English v Belgian bottlings in the mid C20

A fascinating small dinner this summer in London showed just how good the old English bottlings could be. As well as being almost incredibly generous, our host is perhaps the most thoughtful I know. Every line-up of bottles has a theme – not always obvious (though more obvious than a mutual friend's one of recent years: each vintage in which his football team won the league).

He poured as an aperitif for that watching-in-the-kitchen period a young Mosel Spätlese because a) he knows I like 'em and b) he knew how much red wine was...