Last night we threw Teri a graduation dinner party at Cafe Esin with a great group of friends, family, and neighbors (and a great chance to crack into some big bottles!). Obviously I was not in detailed note-taking mode, but here a few short comments:

2000 Kongsgaard Chardonnay - outstanding, and certainly not slowing down, tremendous fruit and purity.
2001 Kongsgaard Rousanne/Viognier - Also outstanding, and also not fading in the least, nice minerality, great fruit.
2001 Spring Valley Uriah (mag) - A chocolate and plum fest, rich and delish.
2001 L'Aventure Optimus (mag) - A big bold wine, full throttle, big fruit, excellent balance.
1977 Sterling Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Reserve (mag) - Not showing quite as well as the last bottle I opened, some funk never blew off, still a very nice, well aged cab, with cedar, cherries, and tobacco.
1996 Sterling Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Reserve (mag) - I remember this being good, but not great - didn't get back to it after an initial taste however.
1998 Karl Lawrence Cabernet Sauvignon (mag) - outstanding, and one of my favorites of the lineup, drinking perfectly right now, great balance, absolutely lovely.
1996 Ca' Romé di Romano Marengo Barbaresco (mag) Double decanted the day before, and I'm glad I did, awesome aromatics! Great balance, lively acidity, outstanding, one of my favs. of the night.
2004 Rivers-Marie Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast (mag) - Very ripe, but not overly so - great cranberry and cherry notes, balanced, an unbelievable value.
1983 Lafite Rothschild - A surprise treat from Steve Rigisich, tremendous wine, soft and supple, outstanding balance, lovely.
2000 Failla Pinot Noir, Keefer Ranch - another treat from Steve, still a baby imo, needs a few more years, great spice, cherries, everything you expect from Keefer. Yum.
2000 Productorri del Barbaresco Montestefano - a treat from Lafon_Rochet, can you say ripe? Wow, a bit heavy on the palate, keeps from being porty or pruney, but walks a delicate line, very low acidity, I think this is a wine to enjoy now, yum.
2000 Kracher #3 Chardonnay Trockenbeerenauslese (mag) - Yes, a MAG! I found this leaking in my cellar, so stepped up the drinking schedule by a couple years - glad I did! I don't know how it could get any better than it is right now, not in the least bit heavy, plenty of outstanding botrytis notes, peach, apricot, great acidity keeping things moving along, my WOTN, fantastic stuff!

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