Wednesday evening was a dinner at a local restaurant with wines served blind.
1990 Nicholas Feuillatte Brut Premier Cru Champagne - I figured this was poerhaps a bit older - 1988 or even 1985, given the colour and the toasty complex nose. High acid, lots of wood here, but it is fresh and has lots of time left.1988 Pierre Sparr Gewurztraminer 'Brand' Selection des Grains Nobles - with some residual sugar yet fresh and showing good acidity, this wine was a lovely accompaniment to foie gras. Flowery nose with none of the lychee that you'd likely have seen when the wine was younger, a ton of fruit, and elegant.
The next 2 courses were accompanied by Dominus, notes in the order they were served. My first chance to revisit them as a vertical in about 4 years, so nice to get the chance to see how they have been developing.
1983 - the first vintage. 80% cab 20% merlot, no new oak. Beautiful intense nose of fruit and a bit of coffee, and a pronounced mint element, sweet entry, then tightens up a bit. Slightly high terminal acidity.1986 - 80/12/8 cs/m/cf. The Bordeaux style nose was a little subdued on this wine. Medium to full bodied, and admirable balance in the wine, especially notable in comparison to the 1983 we had just tasted.
1987 - I have been following this excellent wine on its path for many years - it was just too tannic in the late 90s, closed and tough. Then by 2000 it was showing a more open Bordeaux type of nose and the complexities on palate began to unfold. Now, almost in 2004, it (or at least this bottle) had transformed again. It had a slightly dusty at first ripe fruit and particularly plum nose, with a prune element, and the tannins were firm but ripe. Very rich feel - excellent wine just hitting the beginning of what I expect to be a long plateau of drinkability.Flight 2
1984 - probably the best nose of this bunch, featuring big mint. Intense and concentrated in the mouth, clean but a bit on the dry side.1985 - mellow more French nose, cocoa with a hint of green pepper, lighter on its feet, with a fair bit of tannin, though softening now and excellent concentration if a tad less lush fruit than on my last tasting of it - the best wine of this set.
1989 - a sweet but somewhat simple nose of smoke, cedar and herbs. Sweet entry then it tightens up and finishes with more acidity than tannin. I said this was perfect drinking when I had it two years ago, and that it wouldn't get any better when I had it last year - it hasn't improved since then. On plateau.The only one missing was the 1988, which I have had numerous times - it was drinking well up to 3 years ago when I last tasted it, but was a step below the other vintages.
Next:
1999 Quinta da Cortezia Tinto Roriz - a high end Portuguese wine with sweet jammy nose, dark, smooth and well balanced. Tasty.1997 Quinta do Crasto Tinta Roriz - sweet and hot in nose, warm and sweet in the mouth with high terminal acidity -not as well balanced as the previous wine. Very nice.
Finally:
1955 Burmester Colheita - this Port was purchased in Portugal by our host and brought back in his carry-on. Kept in wood for years, this style of Port resembles a tawny as much as a vintage, though they are a vintaged wine. Light Madeira in colour, sweet on entry, and a bit hot, with a lovely silky mouth feel to it, and great flavour intensity. With time in the glass it became more lemony. Bottled in 1997 after 42 years in the barrel. Excellent!