Taittinger Brut Réserve NV: Purchased Spring 2002; nearly three years additional bottle age. A pale hue, and a subtle bead that quickly fades, although there is no shortage of mousse on the palate. A fresh clean nose. Surprisingly fresh still, again showing lemony white fruits as when tasted last May. Just a little biscuity note of maturity. Seems like this could go on in the cellar for years. 15.5+/20

Pol Roger Brut 1995: A good, although fairly pale hue, and a tiny bead. Fresh nose; floral, acacia notes, with a nutty breadcrumb nuance. Full, creamy palate, with lovely weight, offset by fresh, sharp acidity. A firm mousse. An elegant style. Beautiful drinking now, but will be better in 5-10 years time. 17+/20

Pol Roger Brut 1996: A moderate colour with a plentiful bead. Rich nose, dripping with cream and smoky-stony-cordite white fruit, and a leafy minerality. Gorgeous. Creamy palate, with bready-lemony fruit and a correct texture enveloping great acidity, with a little caramel twist. Beautiful wine, with stunning potential. Needs ten years to show its best I think. 17.5+/20

Hugel Pinot Gris Vendange Tardive 1986: From two half bottles. The first has a pale, honey-gold colour. Mature, ripe, organic, honey-roast meat notes at first, with pungent, stony-cheesy aromas. Great complexity here. Later shows more typical PG tropical fruit. Intense palate, but a little drier than expected. Good body and moderate weight, just a little fatness. Drink now. The second shows a much more typical PG nose, with spice and bacon-edged tropical fruit, although with some coffee, toffee and fennel notes – quite different. Showing a little more sweetness on the palate, with melon and green apple notes alongside a lovely oily character. Great acidity here. Less advanced, with preferable weight and depth. I still suggest drinking now though. 16.5/20

Hugel Gewurztraminer Vendange Tardive 1991: From two half bottles. The first has an oily, pale gold appearance. Exotic, rose-petal nose, with sweet and spicy fruits. Rich, oily palate, but with a fresh, acidic, crisp, balanced feel. Fresh apple and grapefruit notes alongside more exotic flavours, with a bitter quinine note in the finish. Lovely. The second shows a sweet and an even purer expression of Gewurztraminer, cut through with complex bacon and mushroom notes. A pure, beautifully balanced palate; the finest Gewurztraminer I have had the pleasure of tasting in a number of years. Scored on the strength of the second bottle. 17.5/20

Château Bellerive Quarts de Chaume 1988: A beautiful colour; a quite vibrant sunset gold. There is considerable bottle stink at first - the only wine I have drank that reminded me of diesel fumes - but these most off-putting, headache-inducing aromas dissipate after a few hours to leave an appealing honey and green apple nose, with some nice wet wool, mineral and toffee notes too. The very balanced and fresh, but with lovely weight. Mineral-organic notes alongside the honey, star anise and botrytis character; yet another bottle that has turned out to be lovely. I think now I am half-way through the case, and I will enjoy the rest over the next decade. 18/20

Château de Fieuzal Blanc (Pessac-Léognan) 1994: Decent colour. A good nose, oiled wood and nutty honey, with hints of roasted chestnuts – or am I being too festive? Lovely, slightly oily mouthfeel, firm structure, grippy with good acidity. Has fullness and weight. A little coffee and roasted nut kernel. Good, but should improve further over the next 5-10 years. 16+/20

Clos de l’Oratoire (St Emilion) 1995: A dark, opaque hue, showing a tiny bit of pink age at the rim. Wonderful nose; Dundee cake, with cashew nuts, dark chocolate, plums and black cherry, sweet tobacco, animal fur and liquorice. This is truly captivating. Lovely weight on the palate, creamy with a grippy layer beneath, then beneath that a smoky bitterness. Fine, savoury, black cherry fruit, with a medium body and well balanced acidity. A flourish of tannin at the finish. Lovely extract still shows. This is elegant yet quite substantial wine. Delicious. Approachable now, but really needs 2-3 more years, then should drink well for eight years. 17.5+/20

Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf du Pape 1994: Some volatility at first, but this soon dissipates. Moderate depth of colour, a burnt cherry red, with just a thin rim of age, so certainly some development here. Mature, meaty, animalistic nose, with notes of beef stock, cinnamon and paprika. Lovely texture on entry although certainly not lush as on my last tasting, but it has a good, sweet, rounded edge. Firm structure beneath still. Good flavour, culminating in a sweet raspberry finish. Nice length. Early drinking window - should go for five to ten years yet. 16.5+/20

La Spinetta Monferrato Rosso ‘Pin’ 1998: A very dark wine. Decanted for two hours. Gorgeous nose; black cherry and blueberry jam, with black peppercorns and sweet, honey roasted meats. The palate is full, with plenty of mouth-filling texture. Opulent, but underpinned by firm, slightly bitter, grippy tannins which form a core within the svelte mouthfeel. Beautifully balanced, with fine toasted fruit. Lovely with game. Will only improve, over five years at least. 18+/20

Warre's Traditional Late Bottled Vintage Port 1994: Great intensity of colour here. Deep, brooding fruit on the nose. Smoky and toasty aromas, with burnt sugar, caramel and molasses. Full, sweet, and with super depth on the palate, but with a cool, balanced style. Full of richness and plentiful extract, matched by very fine, ripe tannins and some good toasty fruit. Of the 94-95 duo this is the vintage I prefer. Lovely wine; drink now and over the next six years. 17+/20

Warre's Traditional Late Bottled Vintage Port 1995: Great purple, youthful appearance. The nose has chocolate and caramel notes, over some dark fruits. The palate has sweetness and texture in abundance, and lovely weight and grip. Nice, cool, tannic presence. Creamy and voluptuous, a complete midpalate, and a balanced, fluid mouthfeel at the finish. A very solid style, rather than one of great finesse or complexity, which fits with my impression of the 1995 Port vintage. Very good. 16.5/20

Quinta do Noval Vintage Port 1985: Even the cellar-smell that fills the air as the capsule is removed evokes good memories; but the Port is pretty good too. A lovely, vibrant and lively colour; bright ruby red, with a little pink-orange rim. Initially cloves and cigars on the nose, then sweet tarry fruit, crystallised sweetness, figgy liquorice. Certainly nicely developed. A good sweet, fleshy roundness with just a very slightly spirity alcohol. Plush, deep texture, with plenty of pepper, cigar and liquorice flavour here, with a sweet richness to the fruit. This is lovely; drink over the next ten years. 17+/20