White Asparagus Dinner at Greg & Sayo's.

Greg and Sayo has somewhat over-ordered several kilos of fresh-cut white asparagus from Germany so we were duty-bound to cut it down to size....and hence another great evening unfolded.

The asparagus was absolutely more-ish, which was just as well given the quantity. We convinced ourselves that the fibre meant that we were burning more calories than the food contained.....except it wasn't very fibrous.

• 2007 Kumeu River Chardonnay Hunting Hill 89 Points

  New Zealand, North Island, Auckland, Kumeu

  Bright golden colour....it has deepened considerably in the past few months, suggesting quick ageing. Nose is smoke, some slightly obtrusive charred oak, crushed oven-roasted lemons, rich sun-dried peach coming to the fore....more oak and overall richness than on previous tastings, suggesting fast ageing. Palate has lost its tautness and now has an oak-dominated, malolactic fermentation....still really well made but it was much better with citrussy youth. Heady alcoholic finish. It went much better with lightly buttered fresh white asparugus than it did as an aperitif. This will be an 85-point wine in 6-8 months. Drink up.

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• 1991 Chateau Musar 96 Points

  Lebanon, Bekaa Valley

  Double-decanted 10 hours in advance. Dusky but bright semi-transparent damask ruby colour. Nose is dark red ripe cherries, patchouli oil, cinnamon stick and a bit of damp wild boar. Palate has a pronounced initial fresh acid attack then moves into sharp red cherry and fresh red turkish delight and then a ....BANG! finish with absolutely huge reverberant resonance that just keeps chiming bass bells in the back of your cranium. Over time, sweetness emerges on the nose...and cigar box....and the palate also gets sweeter.....old-fashioned cherry-flavoured boiled sweets...and complimented by fully powdered but still robust tannin and still maintaining that lovely patchouli oil sub-theme. It has a light, billowing mouthfeel and just such huge resonant power that goes on and on. It stayed so good right through a long night....rock solid and clearly with so many years ahead of it. It still has huge ripe fruit - succulent plums - and will be amazing in another 10 years but it is so gorgeous to drink now. Thrilling and completely silence-creating.....Greg's comparison with 1970s Grange was spot-on. It beat the 1985 L'Evangile on the night.

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• 1985 Château L'Evangile 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

  Decanted 2-3 hours in advance. Deep and bright jewelled semi-opaque ruby colour. Nose is lifted pencil lead and slight nail-polish remover then reveals damp spring-rain ferns, graphite, lots of very light and lifted perfumed elements....very feminine. Palate is just drop-dead gorgeous powdered and dusty tannins with a very feminine character.....very light but heady, elegant and young....a bit too young. Very feminine, elegant and lovely....it does stop you in your tracks but in an elegant, light, sophisticated way. Oh gosh, it has just stepped up a gear, especially in its heady resonance and it's now become totally alluring and silence-creating. With very extended time in the glass a nice sugary, milky coffee tone comes to the fore. The best bottle I have drank and an excellent example of how well top-end 1985 Bordeaux is drinking now but slightly overshadowed on the night by the extra-dimensionality of the Ch. Musar '91 we drank alongside it.

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• 2005 Kilikanoon Shiraz Oracle

  Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley

  Somewhat hastily popped and briefly decanted. Black totally opaque colour. Nose is deep monolithic blackberry and oak but all very pure. Palate is very deep rich blueberry and american oak, coffee grounds, tight black cherry that's not yet ripe. Too closed and young to sense much finish. It hasn't moved much since my June 2009 note when I said "don't revisit for 3 years". Not scored because it was a bit unfair for it to follow two properly-decanted and fully open wines....the 1985 L'Evangile and the 1991 Ch Musar.

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• 2005 Château Suduiraut 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  Decanted for an hour beforehand. Very ripe and sugary but fresh bananas. Overly sweet castor sugar powder. Lovely thick and incredibly deep rich white chocolate. Brilliant. Huge resonance and reverberance. So powerful.

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Thanks guys!