Caviar night at Cafe Ysabel so a couple of champagnes, a Bordeaux with the steaks, and Kracher with dessert.
Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame 1996 - Voluptuous and still vigorous. Perfect now. Rich, some oxidative notes, incredibly outshone a 2000 Cristal (admittedly, not the best vintage for Cristal). By far the best Grande Dame I've ever had. The vintage quality really comes through here. I don't see that this will improve any more so I would drink it up to capture it at peak.
Roederer Cristal 2000 - Compared to most other Cristals, on the austere side. A bit of oxidation, subdued bubbles, perhaps waited a bit too long before opening this. Still, a very good drink. Better to drink up now.
Pavillon Rouge du Château Margaux 2003 - Textbook Bordeaux in peak form. Lovely nose, soft and sweet, but with enough stuffing to go up against a steak. Long finish. A real easy drink. This is such a fantastic drink now that I think it would be better to consume now.
Alois Kracher Traminer Nouvelle Vague #2 Trockenbeerenauslese 1999 - Quite dark. Coffee, honey, and caramel. Viscous. pretty intense.Very long. A little goes a long way. Nice with a strawberry shortcake. No further improvement expected, but no hurry to drink up.