TNs: 1970 Borogno Barolo, 1970 Chateau la Gaffeliere, 2009 Lopez de Heredia Rosado Gran Reserva

There was supposed to be a bigger crowd and bigger and better bottles, but this will have to do. Some sips from the past few days.

• 2009 R. López de Heredia Rioja Rosado Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja (8/7/2020)
  Agree with Biskuit. And thanks for sharing. Singualr wine. So much more than rose. Like an LdH white with some oxidation, but then there is this very complex mid-palate that is sweet and spicy and so enticing. A wine that is interesting and complex and immediately glou glou. Thanks, Brad.
• 1970 Château La Gaffelière - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru (8/6/2020)
  First got stuck on Gaffeliere after an other-worldly '47 at Bern’s a few years back. Since then my brother buys up all he can find, and I reap some of the benefits as I’m not really a Bordeaux guy. The '70 just keeps showing well, year after year. Crazy good. Not good because it’s 50 years-old-good, but objectively excellent. Another nice bottle, clean, good fill, well-stored, though the label is pretty ragged. Healthy color, looks decades younger than it is. Has a strong and lively core of red fruit that leans cherry with earth and some dark caramel notes. Hints of green pepper come on a bit with air. Held up beautifully over a couple hours.
• 1970 Giacomo Borgogno & Figli Barolo Riserva - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (8/6/2020)
  Decanted for 3 hours. Opens to show a light brown-pin-orange color and mostly translucent. Nose is truffle, forest floor, hints of tea and smoked meat. Appealing, in an old Barolo- way. Hints of cherry and tart red fruit on the palate. It has thinned out, and gets overwhelmed a bit by the brisket, but the texture is on point and it drinks very well for about an hour. Good wine. These Borgogno wines live long lives, though I’ve had better aged bottles than this 70.
  Posted from CellarTracker

This stuff is dreamy. Stealing Brad’s pic from last night

nice notes, I’m a huge fan of old (original bottling) Borgogno, have had many vintages going back to 1938 ('47 is a particular favorite of ours, and still going strong)

Right on, Eric. Thanks. I am a fan, too, my oldest, and of the best I’ve had was the '64. Bested the '68 in the same night a few years back. Cheers.

Happy Birthday Dennis.

Thanks.

Hooked on old Gaffeliere? Sounds like a Bordeaux guy to me . Wonderful note, and happy birthday!

Thanks, Nick! We have had a string of various mid 70s, a few mid 90s, 98s…all seem to over-deliver. To me, anyway, but I’m not a Bordeaux guy

We had the 66 La Gaff a year or two ago, still hanging in there! Nice notes & pix

I’ve had the 1947 too! It was fantastic about ten years ago.

Good deal, Arv!

Sadly a 1970 Canon La Gaff, a long time ago, was either shot/corked.

(We still guzzled it though!)

Are you a 70 man too Dennis? Happy Birthday And I knew there was a reason I seem to like the same wines as you! The 09 Rosado is just such a treat, nothing in the word quite tastes like it.

Thanks, Dale Happy B-day to a fellow 70 traveler.