Vincent Saincrit Coteaux du Layon, 1999

For a New Year's Day gathering, this Chenin Blanc wine from the Loire was a good match for a variety of desserts on the buffet table. Luckily, there was more than half a bottle left over for me to savor over the next week. With every passing day, it showed new facets and increasing complexity.

Deep gold color./From the first pour, I get powerful and pungent Chenin Blanc aromas of peaches, honey and bitter lemon./There is an unctuous mouth feel; it clings but does not cloy, and that Chenin Blanc pungency takes over full throttle on the finish. Even after a week in the bottle, the powerful fruit is still in charge, with nuances of flowers and white spices emerging.