Celebrating my return to wine (Gaja, Cayuse, and old sparklers)

I've been on medication for several months that has prevented me from drinking wine...so a few friends and I got together to enjoy some wines, filet, and a baby bella & tilsit risotto.

Decanted for about 10 minutes and enjoyed over 1-2 hours

• 1995 Gaja Langhe Sito Moresco 90 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC

  Showing a dark garnet color with bricking at the edges...scents of earth, cedar, and dark fruits. Tannins are still firm with flavors of dark fruit dominating and giving way after about an hour in the glass. Medium length finish.

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Decanted in a magnum decanter and enjoyed over 2-3 hours

• 2000 Cayuse Syrah Coccinelle Vineyard 90 Points

  USA, Oregon, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley

  A nice violet color in the glass...this ws really interesting, and I'm not decided on this producer after one bottle...but the most memorable note about this wine was the strong scent of fresh Scallops on the nose. It was the most dominant scent over the course of the 1-2 hours we consumed this wine. Hints of new oak, violets, smoke, and red meat were all eclipsed by this overwhelming scent of scallops. In the mouth there was bright acidity followed by an exciting mid-palate of dark fruits, minerals, and faint vanilla lead into a soft and smoky medium-long finish.

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• 1987 Argyle Chardonnay Blanc de Blancs Cuvee Limited 93 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills

  This was nothing short of outstanding...with barely a hiss as the cork was pulled this showed a very interesting gradient of hue in the glass. A deep golden yellow with an almost pale canary yellow at the rim of the glass. Scents of fresh rolls, pears, green apples, and a hint of pineapple were alive and vivid. In the mouth it was very young and fresh tasting with bright fruity flavors that matched the nose along a medium length finish.

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• 1988 de Venoge Champagne Louis d'Or Millésime Brut 92 Points

  France, Champagne

  A deep golden yellow in the glass with scents of baked bread, golden yellow delicious apples, pears, with faint notes of caramel and hints of oxidation. In the mouth this was nice, and had a little more weight that I expected. Flavors of baked apple, honey, and earthy notes that reminded me of mushroom. Interesting, fun, and exciting...but not worth the price tag in my thoughts.

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• 1980 Château Raymond-Lafon 91 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  This was almost orange/amber in the glass with scents of honey, minerals, and apricot on the nose. Flavors of apricot, peach, and botrytis linger nicely on the palate along a medium length finish. With good storage this still should have some life in it...and from a 750ml I would expect a longer life. However, there is no reason to hold off from enjoying it now as it is fully mature.

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