Nicki's Wines

Tasted March 2008: A splendid wine, fairly ripe but still with some spritz, liplicking acidity, very good concentration and a lot of finesse. A bit oily (as a good Pfalz-Riesling should be), but overall well-balanced. Drink before 2009.

Tasted February 2008: This wine is typical of the vintage, subdued and herbaceous, better on the nose than in the mouth, with some recognisable Pomerol qualities but on the whole lacking charm, fruit and concentration and with a dry and rather bitter finish. Certainly much too expensive for its quality; tasted blind, however, a good wine. Not for keeping, drink soon.

Tatsted February 2008: Altough too alcoholic (14,5%), this is a very good, rich wine. The key to its quality is that it is unoaked (I have my misgivings about Sauvignon blanc and new oak). However, give it plenty of air, otherwise the alcohol risks to be obtrusive. Drink young.

I bought 5 bottles of Krug's Grande Cuvée (at very interesting 'discount' prices) in 1998 and we drank the last bottle in February 2008. Every bottle was an experience. If well-stored in a cool cellar, this champagne retains its qualities for at least 10 years, even developping additional nuances and finesse with extended bottle age. Its poise, depth and acidity verge on perfection.

Tasted March 2008: Healthy colour but thin and undistinguished in the nose and in the mouth and with a dry, tart aftertase. Disappointing. Probably already too old.

Tasted April 2008: very good colour, rather classic Pauillac nose with ripe flavours of dark fruit but overall elegant, remarkably well-balanced taste with good intensity and body for the vintage and fine aftertase. Grand-Puy Ducasse is known to produce its best wines in poor years, and the 1992 and 1993 are surely better than the 1990. This 1993 bottle is a very pleasant surprise for the vintage. Drink up before the wine fades. (Best before 2010)