For my birthday early in May, Germaine invited my daughter and son-in-law and cooked a lovely meal consisting of giant shrimps with asparagus in a cress sauce, stuffed quails surrounded by grapes and a Russian dessert called Paschka made principally from white cheese and candied fruit. The occasion called for a few wines of fine pedigree.
2002 Dönnhoff Schloßböckelheimer Kupfergrube Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Nahe (5/7/2017)
Absolutely delicious. Nose expressively fragrant showing white fruit, flowers and gentle spice with a hint of hydrocarbon. Palate medium/light bodied; seamless and perfectly balanced between elements of fruit, gentle sweetness, minerals, spice, mouth-watering acidity with creamy undertow and some backbone on the finish. Excellent.
1995 Domaine Philippe Charlopin Clos St. Denis - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos St. Denis Grand Cru (5/7/2017)
Lovely ripe and classy medium/full bodied Burgundy with fine Pinot aromas and fruit, velvety texture, some forest floor and minerals, good acidity and still some tannic firmness on the finish. Excellent.
1996 Jean-Marc Millot Echezeaux - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Echezeaux Grand Cru (5/7/2017)
Not quite so fine as the preceding Clos Saint-Denis and still quite youthful seeming but for a slight cabbage taint on the nose initially which soon blew off to reveal bright if slightly sour Pinot fruit. Body was medium+ at most and acidity was more prominent, though not astringent, and tannins less so than with the CSD, but the fruit was fresh and elegant with silky texture and quite marked minerality. Very good.
NV Pojer e Sandri Merlino Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT - Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT (5/7/2017)
This is a fortified wine made from the Lagrein grape and brandy from Schiavia and Lagarino grapes. On the first evening, I found this too perfumed for my taste and quite strongly marked by vanilla aromas. A day later the exaggerated perfumes had become more discreet and complex allowing enjoyment of some rich chocolate tinged fruit but the vanilla notes still dominated the mid-palate and finish. Quite good.