TN: 1998 Beringer Nightingale

WINE TALK
1

Served blindly, this seemed like the perfect fortified muscat. Lots of orange peel, and a great tension between the sweetness, the alcohol and the acidity. Each exerts force against the other, sustaining the wine. Everyone commented on the alcohol, but it wasn’t a flaw – just a characteristic. It wasn’t sweet or thick enough to be Muscat de Beaumes de Venise, but the flavors were similar.

Lo and behold, when unveiled, this is 67% semillion and 33% sauvignon blanc. The orange peel is just the California part. And it is marked at 14.2%, though that was VERY hard to believe. Who cares, though – this was a stellar wine. 93+ for me.

2

I’ve only had the 2007 version of this wine and I also got a nice orange note, more marmalade than peel. Had a bit of honey sweetness to buy no means cloying. I have a few bottles left and I’m going to let them age sleep for a while. I have a sense that it will develop nicely.

Thanks for your note.

3

This was astonishingly fresh. Just a fine, fine wine.

4

I once went to a party in LA where like a 10-12 year vertical of this wine was poured. All really good and fun to evaluate next to one another. Best were bright w/ acidity.