We don't do Christmas Traditions at all here, so with the roast lamb last night there was a bottle of Haut-Marbuzet 2000. Very nice too. Tonight, with roast lamb phase II there will be (maybe upping the ante slightly) Lagrange 2000.
I've already decided which wines should help us celebrate the end of 2018 (I think that's a better way of putting it than the start of 2019)
I last tried these about five years ago. They were stupendous. Of course, it's possible they are now past their best, but then that goes for me too. I've still got a few bottles of 1995 Dioterie left as well - by all accounts they still have a little life left in them.
I remember buying these at the vineyard in the 90s. I always looked forward to visiting, the tastings being supervised by M. Joguet's manager with a bottle in one hand and a cheroot in the other. On this occasion he gave me a sample of the Dioterie 1990 virtually straight out of the cask and told me it was going to be a very, very special wine indeed. I seem to remember it tasted like industrial strength black tea that had banana peel dipped in it. I made a mental note to leave the tasting of young wine to others in future but bought six bottles anyway. Good decision.
I met M. Joguet once at a wine fair. He was great fun, nearly as wobbly as I was. A few years ago I revisited the same fair and asked after him. I was pleased to hear he was living in happy retirement near the vineyard and still indulging his passions for sculpting and writing poetry.
BTW if you ever stumble across any Joguet Chinon Rosé, grab it. It is wonderful.