Dinner at the home of some friends last night.
While we sat and chatted with some cheese and grapes:
2001 Josef Leitz Rudesheimer Magdalenenkreuz Riesling Kabinett (Rheingau)
Pale straw color. Still a bit closed off, but starting to develop a palate richness from age. Peach, pear skin and subtle stones (the "Maggie" has never been the most mineral of Rieslings) on the nose and palate. Very drinkable (gulpable!) and developed/opened over time in the glass.
With a lovely grilled pork tenderloin, roasted vegetables and roasted plums(!):
2000 Val Llach Embruix (Priorat)
I found this lurking about in the cellar while searching for something else. Deep purple color, aromas of tar, earth and black cherry, with the alcohol (15%) coming out even on the nose at a cool temperature. Initially tight and alcoholic, it eventually fleshed out with that black cherry fruit on the palate, but remained hot the whole time. Decent with the meal (better with the plums), but too alcoholic for me, and a poster child for why I no longer buy new wave Spanish wines.
With homemade apple pie:
2002 Mission Hill Vidal Blanc Eiswein
Bronze color. Honeyed apricot aromatics, and a rich, viscous texture with honey dominant over everything else. Good with the pie, but a small glass is enough.
The rest of the evening was spent sharing stories and photos of the Canadian Rockies (all four of use are huge fans of the area), and planning for our next trips to those fabled peaks.