Called David over for a last-minute dinner this evening. Wanted to experiment in the kitchen and just had a recent purchase from D'Artagnan arrive, so made a mix of items - black bean and onion soup; orecchiette with chanterelles sauteed in butter with chives and garlic; cauliflower roasted in leftover duck fat with a random spice blend; and shredded duck confit quesadillas. We ate pretty well, but had to go through a few bottles in order to find something good to drink.
2000 Müller-Catoir Haardter Bürgergarten Riesling Kabinett
Producer, producer, producer! Miserable German vintage and a 12 year old Kabinett that's still remarkably fresh and bright. The colour's light gold now and it seems fully developed with a mix of smoky and burnished flavour elements on top of bright peach and grapefruit flavours with mineral and gentle honeyed accents emerging with more air. Not a whole lot of acidity, but it's still nicely balanced and a remaining glass afterwards while clearing up seemed even fresher and brighter. If there wasn't already enough proof that Hans-Gunter Schwarz was a magician...
2007 Bilancia Syrah
Had pulled this Syrah from Hawkes Bay, NZ with a thought to the wine focus theme. Unfortunately it was incredibly reductive (under screwcap, for what it's worth) and even a few hours of air and a vigourous shake in the bottle don't do anything for it. Bleh.
1989 Pierre Gonon St. Joseph Les Oliviers
A faint suggestion of meat and leather on the aromatics at first, but there's really nothing here on the palate - it's stripped, and only goes downhill with time in the decanter.
1978 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande
The Gonon was mildly corked, this was hideously corked. D'ooooooh!
1985 Château Rausan-Ségla
Finally, a really good red. And in this case, really good. A recent Acker buy, fill right into the neck with the cork in great shape, and it's drinking beautifully - savoury leather, tobacco and graphite, a dusty earthiness, and mature red fruited flavours all combining seamlessly in a polished, medium weight whole. Tannins are fully resolved, it's wonderful to sit down with over a couple of hours and keeps building and developing with time, picking up floral and more savoury elements aromatically while gaining more depth in the mouth. Lovely, fully mature and classical claret.