Dinner without Chris @ Chez Mike, East Greenbush, NY, 10/2/2026

Dinner without Chris
Chez Mike, East Greenbush, NY, 10/2/2026

New Orleans wine aficionado Chris Caire planned to visit us in the NY Capital Region. Unfortunately, he had to cancel due to a funeral. Being the troopers that we are, we soldiered on without him.

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We met at Chez Mike, one of the best restaurants in the Albany area. It has a very unassuming exterior in a strip mall on NY Route 4 (Columbia Turnpike) in East Greenbush, NY. But don't let that fool you, the food and service here are top notch every time.

Appetizer
Seared Scallops with Eggplant & Zucchini Caponata
and Basil Aioli. So delicious:

2016 Weingut Keller Abts E® Riesling Großes Gewächs - Germany, Rheinhessen
[Double-decanted at 2pm for one hour.] Nose of mild citrus and minerals. Rich complex. There are hints of petrol and citrus, but the overwhelming flavor is minerality. A terrific Riesling not quite like any I've had before. Should drink well for another 20 years. (96 points)

First photo by Jared.

Entrée
Lamb Feta Burger on a Toasted Baguette with
Garlic Aioli & Pickled Onions, served with a
Smashed Cucumber Tzatziki Salad.
So good, especially with the Cheval Blanc:

1971 Mayacamas Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Mountain - USA, California
[Pop & pour.] Bright red currant nose. Lovely red fruit in the mouth. Medium length. Still in great shape after 55 years. (92 points)
1990 Bouchard Père et Fils Beaune 1er Cru Marconnets - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Beaune 1er Cru
[Pop & pour.] Gorgeous red fruit nose. Red and black fruits with some licorice. Medium length. (93 points)
1990 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Riserva Santo Stefano - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
[Double-decanted at 3pm for 3.5 hours.] Stunning nose of red fruit, fruitcake, and licorice. Huge and expansive in the mouth, yet delicate and light on its feet. Great structure and harmony. Cherries, tar, licorice, iron. Classic Giacosa SSR. (97 points)
1990 Château Cheval Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru
[Decanted about 7:15pm. Tasted about 9pm.] This needs a lot more time or a much longer decant. Tonight, it is rich, massive, and withholding. Loads of dark fruit. A touch of green, but the rich fruit overwhelms it. With my lamb burger, it shows a little more of what the future holds. In 10-20 years, this could easily be 98-100 points. (95 points)

Last photo by Jared.

Dessert

I didn't order dessert. This wine was plenty for dessert.

2011 Weingut Jakob Schneider Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Beerenauslese - Germany, Nahe
[Pop & pour. Half bottle.] Gorgeous honey nose. Rich and so delicious. Lots of sweet citrus and botrytis. A great way to end a great evening. (96 points)

Both photos by Jared.

Conclusion
Hopefully Chris will find another time to visit us, but in the meantime, this was a great evening of food, wine, and friendship.

My notes posted from CellarTracker.

Salil's notes on CellarTracker.