1996 Boll and Cie Champagne de Ratafia 18%
From Reims, Champagne. Pinot Noir, fortified.

Served masked, and I was baffled. Amber colour. Scents of camphor, nettle, marmalade, furniture polish and oranges. Very likely French, but not sauternes, not Loire, not vin de paille. Not Banyuls/Maury/Rivesaltes. I correctly estimated the residual sugar at around 120 g/l. It seemed to have relatively high alcohol (but not guessed as high as the label), and obvious age. Eventually I stabbed at a botrytised Alsace (historically in, and out of France), excluding Riesling or Gewurztraminer because of the lack of florals, so a Pinot Gris VT or SGN. Wrong!

I thought I had never tasted a Ratafia, but turns out I had tried one before. It was no consolation when someone pointed out the wine was stylistically like a pineau de Cognac (never tasted that wine either). This wine style is made by adding brandy or high strength spirit to unfermented, or barely fermented grapes, ending up with a wine both strong and sweet.

Drink now, but this is a curio rather than a wine of real merit, so 87 points just out of interest.

1973 Kaiser Stuhl Vintage Port
Barossa, Shiraz

Mocha, almond/marzipan, headsy spirit. Less tannic than expected and more sweetness than expected. Australian, and with time ahead. Very pleasant, albeit straightforward, After the unmasking, it’s always special to have a 50-year old wine that is drinking well. The company was swallowed and eventually shuttered by corporate manoeuvres but that wine certainly triggered memories.

Drink to 2030, 87 points