Dinner at Limewood, Repulse Bay, Hong Kong

An informal Saturday beachside dinner with best friends where I decided to bring a couple of 'end of life' nice bottles.

• 2006 Kistler Chardonnay Vine Hill Vineyard 89 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  Drank fairly informally with friends at a beachside restaurant - almost the last of a case that I have enormously enjoyed. Has put on depth of colour and weight on the nose and palate since I last drank it 11 months ago. Is now on a gentle decline from its peak drinking window..no flabbiness, still lots of super honeysuckle and Crunchie bar but the acidity has dropped and it no longer has the tension, balance and minerality it once had. Still resonant and long...and a lovely wine that has always been one of my two favourite Kistler vineyards.

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• 1994 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron 89 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Last of a case enjoyed over the past 8 years and the right time to drink it. Briefly double-decanted before taking to the restaurant. Still a bright, fresh-looking ruby semi-transparent colour. Textbook Pauillac nose of earth, cedar and still fresh-ish blackcurrent and blackberry fruit with some undercurrent asian dry powdered spices like cumin and cinnamon stick. Unfortunately the palate at this age is finally showing the weaknesses of the very wet vintage that the expert winemaking had masked for so many years. Not yet fully tertiary but showing a slight green stalkiness and not much in the way of length. But a fond farewell to a wine I have enjoyed a lot (although the 1994 Pontet Canet has always been the stand-out for this difficult Bordeaux vintage.

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Fab evening with great friends and a really well-run, innovative restaurant.