Not all in the same glass, naturally.....
Two rosé Champagnes; I liked the Rosé Leger from Drappier, and am glad to have a few more bottles in hand. As for the Piper-Heidsieck....
Piper-Heidsieck Rosé Sauvage Brut NV: The vibrant pink label of this wine seems appropriate when you catch a glimpse of the wine itself, which this one of the deepest, salmon-red hues I have ever seen in a rosé - getting towards the redder hues we might expect from Larmandier-Bernier's Rosé de Saignée or similar. And it is youthful, as evinced by the plentiful bead. There are lots of plump red fruits on the nose, showing a sweet-sherbetty tinge. A rather full style to the palate, bitter in terms of acid and grip, with a sour edge to the fruit. Quite coarsely raw in terms of character, showing more bitter sherbet and steel structure on the palate than flavour, right through to the finish. This doesn't pull me back for more. 13.5/20
Drappier Rosé Leger Brut NV: A fabulous hue here, pale with a faint, onion-skin tinge, and with a fine but plentiful bead. Fine purity but also good expression on the nose, a very creamed fruit character, with an appealing freshness, a tinge of mintiness, and a chalky-crumbly minerality. Correctly fresh on the start of the palate, with lots of life and vigour, mint-tinged and very full Pinot fruit with firmer minerality coming through in the end of the wine. A good flavoursome character and a nice, broad, fruit-filled substance, but balanced and poised despite the fruit richness. Very appealing and fresh, and yet impressively textured too. Delicious. 17/20
Two vintage Ports. The 1980 Warre's is an old favourite, whereas the 1994 Delaforce is a one-off; although one of the better efforts from Delaforce that I can recall tasting, I don't drink enough Port to warrant me going back for more.
Warre's Vintage Port 1980: A good depth of colour here, although deep and with a baked-oxblood hue rather than the more youthful density of some younger ports I have been tasting recently. A lovely nose, very traditionally styled, with sandalwood and a perfumed, violet-fruit character, giving a delightful lift to the fine and slightly chalky fruit. It starts off rather cool on the palate, before revealing a very relaxed and open structure through the middle, although backed up by a wealth of substance and tannic grip. Indeed, it shows a very rich and almost chewy substance in its core, before this gives way to the structure of the wine in the finish, the alcohol especially, which dominates here. This shows a bit more spirity than my last bottle, and seems a little more savoury amd woody too. Still fine potential here though. 17.5/20
Delaforce Vintage Port 1994: Still a great depth of colour here, although it shows a maturing rim. The nose is just explosive, coming out with scents of fig, plum, and sweetly stewed fruit, and still the warm suggestion of alcohol despite this wine's seventeen years. Full and substantial on the start of the palate, bold, full of sweet fruit as the nose suggested, but also textured, full of grip and showing a little spirity alcohol still. Given some time it turns back from its initially sweet and heady,fruit-dominated character, showing more savoury eleements, but also a lot of structure. This is a great effiort for Deaforce, one of the more convincing vintages I have tasted from them in recent years. Great length too. 17/20