Lucky Me!

Choosing wines to take to a friend's house...pacing back and fro in the cellar...the two whites were a quick decison...the two reds...well...after 10 choices...a last-minute decision and the wines transported. You want to offer the best...and hope all will be accepted by the group.
Friend Volker said he would cook something simple...but he does not know the meaning of the word!
Back to the whites...both last tried a couple of years ago...
The first had been all acidity...the second all oak. How had they developed?
Brilliantly is the easy answer.

Schmelz Dürnsteiner Freiheit
Smaragd Riesling 2008
Wachau, Austria
Green sweet gooseberry nose...then a whiff of classic petroleum...
lovely balance..the acidity is still there...but so well integrated.
What a change...and just goes to show...patience is a virtue
Points 17.5

Perfect with the Mussels Vongole....and we were off and running

The second wine had been bought after Decanter gave it high marks.
I HAD to purchase a case of six...something I rarely do anyway...and Australian...hardly ever. It had been full of oak and out of balance last time...

Bird In Hand
Nest Egg Chardonnay 2008
Adelaide Hills, Australia
Wow...what have we here? Delicate smell of almonds...roasted almonds...then sweet vanilla...then white chocolate....then the taste of caramel...intriguing wine...it really hit us...super.
Points 18.25....and I still have 3 bottles. Lucky me!

A main coarse of octopus and some roasted potatoes which I loved...and dipped them in a home-made tomato sauce.

On arriving...Volker had already opened the wines...and said that the French wine would have trouble competing with the German.

Thibault Liger-Belair
Nuits-Saint-Georges
La Charmotte 2005
Burgundy France
First up...earthy...soft tannins...and we left it as we tried the Schneider...then returned...and the wine grew...it was a complete wine...in the sense that you felt how it had developed. No quick-fix wine...this needed to be left alone and it grew over the years. Rich fruit on the palate...layers of delicious raspberry...and a classic Burgundy finish. Last bottle of 6...and the best yet.
Points 17.75

Schneider Weiler Schlipf
Pinot Noir Barrique 2005
Baden, Germany
As mentioned...the initial smell gave it the early lead...property in the south of Germany...almost in France...and that is the style. Marzipan...sweet up-front fruit with earthy tones... but class will out...it just lost out to the Nuits.
Points 17

So...an evening of success...and all the wines had pleased.
There was cheese...a cigar...and a coffee for those who wanted a sleepless night