1994 Masseto, 1994 Kumeu River Chardonnay Kumeu

I was trying to find some 1994 wines for my son's birthday dinner last night, and the only two I could find were lone bottles of 1994 Masseto Toscana and 1994 Kumeu River Chardonnay Kumeu. They were dusty and long-forgotten.

Yes, I know that I should have 1994 Vintage Port in my cellar. I had a lot of it years ago but a divorce changed all that. Oh well. The good news is that both of the wines were excellent in their own right.

The 1994 Masseto showed its wonderful pure merlot character with olives, blackberries and balsamic character. It was full-bodied with velvety tannins and a savory finish. 94 points. It was not actually a good period for Ornellaia, the mother winery of Masseto. The estate overproduced and made rather weedy cabernets. But the 1994 Masseto last night was wonderful. I guess more quality went into the Masseto than the Ornellaia back then.

I had little hope for the 1994 Kumeu. But it was outstanding. It was also bottled with a cork and not the ubiquitous New Zealand screw cap. It was a bright yellow-gold color with that dense and rich chardonnay character of dried pineapple and honey flavors. I picked up some anchovies too. It was full-bodied and rich with a petrol undertone. 90 points. It proves how well the best whites of New Zealand improve with age.