1994 Pierre Bise Savennières Clos de Coulaine
I had a few bottles of this back in 2005 that surprised me with their life and interest but I fully expected this last bottle to be dead. I was wrong. Sure it smells like autumnal brown and baked apples but the broad and fine palate has more life. With air there are even some elements of mineral precision and waxy stony chenin fruit. Of course with too much air it falls off the other side of the cliff and just becomes tinned apple/pear juice. Still, while it was never a stunner it was interesting and it was a perfect accompaniment to baked cod with roasted potatoes and sauteed zucchini and red peppers.
2008 Vollenweider Wolfer Goldgrube Kabinett
I opened this when I started to get bored with the Pierre Bise and it provided all the fresh juicy fun I expected. It did not go as well with the fish but it was more than fine for after dinner while watching Nadal power out Kiefer. There were some elements that seemed a bit varietal stalky and made me wonder if there was enough material to develop or whether this should just be Fun Drunk Now. But it held up very well overnight and we all know how little that means!