Williams Sanders Pre-Birthday Celebration Dinner
Prepared by David Spon and Rebecca Sanders

Saturday, December 11, 2004












First Course
Chestnut Soup with Crispy Pancetta
With










Second Course
Duck Confit Salad with Sauteed Fennel and Oyster Mushrooms
With










Third Course
Diver Scallop "Sandwich" with Black Truffles and Spinach
With










Fourth Course
Roasted Pheasant and Bing Cherry Dressing
With



















Fifth Course
Roasted Wild Boar with White Truffle Butter
With























Cheese Course
Sixteen, yes, count 'em, Sixteen Artisenal Cheeses
With










This Dinner was a treat to be invited to. I consider myself fortunate to count among my friends the
Sanders Family, who never cease to amaze me with their generosity and hospitality (not to mention
great fun). I wish everyone could find friends like them. Thank you for opening your home, hearts
and cellar up to Cindy and me.


1990 Champagne Gosset Reserve France. A beautiful champagne. Good acidity
kept it refreshing and light. Roasted Hazelnuts and green apples were gently evident on the
palate. The medium finish was crisp and continued to exhibit hints of apples.
6 bunches
1991 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Blanc France. Beautiful
golden-straw color with an incredible lemon zesty nose. Plenty of citrusy fruit flavors coated the
toungue completely. The acidity helped deleiver a long, well balanced finish with notes of white
truffels on the back end.
7 bunches
1990 Domaine Rossignol-Trapet Latricieres-Chambertin France. I
thought Rossignol only made skis. Fortunately, they also make this lovely burgundy with a nose
of smoked meats and barnyard scents. Classic flavors of strawberry jam and smokey ham
played out beautifully on the long, elegant finish with just a hint of cedar at the end.
8 Bunches
1996 Kistler Chardonnay Cuvee Cathleen California. A huge, Burgundian like
Chardonnay with an unbelievable nose of buttered toast. On the palate, wonderful notes of
apples and ripe nectarines dance gracefully across the tongue. The buttery finish was absolutely
elegant, well balanced and lasted at least 40 seconds.
8 Bunches
1981 Domaine Pegau Cuvee Reservee Chateauneuf-du-Pape France.
The nose of mushroom and forest undergrowth this wine possess has always captured my
heart. And the meaty flavors mixed in with cassis and black truffles makes my toes curl. Hints of
cocoa and Asian spices on the finish just make me gush. It was a perfect match with this course.
9 Bunches




1988 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage France. A lovely cherry-scented  
nose. Ripe, dark plums and bright red cherries intermingled nicely with earthy undertones. The
super-long finish was very distinctive due to the pronounced notes of "red-licorice". This wine is
drinking at its prime, as evidenced by the perfect balance.
9 Bunches
1985 Paul Jaboulet La Chapelle Hermitage France. Well, I thought this wine
was pretty tasty until it was placed side-by-side with the following wine... a victim of proximity!
It had an earthy nose with notes of cassis. In the mouth, the wine displayed more cassis notes
and red berry fruit. The finish was beautiful and smooth with well integrated notes of cocoa and
spices (pepper). Still flavorful for a mature wine, but near its peak.
8 Bunches




1991 Guigal La Mouline France. Oh, so that's what wine is supposed to taste like...
WOW! Holy-Schmolly! Yikes! Zoinkers! Pow! Get the point? The nose on this wine was so
concentrated, I felt like someone dipped me into the barrel. Scents of rich Cassis, flower petals,
Cedar and black plums swirled up from the glass like perfume. The palate had so much going on,
it took me five minutes to sort it all out. Black fruits, pipe tobacco, cedar and Asian spices
danced all over my tongue in perfect harmony. The finish was so long (a full minute), I could
literally recall it the next day. What a treat. A "toe-curling good wine".
10 Bunches
1997 Araujo Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley. Uncle! Oh my G*D! Again, another
fabulous wine. This inky, black wine had a great nose of smokey cedar, sage and plums. The
palate was well balanced with ripe blackberries, cassis and hints of anise. The soft tannins
contributed to a long, lucious finish that kept you coming back for just one more sip. Great
structure that should continue to evolve. Yum!
9 Bunches
SIXTEEN ARTISENAL CHEESES! OY!