I had a bunch of friends over this past weekend. Nothing fancy, just some finger foods, snacks, booze and wine. Some of my friends enjoy wine, and some of them don’t. I have a pretty well stocked bar as well as a little wine collection, so there is something for everyone, although Kristen is the only friend that drinks the Limoncello with me.
There are some fairly developed palates among my red wine drinking friends. My guests can all appreciate a really great bottle of wine. But here’s a little trick to make a little go a long way.
First, I opened a Chateau Lafite Rothschild 1991 and let it breath. This was the first wine that we all tasted. Opening possibly the best bottle of the night FIRST is a good idea, because at this point everyone has a clean palate to start. The second bottle opened was a Grand Cru, great wine, but a 2000; a little young and not fully rounded. The last bottle of the night ( well, maybe there were a couple more in between), was also one of the best bottles of the night. We opened and drank Ridge Jisomare Cabernet Sauvignon 1998. Outstanding!
So here’s the theory: open the best bottle to start, and another great bottle to finish the evening. In the middle, your friends are knoshing, talking, swilling, and probably getting a buzz on. The first bottle sets the tone for the evening, and the last bottle is well remembered!
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