Terrific wine -- intense nose of dried apricots, a little orange peel, and a load of spice; sweet yet perfectly balanced, massively intense on the palate but with a streamlined focus wound up in minerals, with dried fruits, quince paste, and a long and intense finish that ends spicy and a bit bitter, akin to a Gewurztraminer. Delicious on its own and with food.

Light and filigreed in contrast to the Trimbach’s intensity. Petrol, pear, lemon on the nose, soft and delicate and super fresh and graceful with apples, pears with a comparably mild sense of sweetness. I guess the Austrian idea of Auslese is a bit different than the German.

A real treat. Double-decanted earlier in the day. Killer nose with wonderful spices that you could just savor for hours. Tastes great too with great structure, but a somwhat short-ish finish. Hard to complain, though, just a lovely wine. NOTN (nose of the night). Went well with suckling pig.

The show-stopper. Decanted at the restaurant. Dark red and so youthful in appearance, you’d never suspect the wine is over 35 years old. Great nose of aged cab cedariness with a decidely minty edge. Long and very savory with great sap and power, with a wonderful finish that ends just a bit tart.