Reported by Sylvain de Margerie

Decadent indeed was our evening of late harvest wines accompanied by delectable morsels presented by Guild director Joe Hatz. The focal point of the evening was the second flight of Sauternes highlighted by a monumental 1994 Chateau d’Yquem, served with delectable foie gras from Mariposa Farms.

The first flight was accompanied by poached pears with a hint of cinnamon and a Bleu Bénédictin cheese from the Saint Benoit du Lac abbey in Québec. The flight comprised:

1. Mountain Road Botrytis Riesling, 2004, Niagara, $19: Very well received; pale yellow straw colour; with a spiced and honeyed apple nose showing a hint of petrol; medium bodied; semi sweet with a very refreshing acid zing and a clean crisp finish.
   
   
2. Moulin Touchais, 1990, Coteaux du Layon, France, $45: Medium gold; spicy pear nose with some nuttiness and distinctive lanolin tones characteristic of the Chenin Blanc grape with age; full bodied; sweet sustained by a good acidity.
   
   
3. Ansellmann Huxelrebe Auslese, 2003, Pfalz, Germany, $13.95: The flight favourite and a bargain at that price! You might still be able to find some of this wine from the March 4th Vintage release; intense golden colour; intense nose of apple, pears, and yellow plums wrapped in honey and spices with a hint of petrol and distinctive botrytis mushroominess; medium to full bodied; sweetness well supported by acidity. The Huxelrebe is an uncommon varietal cross of Gutedel and Courtillier Musqué grapes.
   
   
4. Conchy y Toro, Sauvignon Blanc Vendanges Tardives, 2002, Chile, $12.60 (1/2 bottle): Medium gold; intense muscat and rose nose with some smokiness; sweet and full bodied, but somewhat lacking in acidity.

Oh-my-God … heaven! Flight two consisted of five Bordeaux wines: three Sauternes, one Barsac (across the river from Sauterne) and a Loupiac (some ways north) and no skimping on the Mariposa foie gras and Papillon Rocquefort. Enough to utterly lose your mind in a rush of sensory stimulation, only to do it again and again.

1. Chateau Loupiac Gaudiet, 2001, Loupiac, France, $13.95 (1/2 bottle): Medium gold with a rather timid nose of apple and peaches with hint botrytis nose; medium bodied; very sweet with low acid tending to flabby. Still a good deal if you like very sweet wines.
   
   
2. Chateau d’Armajan des Ormes, 1998, Sauternes, France, $45.50: Deep gold with a nose of peaches, nectarines, white cherries, smoke, and almonds also with spices and mushrooms; full bodied; sweet, but with a good acid backbone and a long finish.
   
   
3. Chateau Coutet, 1997 Sauternes-Barsac, France, $34.95 (1/2 bottle): Deep gold; complex nectarine, apricot, and roasted grain aromas with smoke and botrytis; full bodied; sweetness perfectly balanced by acidity with elegant spicy finish. Good price for a Premier Cru.
   
   
4. Chateau d’Yquem, 1994, Sauternes, France, $217: It stole the show and was the overall evening favourite. Profound gold to amber colour; intense nose of caramel, apricot, nectarines, and yellow plums; medium to full bodied; sweetness perfectly supported by acidity; voluptuous finish of almond and caramel with a hint of cinnamon and clove.
   
   
5. Chateau Guiraud, 2001, Sauternes, France, $39 1/2 bottle: Second favourite of the flight. Released last year at Vintages and with a 96 Wine Spectator score, this was a bargain and is a sleeper; treasure it for many years if you were lucky enough to get a few bottles. Deep gold colour; complex nose of peach, apricot, and caramel apple with a bouquet of spice and a touch of peat-iodine reminiscent of a good Scotch; full bodied; sweetness perfectly supported by an acid backbone and with a long languorous finish.

After a brief respite, we attacked the third flight providing different international takes on late harvest wines. The wines were followed with deliciously tart lemon tarts from the Three Tarts bakery in Westboro; perfect for cleansing the palate and practicing our enunciation.

1. Maculan Torcolato, 2000, Bregenze, Italy, $61: Unusual Italian IGT product; deep gold; nose of tomatillo, melon, vanilla, caramel, and spice; full bodied, sweet crème brulée mouth feel of medium low acidity. Parker-91.
   
   
2. Royal Tokaji, Tokaji Aszu 5 Puttonyos, 1999, Hungary, $33.95 (500 ml bottle): Amber colour with a nose of raisins, oranges, and lemon peels with honey and spice; rich body with a balanced marmalade, nut, and spice finish.
   
   
3. Di Bartoli ‘Black Noble’, NV , Australia, $36.95 (1/2 bottle): Xmas cake and rum in a bottle! Reminiscent of PX or creamy Jerez this is made from botrytised Semillon and is fortified and barrel aged. Dark amber to brown with rich aromas of molasses, allspice, and clove wrapping stewed prune, dried figs, and currants. Dark, viscous, concentrated, with complex flavours and a nice balance of acidity. Luscious full-bodied; well supported by medium acidity.
   
   
4. Stoney Ridge, Gewurztraminer Icewine, 1999, Niagara, $59.95 (1/2 bottle): The flight favourite; medium gold in colour; characteristic Gewurz nose with spicy lychee, peaches, and apricot core with floral overtones of rose and orange petal; full bodied; sweet with a very refreshing almost bracing acidity and extra long finish.

Tasting at a glance:

Favourite wine: Chateau d’Yquem, 1994
Second favourite: Chateau Giraud, 2001, a treasure to keep for many years
Outstanding value: Ansellmann Huxelrebe Auslese, 2003 at $13.95.
Outstanding Canadian Product: Stoney Ridge, Gewurztraminer Icewine, 1999