1993 Stanton & Killeen Vintage (port)
Rutherglen, 90% Shiraz 5% Durif, 5% Touriga

A stack of gold medals and trophies. Dense bricky colour, all red fruits – sweet but balanced; floral roses, and mulberry, sweet spicy brandy spirit. Terrific length, and this is right in the zone for delights, so why wait?

Drink to 2031, and 94 points

1997 Pfeiffer Christopher’s Vintage port 18.5%
Rutherglen, majority Touriga, (plus other Portuguese varieties (?)

Here’s another wine where each taste resulted in a higher score. Not the world’s greatest cork, but an easy decant (which was needed anyway), and problem solved. Christopher is the first name of the long-time eponymous winemaker, and Australian wine industry legend. Ruby coloured with some bricking on the rim; very fair for its age. Floral Swiss milk chocolate, spicy spirit, and a silky, mellow, comforting, lingering plum plus cherry plus blueberry palate, still with refined tannin support and spices, and beautiful mid-palate. It’s in no danger of failing, but mighty hard to resist its pleasures already. It’s a much drier style than most Oz efforts at the style, and all the better!

Drink to 2033 and 93 points (cork permitting)