Feeling a little tired after a wonderful evening at the chief’s last night. The chief is Harpers editor Richard Siddle, who convened a gathering of chums to eat and drink well together at his pad in Clapham. It was a very late night, but the company and the wines made it worthwhile. The evening began with G&T, and then we hit the wines. Some highlights:

Special mention: Joselito pata negra ham. Simply the best ham I have tried.

Domaine Michel Lafarge Volnay 2002 Burgundy, France
Warm and a bit spicy with subtle herby notes, cherries and plums. It’s whole bunch, I think, which adds some spiciness. Subtle with some savoury earthy notes. 93/100

Domaine Denis Mortet Gevrey Chambertin Mes Cinq Terroirs 2004 Burgundy, France
The five terroirs in question are Au Velle, En Motrot, Combe du Dessus, En Deree and En Champs, and this is a remarkable dense, structured wine for 2004. Vivid fruit with warmth, spice, some reductive notes, as well as hints of roast coffee. Very concentrated and dense, this is a powerful expression of red Burgundy. 93/100

Ca’ del Bosco Franciacorta NV Cuvee Prestige, Italy
Remarkable: toasty, rich, mature with notes of citrus, pear and peach, as well as vanilla and spice. Very rich but fresh. Delicious. 91/100

Fulgini Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 1999 Tuscany, Italy
Warm, rich, spicy, dense with cherries, berries and some earthy notes. Spicy and subtly rustic with lovely complexity and some warmth. 92/100

Zind Humbrecht Clos Jebsal Pinot Gris Vendange Tardive 2000 Alsace, France
Very, very rich and complex. Lovely bold flavours with a hint of raisin and some crystalline fruits. Peachy and rich textured with some smoky bacon notes in the background. Lovely wine. 94/100

Ixsir 2009 Lebanon
A blend of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Rich, warm and spicy with dense fruit and some orange notes. Blackberry and black cherry characters. Rich, spicy and full. 90/100

Weingut Niklas Sudtiroler Lagrein 2008 Italy
Fresh, smooth and ripe with pure cherries and smooth, soft texture. Utterly drinkable. 91/100

Chateau de Beaucastel 1998 Chateauneuf du Pape, Rhone, France
Rich and spicy with lovely herby notes. Bold, textured and quite broad with lovely depth of flavour and appealing complexity. Drinking very well now. 94/100

Stanton & Killeen Vintage Port 2005 Australia
Ripe, sweet and dense with bold flavours. Very pure sweet berry fruit with blackcurrant and blackberry richness. So pure, this is a really convincing Port-styled wine. 93/100

Donnhoff Riesling Felsenberg GG Trocken 2005 Nahe, Germany
Fresh with citrus, pear, pith and grapefruit characters. Some sweetness, but it’s quite dry, and shows amazing c0ncentration of flavour. 94/100

Huet Le Haut Lieu Moelleux 1996 Vouvray, Loire, France
Wonderful. Apples, pears, herbs, lovely weight and precision. Great texture. Not too sweet, but certainly quite sweet. Remarkable wine. 95/100

Casa Ermelinda Moscatel de Setubal Superior 2000 Portugal
Sweet, intense, grapey and spicy with some raisin notes. Bold and full with lovely personality. 91/100