Last week, I made my first attempt at the Navarin Printanier (a lamb stew) from Dorie Greenspan’s Around my French Table.  It went rather well (my wife loved it), so when I decided to invite a few more folks over this weekend for a dinner party, my wife (after getting over the “what the frigolla were you thinking inviting people over without consulting me you complete flipping moron?” impulse that she has had more than once a month for the last ten years) demanded suggested that I make another lamb stew.  I ruminated, then perseverated.  For me, stew, does not scream ‘haute cuisine’.  Listen, I love stew as much as the next person (unless that next person is my wife–she really loves stew, soup, hot pots, porridge, gruel, etc.), but it just seems a little pedestrian to me.  The friends coming over were also parents from the French International School and well, stew does not scream ‘fine French food’.  Maybe I am over-thinking things (it would not be the first time), but I was a bit nervous, I mean these people knew I was a ‘Wine Guy’ and I am serving up some Hamburger Helper (OK, the version of the stew was more than marginally better than HH, but still….).

In a panic, I consulted all my ‘go-to’ cookbooks: Thomas Keller (Ad Hoc, French Laundry, gotta get the Bouchon one), Dorie Grenspan, Mario, a couple of French ones I have brought back over the years, heck I even consulted the Naked and the Barefoot.  No inspiration, whatsoever–nada.  Not good.  So being a ‘Wine Guy’, I thought I would venture down into the cellar to get some inspiration.  I thought that if I saw a bottle or two that I really wanted to crack open, it might spur my culinary creativity or some bullcrap like that.  Unfortunately, I had forgotten what was going on in the basement.  No, I am not talking about the All Backed Up issue from a few weeks ago.  I am talking about my eight year-old son’s third grade science project.

This is the fourth year he has had to do a science project and the project is due next week.  Each year my wife, who has a much more organized (anal) approach to homework than I do, has vowed all four years that I was in charge of the science project.  Why, given her proclivity towards methodical order and mine towards disorganized chaos would she put me in charge?  I have no friggin’ clue whatsoever.  The past three years, he (OK, I) waited until the last weekend before it was due and then tried to throw something together.  This made that last weekend a total hell as he would first fight with me (since I firmly believe that he should be doing all of the thinking and the bulk of the work [or something like that]) and then my wife (being the resident scientist [with the stereotypical Asian approach to homework that everything has to be perfect and done three weeks before it is due], she would realize that if she continued to leave it all up to me, the project would never get done and therefore she could never go back to California to visit her family because of the shame and humiliation [since they no doubt would find out]).  Add to all of this that my son is never able to make up his mind even to save his life.  His favorite refrain: “I want to do (eat, watch, read, smoke) whatever my brother wants.”  His brother is three.  Great.  All the 3 year-old ever wants is a cookie.  Or a donut.  Or both.  No real science project opportunities there, Mr. Fermi.

But not this year.

I was ON TOP of it.  I came across something on YouTube which was really cool and showed it to him.  He agreed it was pretty cool and that he wanted to do that for his project (after clearing it with his 3 year-old brother, of course).  This was several months before.  So we researched it and even found (and bought) a book on how to do it (with a bunch of other cool projects in it for future years [hear THAT, honey!]).  A month ago we went to Lowe’s and got most of what we needed to construct the project.  We were all set to get started.

I’ll get back to the science project below…

So, I ended up making the stew and it was fine, especially considering we had oysters (again! I’m becoming somewhat of a pro at shucking those little bastards…) and all of the following wine.  A great night, indeed.

1995 Krug–Tasted 3/3/2012.  Retail: ~$250+ Brought by dear friends. What can I say about Krug that has not already been said?  Truly one of the best champagnes made, we drank this out of Bordeaux glasses.  Such a vinous quality with deep flavors of baked bread, apple, vanilla and a bit of citrus.  The last time I tasted the ’95 was in ’09.  I said then that this wine needed another 5 years at least, and I am sticking by that.  Very youthful, but outstanding.  94 points.

