted with big flavors of currants, spice, melted black licorice and meat. Let ths big wine sit for 4-5 years to calm down a little bit. Recommended with the exception of what I expect is a fairly hefty price tag.

1998 Chateau L’Evangile
Tasted February 19, 2005 at a DAWGS offline at Lavendou in Dallas, TX. Opened and decanted tableside about 1-1/2 hours before serving in Spiegelau Authentis Magnum glasses. Nice dark, almost opaque purple color in the glass. Nose of red berries, red currants and fresh cut wild flowers. Tight palate showing a little black cherry, black berry and glycerin. This was infanticide at its’ best. I’d let this wine sit for about 5-6 years before trying again. Recommended ignoring price.

1998 Chateau Angelus
Tasted February 19, 2005 at a DAWGS offline at Lavendou in Dallas, TX. Opened and served immediately (I believe…I stole a sip from an adjoining table) in Spiegelau Authentis Magnum glasses. Nice and clear garnet color in the glass. Nose of spices, raspberries and cherrys. Flavors of raspberry, red cherry, plum and a little coffee on the end. Not quite as bad of an infanticide as the 1998 Evangile tasted at the same sitting but infanticide nonetheless in my opinion. I’d sit on this one a couple of more years to let it flesh out a little more. Recommened ignoring the price.

1990 Chateau Cos-d’Estournel
Tasted February 19, 2005 at a DAWGS offline at Lavendou in Dallas, TX. Opened and decanted tableside about 1-1/2 hours before serving in Spiegelau Authenthis Magnum glasses. Attactive garnet to ruby color in the glass. No real bricking I could discern from the small taste I stole from the table next to me. Nose of red currants and red cherries. Flavors of red cherry, herbs and strawberry jam. I liked this wine and think it is drinking well right now. Recommended ignoring the price.

2001 Chateau Rabaud-Promis
Tasted February 19, 2005 at a DAWGS offline at Lavendou in Dallas, TX. Opened and served immediately in Spiegelau Authentis WeissWein glasses. Light and clear yellow to straw color in the glass. Nice nose of tropical fruits, apricot and honey. Flavors of tropical fruits, honey and almond. Good body, lots of potential. Let this one sit until at least 2010 before trying again. Recommended.

1985 Foncesca Port
Tasted February 19, 2005 at a DAWGS offline at Lavendou in Dallas, TX. Opened and decanted tableside about 2 hours before serving in Spiegelau Authentis RotWein glasses. Dark purple color in the glass. Nose of dark plum, currants and blackberries. Flavors of raisins, blackberries, chocolate and spice. A very youthful wine so holding is recommended.

2002 Domaine des Baumard Quarts de Chaume
Tasted February 19, 2005 at a DAWGS offline at Lavendou in Dallas, TX. Opened and served immediately in Spiegelau Authentis WeissWein glasses. Clear and lovely light yellow to straw color in the glass. Heartstopping nose of tropical fruits, flowers, minerals and a little citrus. Wow nelly! This baby hit the palate and my eyes rolled. Full and rich wine throwing flavors on so many levels. Minerals, passion fruit, honey, nuts, citrus, etc… I’m betting this will morph into a honey dripping beauty over the next 20+ years. Highly recommended regardless of price. If you don’t own some of this I recommend you get off of the stick and buy some now. My WOTN by a long shot.

Nice notes Joe. It sounds like a fun event.