Really nice showing for this bottle (better than the last by a bit). Lots of pressure when removing the cork which is always a nice sign with older fizz. At almost 20 years from a good if not great vintage, this bottle showed mature but certainly not past peak. Light golden in color. The nose has slight ginger and seltzer, nice mineral streak. No oxidation. On the palate, this is complex and interesting. Some ginger and hints of apple. Good acidity. Nice finish. Worked well with food. Great start.

With the 15's resting in the cellar, it was time to look back. Great showing. Decades left in this. Lighter gold in color. The nose has a bit of petrol but not a lot at this point. Also some honey and grapefruit. On the palate, wonderful texture. Still slightly sweet but not as sweet as I remember it being on release. There is a slight spritz left that disappears quickly although all the sulfur has dissipated. The last two qualities being difficult on release. Great acidity and balance. Everything I want in a bottle of 15 year old Riesling. Glad to have more.

I let this bottle get some air (a couple of hours prior to serving). Served at about 60F. Its always a tough decision when to open these. They go in an out so often. In the end, I went with it and while there may be times it shows better, I was not disappointed. Medium golden in color. The nose is very pretty. Dried honey, marzipan, slight wax and hints of flowers (I suppose white, but could not really go that far). On the palate, this is bit and round with a nice backbone of acidity. In many ways, it drank like a white wine. Went wonderfully with a Mushroom and seitan over noodle dish that had a bit of a kick. Nice finish. About a glass left, which I am looking forward to today.

Opened and allowed to breathe for 10 hours. Seems to be about at peak with all that air. Very classic CdP back bought on release before this got really expensive. At the time, I doubt I considered it classic, but it drinks that way today. Deep ruby in color. The nose has some barnyard on it. I thought it light but the crowd was, of course, mixed. Also some Kirsch, black olives, garrique and bits of truffle. On the palate, this is soft and almost elegant in a rural sort of way (if that makes sense). Cherries, slight liqueur, spice and earthiness. Long finish. Absolutely superb with a mushroom and seitan over noodle casserole. The wine I went back to at the end of the evening as I wasn't sure it would hold over night (it may have) and didn't want to risk it.

This was opened and allowed to breathe for 10 hours. Inky purple in color. The nose is very deep with boysenberries, black cherries, licorice and iodine. On the palate, this is still pretty youthful. Boysenberries, dark cherries, some vanilla, spice and slight earthiness. On the palate, enough acidity to cut thru the tannins and fruit. A nice complexity. Almost seamless. Long finish. This is delicious yet it works well with the food. No hurry on this, it has at least a decade and probably more left.

Opened and allowed to breathe for 10 hours. This is drinking well, young, but well now. Purple in color, ruby at the rim. The nose has cassis, coffee, leather, slight funk and cigar tobacco. On the palate, there are still some firm tannins. Lots of fruit. Not particularly ripe given the vintage. Some tight layering unwinds in the glass. Nice finish. Very food friendly. There are better vintages of this, but this is damn good and seems better than a bottle tried on release. Much more traditional than I thought it would be back then.

Awesome. Opened and allowed to breathe for 10 hours. Young, but just fantastic. Purple in color. The nose has cassis, pencil lead, charcoal, cedar and vanilla. Firm tannins, but lots of fruit. Seamless texture. Cassis and cedar on the palate. Finish goes on for a long time. While this wine has a couple of decades left, it it so accessible right now. Perhaps one of the clear differences between Napa and Bordeaux. Just delicious. The bottle was drained quickly.

Pop and pour, this took some time to open. I gave a friend the last glass left in the bottle, but I bet it was better today. Medium golden in color, slight copper. The nose has honey, peaches and citrus. The palate matches with a nice backbone of acidity. Has a nice complexity. Sweet but not a lot. The tell tale finish that just goes on forever. Certainly young, there may be some upside here, but this is fantastic. A step down perhaps from the 2001 or 2011, but a great vintage.

The bottle was opened and allowed to breathe for a couple of hours. It got better all night long. Great showing IMO. Light iced tea color. The nose is great with caramel, nutty, slight raisin and slight light cherry. On the palate, this is sweet. Good acidity. Very complex. Long finish. Quite popular to just sip and with a dried fruit/chocolate dessert.