A great way to start the week with lunch at Old Manila, all the wines supplied by Jojo who just got a shipment in from the US about two weeks earlier.
Casa Marin Sauvignon Blanc 2007 - From Chile. Powerful and very aromatic. Full-bodied and a little peppery. A textbook example of Sauv Blanc with all the usual descriptors: guava, sweet peppers and boiled sweets. Very long finish with high acidity. Initially, very good but it got tiring after a while.
Cotat Les Monts Damnes Sancerre 2004 - Good aroma, mint leaf, gentle. Slightly bitter finish. Unfortunately, overpowered by the Casa Marin. This should have been served first.
JF Mugnier Clos de la Marechale 1er Cru Nuits St. Georges 2005 - Smells rather New Worldy with sweet berry scents. Dry, but packed with fruit. Lovely balance. Tight but shows great promise. It is possible to enjoy this now but patience will be rewarded. Excellent.
Mystery wine #1 - Cedar, classic Bordeaux. Left Bank, probably. Already soft. Tobacco and mushrooms. I guessed mid to late 1990s St. Julien or maybe Graves. Turned out to be Les Forts de Latour 2000. This was a lot softer than I expected for a 2000. Very good and just about at peak.
Mystery wine #2 - Dessert. Dark copper. Very sweet nose. Doesn't smell like Sauternes. Honeyed and very soft textured. Almost soapy. Real easy to drink and seductive. Rich and fat. Could use a touch of acidity for more complexity. Definitely not Riesling. I could say what it's not but I can't say what it is. Only Arnie hazarded a guess: Kracher? Very impressive as he was right - Alois Kracher Scheurebe Trockenbeerenauslese #10 2002.