2002 Navarro Vineyards, Pinot Noir, Alexander Valley (Calif.)

1. A bottle of their Mèthode Ancienne unfiltered release, this was drinking at it’s peak.  The raspberry and cherry fruit was infused with chocolate and coffee.  What tannins that were there were soft and complementary to food. 
   

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1988 Navarro Vineyards, Pinot Noir, Alexander Valley (Calif.)

1. This was also a Mèthode Ancienne bottling. In contrast to the 2002, this wine was very nuanced and very complex, confirming the ageability of this release.  Less fruity than the later release (to be expected), this shows hints of eucalyptus and tobacco.  Fantastico.
   

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1988 Tain l’Hermitage, Rhône (Fr.)

1. Carried back from a trip in 1991, this Hermitage was from a co-operative producer that somehow is (or was at the time) connected with Girard Depardieu.  We gave this bottle lots of time to breathe (we tasted it at intervals of 2, 3 and 4 hours).  It was a good wine, not especially big, and perhaps we waited too long to drink it.
   

2008 Moulin de Ferrand (Bordeaux, Fr.)

1. A straightforward crisp white that is easy to drink and goes well with food.  It’s a fantastic bargain at under $10.