I came in as the crew were demolishing a mag of Mumm's Cordon Rouge and had to get my breath before starting the note taking - which I did with:
1990 Pol Roger Blancs de Chardonnay - this has developed a fine yeasty note since the last time I tried it. Very nice, although my preference is probably the 1990 Brut.1999 Domaine Guillemot-Michel Macon Villages Quintaine - interestingly, if you just nosed this wine, there wasn't much there but a normal mineral sort of nose, but if you really dug your nose into it, there was a sweet fruit/floral element that was very nice. Soft, full, with good length. I wouldn't hold this any longer.
2001 Albert Mann Gewurztraminer Grand Cru Furstenum - clean varietal nose, always a pleasure when you first smell the lychees. Smooth and off-dry with adequate terminal acidity, perhaps not as bright as the 2000, but very nice. A favourite producer.1997 Dr. Loosen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese - excellent steely petrol nose, good mouth feel, adequate acidity. Some felt that this was getting tired at 7 years old, but I thought it was just fine, though nearing the end of it's plateau.
1997 Australe e Terra Napa Merlot - with this wine we headed toward the chosen theme of the evening - 1997 Napa Cabs. I have tasted the rather garishly labelled Arcturus, but not their merlot. It showed a surprising amount of smoke and tar in the nose, a tad green, and was medium bodied with good sweetness up front, very well balanced, ending with soft tannin.2000 Les Cailloux Chateuneuf de Pape - I didn't buy this vintage but have quite a few older ones, so it was interesting to see how this wine would do. Sulphur on the nose dissipated and left a typical Rhone nose of the distinctively stinky variety. Medium to full in weight, riding along on as much acid as tannin at first, which made me wonder about longevity, but as the wine opened up the tannins grew and I think it will do just fine. It kept getting better in the glass until....it was all gone.
1997 Tasca d'Almerita Cabernet Sauvignon - cedar and tobacco nose, with a slight green element, smooth on palate and a little on the lean side.1997 William Hill Cabernet - the first wine truly in theme, and not nearly ready to drink yet. I still have a small vertical from the early 80s I have to get around to. A bit closed, definitely quite tannic, with good structure and a bit of strawberry at the end. Needs time.
1997 Nickel & Nickel John C. Sullenger Vineyard Cabernet - some orange peel in this nose, and also some heat. Concentrated flavours and firm tannins. It would be interesting to taste this one in 5 years.1997 Dominus - this wine amazed me with it's forwardness. The nose was warm and mature with dark fruit and some spice. It has excellent balance, and the tannins are soft enough that it would be hard to resist if I had it in the cellar, but I expect it will continue to develop for several years.
1997 Pride Mountain Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon - a bit of initial latex in the nose gave way to dark fruit and a bit of anise. A big wine, dark in colour and tight and tannic, one gets little hint of what it will become except for the very attractive sweet and lengthy finish. If I had any, I wouldn't open it for 10 years.1997 Schweiger Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon - another dark wine with a fairly forward Rhonish nose, a little hot. Big time tannins mark this and obscure the underlying flavours - it reminds me of some of the La Jotas or even Dunns - cellar, forget for a decade, and hope......
1997 Oakford Cabernet Sauvignon - this Heidi Barrett produced wine had a slightly plasticy nose, with good balance and adequate fruit...but also with pretty firm tannins. Time should turn this into an interesting wine. Leave alone for 8-10 years.1999 Chapoutier Muscat de Rivesaltes - the primary note in the nose of this one, other than the usual floral muscatty thing, was oranges. Quite sweet but with enough acidity to carry it off.
1985 Grahams Port - this was a baby - but a lovely one. Very dark, hot sweet and with loads of tannin, I am sure that the brandy and wine have only recently come to terms with each other, and the finish is a bit alcoholic (as was the company by this time). After this taste I intend to leave my 85 alone for another 6-8 years, but it was great to have a peek at it and see how it is doing. If you must slaughter infants like this, decanting a day ahead might mellow it.