Wowzers...

Just when you think it's safe to go back into the cellar... out come some old (and new) favorites. The 2004 Peter Michael "Le Cairriere" Chardonnay rocks... tons of baked apples, peaches, and apricots with a good bit of mineral elements creeping through the creamy finish. A fabulous bottle of California Chardonnay (tasted 3 bottles, all with similar notes). The 2003 Kosta Browne Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir is a rockstar... powerful, but with beautiful purity of fruit and fabulous balance. Red cherries, strawberries and plums screaming from the glass. This wine, I would imagine, has not settled down much since it was bottled. The 2002 Bond "Melbury" is as awesome as it was a few weeks (or maybe it was a week?) ago. Concentrated and powerful, this wine is amazing now and will continue to improve for a while. I would imagine this wine will shut down much as the 2001 did and hopefully emerge even more complex than it is now. Tasted now twice, the 1953 Chateau d'Yquem is what wine is all about. The purity, complexity, and sheer opulence comes shooting out of the glass. This wine continued to improve after 90 minutes in the glass. Apricots, peaches, and pears (all baked and stewed) with the perfect balance between acid, sweetness, and alcohol that leaves most everyone speechless. Simply a stunner and I feel fortunate to have been able to try this wine not once, but twice now, with similar notes each time. This wine will last another 30 years easily.