This is a very important wine in my wine edification. It was the first LLC I ever tried, shown to me by old friend and mentor, the late Tom Low, sometime back in the dim and now distant eighties. Over the years, Tom and I drank this wine together many times, experiencing the gradual evolution as the wine’s aroma and bouquet homogenised, the sizable tannins melted and integrated with the boldly-fruited palate and the strong savoury, vanillin oak. On the eve of his funeral in December 2005, Tom had quietly arranged for a bottle of same to be opened as we mourned his most untimely departure from this planet. It drank superbly. Recently, I managed to pick up a few bottles of this from, what I was told, a very good source and tonight I decided to crack one with a friend. Unfortunately due to very bad weather our meeting was cancelled but I had already opened the wine earlier as a precautionary measure. So here goes:

Still holding a deep, dark red core with considerable rust and amber in the outer edges, this wine opened with a staleness that provoked an initial rush of concern. My fears were soon allayed when some half hour of gentle breathing (in bottle) and more than four hours later, I’m still deriving great satisfaction from sniffing and sipping this lovely claret.

The savoury nose has blossomed into a most harmonious, mature amalgam of cedar, old saddle leather, sweet earth, black olives, soft black berries, licorice, lead pencil and spice box. In the mouth the medium-bodied wine has continued to “sweeten up”, now revealing a wealth of sweet red and black fruits that include a variety of plums and berries accompanied by notes of olives, briar, old leather and just a hint of road tar. With the tannins almost fully resolved and a surprising amount of refreshing acidity providing life on the palate, this finely-honed, smooth and satisfying wine finishes with admirable length and adequate authority. Although there can be no doubt this wine’s day’s are numbered, well-cellared examples may provide most enjoyable drinking for up to five years. 92 points.

At twenty-nine years of age, this Las-Cases is by no means the greatest I’ve tasted - the 1982 (97 points) well and truly takes that prize - but this little number won’t cost you two arms and three legs like it’s younger sibling - and as long as it’s been well stored, I’m hopeful you’ll receive some of the great pleasure I did tonight.

Dinner with some nice people down from Sydney for the weekend -

Taittinger Comte de Champagne 1995 - youthful colour, terrific small beading, gorgeous effusive, yet delicate, yeasty nose, very fine and fluffy in the mouth holding a great line, lovely acid balance, long - brilliant aperitif style, beguilling & feminine - drink now and for the next several years - 93

Les Chablisienne Chablis Grand Cru “Preuses” 1995 - classy Chablis, multidimensional in nuance with a typically tight structure housing a vein of calciferous minerality, excellent length - lost a just little definition and focus with extended breathing, hence a drink soonish proposition. 92

Comte Armand Pommard 1er Cru “Clos des Epeneaux” 1996 - Excellent deep colour, reticent nose that came up well in the glass with time - plums, cherries, a little savoury oak with just a hint of sweet earth - followed by a slightly four-square palate with complimentary acidity and firmish tannins, reasonably long finish - just lacked some “wow” factor. Should improve marginally over the next several years but will never be great. Very good/Excellent 88

Mount Mary Cabernets 1991 - mature hue, classic “Bordeaux” blend nose of cedar, herbs, damp earth, blackcurrant and autumn leaves. Whether this saw a little too much air in the decanter, I did notice a slight composty/almost cabbagy/leafy character coming through towards the end of my glass. Very elegant and rounded in the mouth with a similar deterioration of the initial cassis and cedary flavours with time. Soft tannins. Otherwise, Excellent. Drink now or over the next few years 90

Antinori Tignanello 1995 - This sensational Sangiovese/Cabernet blend shone through like a beacon in a fog compared to the two previous reds. Youthful dark colour, strong primary aromas of blackberry, currants, cedar and violets. Quite full and concentrated palate with a distinct savoury character in the lengthy aftertaste. My first hit out with this wine and very pleased to have done so. Solid but forgiving tannin structure. Needs another 3-5 years and should drink for several thereafter. 93

Fevre, supposedly, underwent a quantum leap in quality after being acquired by the revitalised Champagne house, Henriot, in 1998 (who, reportedly, also effected similar improvements with the purchase of Bouchard Pere et Fils in 1995). Having been in raptures after trying the 2000 Grand Cru “Valmur” (95 points), although a little less impressed by the promising but somewhat closed, “Les Clos” (91-93 points - a longer term proposition than the Valmur, perhaps, yet I am to be convinced it’s the better wine), I managed to procure just a few bottles of Fevre’s Premier Cru’s - “Montmains” and “Montee de Tonnerre” to further expand my horizons on this firm’s “improved’” performance. I am pleased to report this particular wine delivers the “goods” in spades.

