Because it’s one of San Francisco’s greatest restaurants with a wine list full of trophies, we made reservations at Michael Mina to celebrate a big promotion. Five hours and more than four bottles of fine wine later, the four of us were feeling fully lubricated and nearly insolvent.

My notes for your vicarious pleasure:

Jacques Selosse “Cuvée Initiale” Blanc de Blancs, Avise, Nonvintage
Selosse is among the first and most controversial of the “grower-producers” in Champagne, that is, grape-growers who used to sell all their fruit to the big houses like Veuve and Moet, but now make bubbly on their own premises. Considered freakish-tasting by some because of their bold structure and forward fruit and mineral flavors (not graceful, like Champagne “should” be) our micro-Champers had a big, crisp frame and was loaded with Gala apple, tangerine, lemon, limestone, and granite notes.

De Montille Puligny Montrachet “Caillerets” Premier Cru 2002
A favorite of the evening! Hubert de Montille has a light touch when it comes to oaking his white Burgundy, so the emphasis here is on chardonnay fruit. Ours showed a rich and focused core of apple and pear flavors, with some baking-spice notes on the edges. A delicious, long, pure finish. Turns out that the Caillerets vineyard was once an extension of the grand cru plot Le Montrachet, so these grapes have serious pedigree.

Coup de Foudre Cabernet Sauvignon Napa 2004
A coup de foudre in French is literally a strike of lightning, but can also mean a revelation or even love at first sight – and indeed this cabernet left us smitten. A bodacious nose of sweet berry compote and fruitcake spices was followed by a decadent concoction featuring ripe blackberry, blueberry, nutmeg, and chocolate notes. This cabernet exemplified great Napa cab at its fruit-bomb best.

Ducru-Beaucaillou Saint Julien 1985
The closure came out of this Bordeaux soaked and musty, and two of us felt that the wine was corked to the point of ruination. (The sommelier disagreed, but brought us two glasses on the house of an Alexander Valley cab from Lancaster Vineyards as compensation). “All the more Ducru-Beaucaillou for me!” I exclaimed, loving the old Saint Julien’s blend’s relaxed, soft texture and its complex mix of earthy, mushroomy, minty, and green pepper notes, laced over some surprisingly fresh fruit flavors. I agree it was a little corky, though, and we all noted how different this sample tasted than the brawny 1995 that the same friends brought a couple of years ago to dinner at Fleur de Lys.

Kracher Cuvée Ba, Illmitz, Austria 2006
Disznókó Tokaji 4 Puttonyos, Hungary 2001
Two of us enjoyed these stickies with their dessert. My palate was so tired by the end of this 5-hour gastronomic extravaganza, all I remember is that I liked the Austrian Muscat better because it was bigger and sweeter. It was probably all I could taste anymore!