Oh..... and the wines! The '81 las Cases (my second last bottle
) is fully mature but still quite fresh and bright with curranty fruit intermixed with cedar, cigar box, saddle leather and a lovely touch of forest floor. Only medium-bodied, the wine fills the mouth, possesses good attack with ultra fine tannins fully-integrated throughout the sustained finish. An underrated wine IMO from the first bottle I tasted, the beauty of such a vintage is the QPR for such an impressive wine.
The '75 Rieussec holds a brilliant medium gold colour, reveals a gorgeous (again, so fresh for its age) nose of nougart, ultraripe yellow peaches, spicy coconut, vanilla custard, pineapples, creme brulee and umpteen other nuances the more the wine opened out. The palate is both complex and rich yet retains a youthful persona with plenty of acid and oak persisting in an authorative finish of great length. This rates as an outstanding Sauternes with perhaps 12 or more years life ahead if well stored. An absolute pleasure drinking this today.
. The food is probably as good as Aubergine, but the ambience somewhat less luxurious.