WTN: Highlights

1998 Henri Gouges Nuits St. Georges
I opened this for a quick dinner at home thinking it would provide simple and easy fun before leaving to meet some friends. But I’ll be damned if the midweight slippery (slightly bretty?) fruit with firm earthy mineral structure didn’t keep me engaged enough to delay my post-dinner departure in the name of continued ‘evaluation’. Nice.

2005 Dönnhoff Norheimer Kirschheck Riesling Spätlese
We/I thought this might be closed and in need of a long decant but it showed pretty darn well from the opening and raised our elegance level from the other riesling bottles opened on the table. Ok, it will probably evolve further and it may have gotten ‘stuck’ in a certain firm compact yet elegantly fresh showing. But we had lots of fun with it and we were not complaining at all. Thanks Cristian!

1995 Verset Cornas
This was gorgeous from the moment I first smelled it although it took a while for the acidity to integrate on the otherwise lovely smooth and supple palate. Flowers, iron, minerals, meat, stones, everything you could want from Cornas. Right here in one glass/bottle. This kept getting better and better and more distinctively complex until we drained the bottle. Although there were no regrets at all. At least on my end! Thanks Cristian!

Very nice lineup. That description of the Cornas almost has me salivating. Pleasantly surprised to hear the '05 Kirschheck is still open and drinking well - that's a really lovely wine (and one of my favourite 05s from Donnhoff).

The Cornas was indeed perfect for our tastes. And shows that you never know, because I remember tasting a bottle of this about 3 years ago when some other people thought it was peaking. I guess we just have to keep letting the good times roll...

As we spent more time with the Dönnhoff it began to tighten and for the strict drinker it is probably best to hold off. But in our context of having some other flawed/lesser rieslings open on the table and plenty of evening left, it was certainly fun and it was not a hardship to drink

What were the other Rieslings at the table?

As far as the '05 Kirschheck goes, the options are leave it alone for a few years or just gulp it down before it starts to tighten up? I reckon the latter might not be too hard... (Actually, have a bottle of '05 Dellchen Spatlese I was intrigued to check in on some time soon...)

What were the other Rieslings at the table?

An off bottle of 2002 Alzinger Loibenberg Smaragd and a 'simple' bottle of 2007 von Kesselstatt Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Kabinett. And there was a pretty compelling Lakers-Nuggests game on the TV so we needed something to keep us fueled!

As far as the '05 Kirschheck goes, the options are leave it alone for a few years or just gulp it down before it starts to tighten up? I reckon the latter might not be too hard... (Actually, have a bottle of '05 Dellchen Spatlese I was intrigued to check in on some time soon...)

I think David could probably give you some good advice in that area

The Cornas sounds lovely. The time it took for the acid to integrate, couldn't that be just the effect of food? Or do you feel you can distinguish the acid dampening effect of food from that of, say, aeration or palate adaptation?

The Cornas sounds lovely. The time it took for the acid to integrate, couldn't that be just the effect of food? Or do you feel you can distinguish the acid dampening effect of food from that of, say, aeration or palate adaptation?

As it so happens, we did start eating after the first sips. But, we kept drinking it after dinner was finished and I'm pretty sure the wine was still evolving in a better direction. Or at least our moods were. Either way, it was fun