Holding a youthful straw/green appearance with a polished hue, the effusive bouquet invokes a myriad of nuance - white flowers, meal, melon, lime, minerals, bacon fat and seaspray - this is the classic “Chablis” package - elusively enticing and pure, yet so complex and complete. In the mouth, this wine is just a mere pup - tight, steely with enormous reserves of mineral-tinged acidity - yet possesses an eerie grace but with an aura of unleashed power and unquestionable longevity. Flavours of green melon, lime, meal and a distinct calciferous note are followed by a crisp, minerally finish of some duration. Allusively subtle and focussed, this wine deserves careful extended cellaring to reach its full potential. Unfortunately, for someone like me, it would difficult to keep my hands off it on this current form. Another classic wine from Fevre and without any equivocation, deserves a rating of at least 93 points (with a bullet for something much higher, in due course). Drink now to 2020.

13% A/V. Sealed with a cork closure.

The good wife turned fifty yesterday and the immediate family and a few friends gathered at the local Turkish Pide restaurant for a lovely (and just so inexpensive) degustation dinner last night. Incredible value for money and a top night was had by all.

Wines -

Pol Roger Vintage Brut 1996 - continues to shine, developing more complexity/weight as it ages on cork. Still fresh and delightfully complex with that vintage thumbprint of invigorating acidty. Finest of line in the mouth coupled with wonderful length. Long term cellaring prospect. 94

Joseph Sparkling Shiraz (2006 Disg.) - read some negative reports from a couple of members of the SLDS recently - this most recent disgorgement displays a remarkably deep magenta colour, incredibly fine, active streams of bubbles and is bursting with bucketloads of “sweet” creamy plum and spicy blackberry fruit. The addition of some very old base material delivers deft counterbalancing touches of leather and sweet earth on a profoundly good long, mouthfilling departure. Top Class! 93

Freycinet Chardonnay 2005 (screwcap) - A wonderful example of vibrant, cool climate, restrained Chardonnay with the most delectable pear drop, melon and gentle stone fruits with, seemingly, very understated creamy oak. A whisk of meal and crispy bacon add credence to a drop-dead gorgeous palate. One of the most attractive young Chardonnay’s I’ve had the pleasure of drinking over the last several years. Very good cellaring potential but will be difficult for me to keep my hands off this corker in the meantime. 93

Lillydale Estate (Yarra Valley Vineyards) Chardonnay 2005 - Remarkable quality for the price! Winner of the Best Wine (repeat WINE!) at the recent National Wine Show in Canberra, this is a seriously well crafted Chardonnay with more than a hint of “Chablis” in its formulation. Steely with a distinct minerality vein running throughout a long and tight palate, this belter harbours some impressive “Burgundian” complexity over delicate fig and white peach/nectarine fruit. Snapped up a case of this without thinking twice. Excellent mid-term cellaring potential. 92

Lindemans Coonawarra Sesquicentenary Cabernet Sauvignon 1990 (Magnum) - down to my last half dozen or so of these - stunning mature Australian Classic drinking at its absolute peak but should hold for several more years - vibrant ruby colour with some bricking in the edges, exquisite bouquet of dusty blackcurrants, regional mint, saddle leather, French herbs, sandalwood, leafy greens, earthy morello’s, cigar box and beautifully integrated, spicy French oak. A veritable smorgasboard of definitive varietal characteristics can be found on a silky, gorgeously balanced palate. Without a doubt one of Greg Clayfield’s best ever results. Such harmony, elegance combined with poise, personality and pizzaz! Add impeccable softening, refreshing acidity and fluffy, mature tannins, this wine stands head and shoulders above just about any 1990 Coonawarra red I can recall (including the supposedly brilliant 90A and 920)! 95

Morris Old Premium Liquer Tokay 500 ml - another recent trophy winner at Canberra, this increible old wine displays a deep mahogany/brown/khaki colour, sublime aromatics of treacle, toffee, honey, dusty old oak, cold black tea intertwined with perplexing volatile, rancio and nutty esters only found in the oldest and best blends of this wine style. Thick and unctious on the palate with amazing concentration and abundance of nuance (aka the nose) with a breathtaking texture Wonderful cutting acidity and astringency holding everything together on a finish to die for. 96 and WOTN (just pipping the exceptional Lindies)

Secured a dozen bottles of this superb Riesling at release, wishing now I had bought (a whole lot) more.

Luminescent straw gold. Captivating integrated nose of petrol, honey on toast and freshly squeezed limes. The palate simply amazes with vibrant, crunchy lime and crisp green apple fruit with lemon pith and grapefruit thrown in for good measure. Holds a gorgeous line through the mouth, powerful but terrificly pure and racy with perfectly meshed mineral-tinged acidity providing necessary counterbalance and assured longevity. Needless to say, this spectacularly good white reverberates almost endlessly on the back palate with such aplomb for me to award the exceptional rating of ninety-five points. A truly great drinking experience. Drink now-2018. Congratulations to the team at Alkoomi for such a brilliant example of bottle-aged Riesling that still has plenty of petrol in the tank.

11.0% a/v. Cork closure