Source: shvartsur.com
How are you spending your Christmas? Well, it depends on your age group, I guess.
The wild and crazy days when we would dance till dawn then search for breakfast in TST with a group of close friends has sadly passed, but I can say it was good to be young! Somewhere down the path, the theme has somehow shifted to food and wine – a big feast!
We have a few dinners planned for this holiday, and my husband is the chef for most of these feasts. His task is to prepare different dishes for each of these dinners.
Let’s start with Christmas Eve; a quiet dinner at home – a nice juicy sirloin steak served with Portobello mushroom. The wine, bought a case of 1986 Chateau Larose a month ago direct from Europe, so should be settled and ready to serve with the steak.
The trick of preparing a juicy steak is simple, my husband’s theory is that it doesn’t require a master chef; all you need is a good piece of steak and throw it on the grill; a bit of salt and pepper then it’s done! My interest is always in the wine; Chateau Larose is one of the 2nd Growths from Bordeaux. I have tasted the 1990 and 2004 vintage, and was anxious to taste the 1986 vintage.
The wine was decanted for 30 minutes; the nose was very strong when we poured the wine into the decanter. Blackcurrant, grass and leather all stand out. The tannin was still quite high, but the red meat had definitely softened the tannin.
After dinner, it’s time for the annual viewing of my favorite holiday movie – Sleepless in Seattle. It was Meg Ryan at her peak co-starring with Tom Hanks. With a glass of Sauterne, some dark chocolate and a “feel good” movie, it’s time to celebrate Christmas!
Grape Wine Journey 
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