The wines this time are the Krug Rosé and an older Jackass Hill from Martinelli.

The Krug Rosé 24th Edition (ID 418041, disgorged in fall 2018) is different from most other rosé champagnes. This starts with the very dark rosé color. It contains 11% red wine and is almost a claret. This champagne needs a large glass, such as the Zalto Bordeaux, for its very intense nose of strawberries, cherries and blossoms. It has structure and tannin and is very balanced, long and very mineral. This champagne needs maturity and drinking maturity is just beginning. 19/20 points.

With the Martinelli 1997 Zinfandel Jackass Hill, you hardly notice the 17.5% ABV. The wine has held up remarkably well and is somewhat reminiscent of a Californian Cabernet from the 1980s. The wine has a very complex nose with blossoms, cherry, bacon, some mint, some plaka, some dill, some malt, full body, good structure, melted tannin and is long and very dense. 18.8/20 points.