Leo Buring Special Reserve Eden Valley Riesling 1998
Bright lemon/yellow in colour with some burnished light gold hues. Initial bottle-aged toast and honey combine with lime, underripe pineapple and something approaching avacado oil to produce an unexpected bouquet. The palate's brimming with abundant lime and pineapple fruit with a touch of passionfruit wrapped in a tight structure that belies this wines age. The acid cut is delicate, seamless and the finish lingers on and on. This bottle's at odds with the last few I've opened with a decidely tropical character mixed with classic varietal fruit & some bottle development. Although I could rate this as Highly Recommended, I'm not sure of where it's heading. I'll defer final judgement until I try another bottle.
Ch. Angelus St. Emillon 1994
Medium ruby with significant bricking in the edges shading to amber in the meniscus. Stunning, powerful nose of roasted black fruits, cedar, kirsch, Asian spice with a little briary/weedy edge. Although seemingly closed in on itself, the palate displays sufficient extract to impress, yet there's some attenuation from grippy tannins and piercing acidity. My assessment suggests the palate's in transition. There's potential for a high rating 5-10 years down the track if everything comes together. FWIW, Parker (1/97) gives it 92 and notes "smoked meats, barbeque spices, hickory wood and plenty of cassis and kirsch liqueur" and waxes lyrical about "phenomenal purity and denseness" and "a tour de force in winemaking". Not quite what I tried tonight, but his notes were written some 7 years ago. A wine to hold in hope!