WINES THAT DON'T LAST...AND WINES THAT DO

This weekend, we had a 1998 Peter Michael Point Rouge chardonnay that started out promisingly but soon faded in the bottle (fortunately, the second white, the 2002 H. Bolloit Batard Montrachet, was just outstanding!).

Also had a 1975 Eiswein that had died in bottle -- too bad. Same fate for the 1970 Ch. Lynch Bages. As back-up to the Lynch Bages, we had the 1986 Margaux which was wonderful -- but simply could not stand up to the 1996 Araujo Eisele Vineyard Cabernet (in magnum) against which it was paired. When a California wine is on, almost nothing can beat it due to California's native fruit!