Bring out your dead

I was at a dinner a few weeks ago where guests were asked to bring a bottle or bottles of wine which they had in their house for ages (we all have something) that could be great or could be dead. The idea was to try older wines that could be really interesting and have a bit of a wine spring clean. As there were some real wine anoraks invited, we were not allowed to show off - it had to be interesting, not expensive!

The first hour was spent tasting the wines, then we sit down and drink the ones that are good. We had 16 people and about 30-40 wines. Below are some of them, my notes were patchy at the beginning and got waorse as the night went on, but here goes...

Lusca 2006 - this is the Irish wine from Lusk - fresh citrus note, palate dominated by mouthstripping acidity. Surprisingly drinkable.
Cloudy Bay 1998 - very nice, still alive, very interesting
Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Folatieres 1995 - weird rubbery nose, too mushroomy for me (Pam liked it)
Meursault 1er Cru Perrieres 1996 - dead
Genot Boulanger Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru 1999 - very mineral, fruit seconadary but very good
Trevor Jones Chardonnay 2001 - ripe fruit, still alive, very nice
Riesling Smaragd 1995, Wachau - amazing petrol nose, crisp and fresh, very expansive palate
Domaine Huet Le Haut Lieu Sec 1990 - crisp, fresh, honey & lemons, hanging in there
Domaine Huet Le Haut Lieu Sec 1995 - really fresh, crisp and delicious, bang on form
Brundlmayer Gruner Veltliner Spatlese 1983 - sweet, rich marshmallowy - soft and smooth, delicious
Eroica Riesling 2001 - fresh Riesling fruit, crisp, mineral, nice balance
Zind Humbrecht Clos Hauserer 1996 - expansive, broad, amazing complexity - really good
Vouvray Moelleux 1985 (producer?) - dead
Marcel Deiss Gewurztraminer Vendange Tardive 89 Grand Cru - long and intense, excellent
Heidseck Vintage Champagne 1955 - like slightly fizzy sherry - dead

How about that for a mixed bag? Will do the reds tomorrow