Happy Cassoulet!

Our friends Jeff & Kristi invited us over for a night of cassoulet, pate, cheeses & other culinary delights. Winter in Memphis is the perfect time for such a rich hearty dish. When we arrived they greeted us with J Cuvee 20 Brut. Nothing better than beginning with bubbles! The pate were rich, succulent & earthy & a perfect match with the J. The bubbly cut through the pate like a razor blade.

Our night's lineup is as follows



The Cristom 2005 Syrah was gorgeous. Earthy, resiny with this beautiful preserved mandarin pell note. The hint of smoke & meaty quality really made this a truly sensual wine.

Chateau Lafon du Berger is a Bordeaux house that I've never had before so I was excited to try it. Bordeaux is a region that I've not explored much & I know I need to. The thing is I've just been kind of bored by Bordeaux. However, this bottle was gripping & full of finesse with an underlying power & grace. Quite tasty.

Bunnell Family Cellar "Vif" 2006 is from one of my favorite producers & from one of my favorite regions. This Chateauneuf du Pape style wine was smooth, luscious, round, earthy, spicy & quite unique.

Mollydooker Two Left Feet is a big, brash Aussie wine & it's no secret that this region is not one that I drink from often. Every wine has it's place right? The bold sweet fruit was quite delicious with Kristi's outrageously delicious chocolate dessert. Those things were insanely tasty & I could have shoveled in handfuls of them.

This little beauty has been tucked in the back of my cellar for a number of years & every time I see it I start to drool a bit. I thought this was the perfect time to pop it open. With Kristi's chocolates it absolutely sung. There isn't much ice Cabernet franc out there so when I saw it years ago I knew I had to have it. Filled with dark fruit, nectar, dark floral blossoms, honey & nuttiness.



Perfect end to a perfect meal. Thanks Jeff & Kristi!