2001 Domaines Schlumberger Pinot Gris Vendanges Tardive 12.5%

This wine has seen better days. The colour is a dark gold, but legitimate for its variety and age. It displays red apple and brown pear aromatics, plus some hints of bruised apple oxidation.

Its quite sweet (around 100g/l), but there is enough acidity to avoid any cloying; the pear flavours flow on a viscous palate, and the message is – drink up. Ready, and enjoyable but it had the misfortune to be paired with the following wine.

87 points, drink to 2018

2007 Dirler Spiegel Gewurztraminer SGN 12%

I was terrified to open this- from the last 2 wines from this Alsace estate, one was badly oxidised, the other corked – and no response from the producer despite 2 emails. But this wine was pristine.

Light gold in colour, its resoundingly fresh, with aromas of ripe red baked apple, musk, talc, cinnamon.  The balanced palate shows more rose petal, apricot and white peach, some honey and citrus, and is richly textured, fine, clean, and there is no cloying despite the 150-odd g/l of residual sugar.

It’s an outstanding wine, combining varietal character with botrytis richness.

96 points, drink to 2023