Interesting group of friends having lots of homemade Mexican food in a very casual environment. .....rough order of drinking although I did lots of circling back.
1994 Bodegas Riojanas Rioja Monte Real Gran Reserva This one took about an hour to open but when it did it was wonderfully expressive. Deep aromatics, lush fruit, some secondary development. Seemed to improve continually over 3 hours. Very good now but no need to rush to open. Note on all the Rioja. I opened them about 30mins before we started pouring. No decanting as there is never sediment in these and they can be fragile.
1973 Bodegas Riojanas Rioja Monte Real Gran Reserva Brought this one as an interesting side by side with the one above. On opening this was thin and reedy and I was worried it was OTH but man oh man, after 45 mins it blossomed. Showed more fruit and character than the '94. Aromatically it was all you want in aged Rioja. Lovely lovely wine....and then at about the 3 hr mark it fell apart like Voldemort having his last horcrux smashed.
1985 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia This one was just not right. No one thought it was overtly corked and didn't appear as oxidized but it was definitely muted. Cork was soaked through.
2006 Moët & Chandon Dom Pérignon One of the guests is the local (AZ and HI) rep for Moët Hennessey and brought a couple of bottles of this one. Extremely young and tight but with all the pieces to be really nice in 10 years. I don't drink much Dom and the last one I had was the 2002 Warhol which to me was much more lush and fruity as a young champagne. This one was more focused and zippy.
NV Dom Ruinart Brut Rosé I never had this before. It's fun, easy, and lively. Lots of red fruit, clean flavor. Decent enough but there are so many rosé bubblies out there at this price point or lower that I like much more.
These were opened at the start and sipped throughout the afternoon/evening....
NV Gonzalez-Byass Jerez-Xérès-Sherry Fino Una Palma Tio Pepe fino which is typically a 4 yr solera that is continually aged under flor for a couple of more years (6 yr total). Yeasty nuttiness of an extended aging but so bright and vibrant underneath. Grows with air and is just a wonderfully quaffable sherry.
NV Gonzalez-Byass Jerez-Xérès-Sherry Fino Dos Palma So add a couple of more years (8yr) and it picks up some toffee and depth. Clean and smooth on entry but the depth is really in the mid and finish.
NV Gonzalez-Byass Jerez-Xérès-Sherry Fino Tres Palma Now at 10yrs, this is where the action is. Still definitely a fino in that lemony vibrancy but the mid palate nuttiness and richness is way ramped up. More toffee, burnt orange peel, raw almonds Super polished and lengthy finish. This was my favorite of the group.
NV Gonzalez-Byass Jerez-Xérès-Sherry Cuatro Palmas Amontillado Stated to be a 47yr solera that is still shows its fino bones. Deep and complex aroma of orange, caramel, earthy, some Islay like peat and sea spray. It's many shades darker than Tres and with that nose one might expect some sugar but it is fully bone dry on a slick entry. Flavors echo the lemon/orange citrus, nuts, and burnt sugar of the nose. Super long swirling finish. Was thinking of pairing it with the dessert of gelatina de vino de Jerez but it was too dry to work. This is much more a contemplative drink than the environment allowed.