Happy Cinqo de January-o!

So I missed the boat on wishing everyone a Happy New Year and giving you the rundown on what my friends and I enjoyed at our New Year's Eve dinner. Suffice it to say, I do not recall many of the bottles we drank (and there were many). The hosts with the mostest, Tim and Joanna were gracious enough to cork a bottle of Opus One , which we all loved (who wouldn't enjoy one of the finer reds to come out of Napa?!?).

We also went through a few bottles of Rene Rostaing Les Lezardes that I discovered in my wine course. It didn't go over as well because after a hit of smooth, juicy Opus One, the funky, rustic notes of Les Lezardes are a bit tough for one's taste buds to handle. Luckily Gabe (of the Wendy and Gabe clan) and I were able to shift our palettes accordingly.

And after gawking and guffawing at J Lo's outfit, several of us toasted with Gatinois Brut Grand Cru (among other champagnes and sparklers). Gatinois is a new favorite of mine and those who know me won't be shocked to hear that it's made primarily from Pinot Noir. It's also a Grower's Champagne, which is a phrase you're likely to hear more frequently in the coming years. In fact, the Wall Street Journal wine columnists, John and Dottie, recently wrote an article about these champagnes. Gatinois is not mentioned in their article, but it's really nice. Good acid and structure with a creamy mouthful and tight bubbles.

As always, I had a lovely time. It was great to see the Hoboken girls - Rachel, Wendy (a.k.a Nielsen), Genna and Joanna - after such a long time. Moreover, as expected, Joanna, made a kickass dinner (traditional spinach salad, beef tenderloin, green beans, potatoes and chocolate fondue for dessert). The salad was so good that there was none left when I went to get seconds - since when is the salad the first thing to go?!?

The next morning I celebrated the first day of the New Year with a mimosa made with Mionetto Prosecco, one of the best value sparklers out there. Looks like it was the right choice because so far, so good (even if I am behind on my writing already).

Until the next sniff, sip or quaff,

Cheers,

Alli M.