The Auswine Forum

Dinner was with a small select group of friends at home. The food was simply grilled prawns, mushrooms, cod fish and generous portions of wagyu beef to go round. Nothing flashy, just fresh and simply cooked and flavoured ingredients. It was initially not planned to be such a vinuous experience but through the generosity of the people present, it turned out to be the one of the most impressive and eclectic wine dinners I have ever been to. The wines and notes are as follows:

Dom Perignon Oenotheque 1962 (disgorged 1999)

A rich creamy appearance. Very smooth mousse and still a surprising amount of fruit left in there, redolent of pears, ripe apples and a hint of honey on the finish with typically bready and yeasty complexity which became more obvious with the second glass that I had. My first experience with this wine though I must say that the small quality difference with a normal vintage Dom may not justify the price difference.

Brokenwood Graveyard Shiraz 1996

Typical Graveyard, very much sweaty saddle with earthy and mushroomy aromas. On the palate the tannins are very soft and approachable with earthy plum, ripe cherries underlined with a slinky savoury backbone, finishing with a tad acidity peaking through on the finish, keeping the wine fresh. This wine is in its drinking window now though will last for a few more years.

Chateau Lynch Bages 1990

Finished by the time I got here. Damn. Smelt divine though from the little that was left in the bottle!

Oakville Ranch Napa Cabernet 1997

Tarry and ripe cassis and hints of plum with a still firm tannic backbone with a touch of tobacco in the end. Nice, from a good vintage in the Napa.

Chateau Calon Segur (St. Estephe) 1990

Mature claret, with bricking on the edges and a medium red colour. The nose is soft and full of violets and a hint of spice. The wine tastes of plums, cassis, a touch of dried herbs and is medium weight in mouthfeel. Tannins are soft and velvety but the wine does not have a long finish. Expected a little more from the wine but nevertheless a very enjoyable wine from a good vintage. Drink up now.

Barca Velha 1995

The most elusive of Portuguese table wines. Bought two bottles from Selfridges of all places in London some years ago and is released after 7 years of aging. Still a dark crimson colour with little bricking on the edges. On the nose, a multilayered amalgam of dark fruits, spice and a touch of meatiness coupled with blackcurrants and framed by dusty tannins. Made from traditional port grapes but allowed to ferment fully. Different and very enjoyable though there was a feeling that we should have decanted the wine for about 2 hours beforehand. Made from Tinta Roriz and Touriga Nacional grapes. A wine to cellar for another 8 years or so.

Chateau Yquem 1988

Tasted from a half bottle.

Here we go, there was great anticipation on my part as the 88 was the first of a run of 3 good years for Yquem culminating in the superb 1990. A golden yellow colour. On the nose there is wonderful range of scents soaring from the glass of apricots, spice, peach and vanilla. On the palate, the wine has a fresh sweetness which is by no means heavy no doubt because of nicely judged acidity. The flavours are essentially the same but with a more honeyed finish with pronounced apricots and even ripe pineapples. The finish is a tad short however from my previous Yquem experiences from good vintages. I must say my experience of 2001 sauternes really reinforces the uniqueness and greatness of that vintage. Habve tried the 2001 Guiraud, Suduiraut and dÂ’Arche and they were all divine. I will be stocking up on wines from this vintage.

An unforgettable night of some truly unique wines.

Reads like a great dinner, pity you missed the 90 Lynch Bages, one of the few Bordeaux to really impress me in my limited exposure.

I could taste the Yquem as I was reading your note, I've only had a handful of vintages but it impresses every time.