Hints of Maple Syrup in the nose.
This is still very fresh. Ripe, juicy; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, dark cherries, black plum pudding, strawberries, notes of blue fruits, dark spice, black licorice, mid berry cola, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanillin, anise, cedar to sandalwood, dry herbs, mint/eucalyptus, used leather, dry, crushed, rock powder, notes of maple syrup, caramel, dark, red withering rose petals with violets, waterfall acidity and an elegant, balanced, softly tensioned, well knitted, smartly polished finish that lasts minutes.
Color is still dark. Cork came out whole with a Durand but was completely soaked.
What a treat to drink well stored old Napa Cabernet. Will hold another 3-5 years.
Bottle semi-recently acquired from the property via a Somm buddy. — 4 months ago
@Chris MacLean and @Eli Barton , Vicki really liked this gamay!!! She didn’t know what it was when she tasted it at first. — 8 months ago
1990 vintage. Neck base fill. Cork fairly saturated. Durand used. Appropriate sediment. Opened but not decanted. Tasted after one hour. Light-medium body. This was fully integrated and harmonious. Can’t imagine this vintage tasting better as this was a great specimen. Finish just glided along like a sail craft on a glassy day. Can hold at this level for another 5-6 years easy. One of the best Lafite efforts I’ve ever enjoyed. 8.16.24. — 2 months ago
So nice. Soft. I hear not making any more. — 4 months ago
1998 vintage. Cork a little dry near the bottom so called out the Durand for a rescue. Less meniscus than expected. Dusty, earthy nose. Medium body. Heaps of allspice/sandalwood, prunes and baking chocolate hovering about in the medicinal/oily nose and (mostly) in the flavor profile. Ridiculously reminiscent of an aged (‘80’s-‘90’s) Branaire-Ducru St. Julien BDX. So much so that, if blind tasting, that is the guess. This is gliding along. No highs or lows to navigate currently. Not a showstopper by any means but one helluva ringer in a blind tasting. Some bretty influences here and there but nothing warranting a red card/dq. Picked up slightly more body and a noticeable cinnamon/clove note on the finish after being open for an hour. Also...some muddiness along with a sudden frontal-palate richness (at the 1.5 hours open mark) reminiscent of Petit Verdot involvement/influence. WTF?!?! Bring it! 4.21.24. — 5 months ago
Unfurls on the second day. Rich and dense blackberry and mulberry. Inky iodine, ofal and slight gaminess. Long finish — 3 months ago
1971 vintage. Top shoulder fill. Used a Durand but fully saturated cork still required some clean up on aisle 7. Decanted and tasted after 5 minutes. Threw much much less sediment than expected. Decent color with a little browning. Tertiary nose gave way to similar flavors with it being very slightly brickish. In a holding steady phase where there is no shining light to chase after-everything is consolidated and filed away so you're tasting the interpretations of history. Instructive. 6.13.24. — 4 months ago
Dense ripe plum, raw liver, clay and olive wafting from the glass.. Blackberry, marjoram funkiness luscious acidity. — 7 months ago
1982 vintage. Great, upper shoulder fill. Long, aging cork fully saturated but removed with a Durand. Splintered a little upon removal. Decanted and threw less sed than expected. Decaying leather, cedar, hot gravel and lightly roasted button mushrooms in the nose. Light-medium/medium body. All this + some undying cherry and plum flavors mixed in amongst remaining tannins. More thrust and fruit than anticipated with expected structure firmly in place. Really beautiful specimen. Based on this bottle, can hold steady without dropoff for another 4-5 years. 1.12.24. — 9 months ago
Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego
1995 vintage. High fill and great cork. Used a Durand. Opened but not decanted. Throwing slightly less sediment than expected. Tasted one hour after opening. Medium body. Cassis, graphite, dark plum and spring mud in the nose. All this plus an appearance of cedar and relatively fresh tobacco notes in the tasting profile. Tapered and muscular with zero fat. No flighty components evident so nothing to wax/wane over the next decade. Fairly unified now and for the foreseeable future. 8.16.24. — 2 months ago