1996 Duval-Leroy Champagne–Tasted 3/3/2012.  Retail: ~$65.  I paid $35 at the PLCB.  I have been wanting to taste this again since the last bottle was corked.  This one was oh so much better.  Bright and cheery, even for a 15-16 year old wine.  Tons of citrus with the chardonnay really coming through.  It’s an almost impossible act to follow a vintage Krug (or any Krug for that matter), but this one hung in there.  Outstanding.  91 points.

N.V. Vicomte de Castellane Champagne Brut–Tasted 3/3/2012.  Retail: ~$30.  I paid $20 from an online auction site.  Like bringing a butter knife to a gun fight.  I had intended to start with this one and then move to the D-L, but when our friends came by a bit early and we had the Krug, I followed with the D-V.  Normally, you go from the least complex to the most–not the reverse.  So it really is not fair to critique this wine, as it had no chance.

2009 Clos Pepe Chardonnay Barrel Fermented–Tasted 3/3/2012.  Retail: $19.  I paid $19 at the winery.  OK, as I think I have mentioned before, I am a huge Clos Pepe fan.  There is little doubt that Clos Pepe (both the sourced fruit and the winery) is best known for Pinot Noir.  However, Wes Hagen, the winemaker/grower/historian/Laker fan has tried to convince me that the site is better terroir for growing Chardonnay.  He may be right (like I am the one to judge that?) I love this wine.  Just a hint of wood and tons of fruit.  This has not come close to hitting its stride yet, I believe.  At $19 this is a complete steal–perhaps the best chardonnay buy ever.  Outstanding.  91 points.

2007 Freeman Ryo-Fu Chardonnay–Tasted 3/3/2012.  Retail: $40.  I paid $35 at the winery.  I went down to the cellar and got this as I realized we were running out of white.  Friends of ours were over and we are going with them to Sonoma on Spring Break.  We have an appointment to go to Freeman, so I thought this would be a nice preview.  Wow, this (after the Krug, of course) might have been wine of the night.  Just the right amount of oak (a bit more than the Clos Pepe–this was clearly more Californian in style, whereas the CP was more restrained).  Rich unctuous mouthfeel, very long finish.  Outstanding. 93 points.

2005 Margerum Über Syrah–Tasted 3/3/2012.  Retail: ~$50.  Brought by guests.  Dark color and quite viscous in the glass.  Nose of dark raspberry and blackberry with black pepper and allspice.  On the palate, the fruit just explodes and coats the taste buds.  Just a hint of tannin on the backend.  Certainly a new world style, and very well done.  Outstanding.  92 points.

2003 Ojai Thompson Syrah–Tasted 3/3/2012.  Retail: ~$45.  I paid $25 at an online auction.  Another screw up by a guy who claims to be a ‘Wine Guy’.  I have had the Über before and I knew it was more of a new world style.  I also have had a few Ojais and knew that Adam Tolmach (the winemaker at Ojai) prefers a more restrained, old world style.  All other things being equal, a real ‘Wine Guy’ would know to serve the restrained old world wine before the bigger, fruitier new world style wine.  I didn’t.  What a dope.  As a result, this wine seemed a bit more austere and one dimensional.  I relaxed, ate some more stew, and came back to this one.  Much better.  I found this to be better balanced in the end than the Über (I like typing the umlauts, can you tell?).  Sure there was less fruit (a lot less), but this wine was not competing with the food as much.  In addition to the dark fruit, there was also a bit of white pepper and marjoram, which was interesting.  Very long finish.  Outstanding.  92 points.

N.V. Cálem Porto Tawny 10 Year–Tasted 3/3/2012.  Retail: ~$30.  I paid $10 at an online auction.  I have not had a bunch of ports in my life.  I guess I need to spend more time with Brian Freedman or Joe Roberts.  While I found this pleasant enough, there certainly was little ‘wow’ factor.  I was also rather hammered at this point, so I will refrain from rating this one.

Like I mentioned, the science project is due next week.  We are not anywhere close to being done.  So, I as went down in the basement to get inspired for the dinner party, and there was the project, screaming my name (strangely, it has the same voice as my wife), mocking me.  That is why I ran back upstairs and out the door, ready to make the stew.  Oh well, there is always this last weekend to finish the project, but my wife is out of town until Sunday night.  Perfect.

I’ll worry about that later.  Now, if only next year’s science project could involve wine….