TN: A hodgepodge of old wines (1965-2001)

WINE TALK
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About a year ago I spoke to some of my non-wine friends I’d let them have some older wines, since nobody had any experience with wines with age - as we really don’t have any available here in Finland and most people have never shopped wines online.

Well, since the COVID pandemic put those plans to a halt, I had some time to myself to source more older bottles and finally managed to arrange a quite random tasting of 18 aged wines to some 15 people a month ago in mid-August. The idea of this tasting wasn’t really to have a red thread running through the tasting, but instead to show people who know nothing about aged wines (and very little about wines as a whole) a wide variety of different styles of wines, how they behave with age and how these different styles of wines taste with age.

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  • NV Besserat de Bellefon Champagne Cuvée des Moines Brut - France, Champagne (15.8.2020)
    An older bottling, most likely from the 1970’s or early 1980’s. The label does not bear any information on the alcoholic content, so I guess this must be quite old, since labeling the alc% has been mandatory for quite a while now.

The cork comes off quite easily, but - surprisingly - with a small “pssshh”, so apparently there is still some CO2 in the wine! I was expecting this bottle to be completely flat. Deep burnished golden color with a subtly coppery core. Very evolved and quite tertiary nose with aromas of robust nuttiness, some browned butter, a little bit of bruised apple, light red apple tones, a hint of creamy white-rind cheese and a touch of prosciutto. The wine is developed, very complex and surprisingly fresh on the palate with layered flavors of crema catalana, stony minerality, some chalky bitterness, a little bit of tangy salinity, light crunchy notes of green apples, a tart hint of key lime and a touch of peanut butter. The mousse feels very light, gentle and silky, whereas the bracing acidity comes across as very high, but not unbalanced - partly thanks to the dosage that shows a bit. The finish is very long, quite crisp and pretty tertiary with a little bit of dosage sweetness and quite intense flavors of tart green apples, some bruised apple, light mineral notes of tangy salinity and wet stones, a little bit of syrupy richness, a hint of oxidative nuttiness and a touch of toasted bread.

A beautifully evolved NV Brut that is in a remarkably wonderful condition even after 40-50 years. I was expecting this to be completely flat and oxidized, but the wine turned out to be not only alive, but also in a terrific shape. Most likely the wine has been at its plateau of maturity for a good deal of years now and perhaps will stay there for some time more. All in all, an outstanding effort. I never cease to be thrilled by these older entry-level NVs when they’ve managed to kept their composure after multiple decades. (95 pts.)

  • 2000 Alfred Gratien Champagne Brut Millésimé - France, Champagne (15.8.2020)
    A blend of Chardonnay (64%), Pinot Noir (25%) and Pinot Meunier (11%). Plots vinified separately and aged in used, 4 years old Chablis pièce barrels before blending and bottling. No MLF. Aged for 12 years in bottles before disgorgement and release. 12,5% alcohol, 8,5 g/l residual sugar, 6,3 g/l acidity.

Quite deep lemon yellow color. Ripe and quite toasty yet somewhat restrained nose with aromas of sweet golden apples, some creamy richness, light yeasty notes, a little bit of toasted bread, a hint of mocha and a touch of caramel. The wine is developed, refreshing and medium-bodied on the palate with bright, dry flavors of red apples, some rich creaminess, light toasty autolytic notes, a little bit of tangy salinity, a hint of chalky mineral bitterness and a touch of caramel. High in acidity with a fine, silky smooth mousse. The finish is complex and nuanced with lengthy flavors of molten butter, some apple peel bitterness, a little bit of tart lemony citrus fruits, light autolytic notes of yeast and toast, a hint of tangy salinity and a touch of mocha. The saline and bitter elements carry on even after the fruit flavors fade away.

This was pretty similar to my experiences with the wine from 3 years ago, but I think the wine had lost some of its depth, complexity and intensity over this time. Even though slightly less impressive than the last time, this is still a wonderfully complex and rewarding effort for a Champagne and a terrific example of a barrel-aged bubbly keeping well for 20 years after its vintage. I doubt the wine will benefit much from further aging, but most likely it will keep good for years more. Great value at 56,90€. (93 pts.)

Deep, luminous and quite intense golden yellow color. Rich, developed and somewhat sweet-toned nose with aromas of caramel, some browned butter, a little bit of pineapple, light peachy notes, a hint of stony minerality and a touch of baked apple. The wine is broad, medium-to-moderately full-bodied and quite complex on the palate with flavors of chopped nuts, bruised apple, some creamy notes of browned butter, light stony mineral tones, a little bit of wizened apricot, a hint of ripe citrus fruits and a touch of chalky bitterness. Balanced, high acidity and creamy mouthfeel. Long, complex and moderately tertiary finish with nuanced flavors of cooked cream, some honeydew melon, a little bit of browned butter, light stony mineral notes, a hint of wizened apricots and an oxidative touch of roasted nuts.

A pleasant, enjoyably evolved and thoroughly balanced village-level white Burgundy from a vintage not known to produce particularly long-lived wines. For the vintage this is drinking wonderfully right now and while I doubt the wine will continue to improve - nor has improved for some time - it really doesn’t feel like it is going to go downhill anytime soon. There’s really not enough stuffing to make this wine anything truly spectacular, but it nevertheless manages to quench thirst for aged white Burgundy. Great value at 22,70€. (90 pts.)

  • 1996 Château de Calce Côtes du Roussillon - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Roussillon, Côtes du Roussillon (15.8.2020)
    A blend of Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre and Carignan, produced by the local co-operative. 13% alcohol.

Quite translucent and moderately evolved pomegranate red color. Juicy and rather sweet-toned nose with aromas of cherry pits, some wizened dark fruits, light blackcurrant tones, a little bit of blood, a hint of dry old leather and a touch of jammy boysenberries. The wine is ripe, moderately full-bodied and quite evolved on the palate with dry flavors of dark plums, some wizened raspberries, a little bit of earth and dried leaves, light metallic notes of blood and brett, a hint of crunchy cranberries and a sweeter touch of marmaladey red fruits. The wine still retains good sense of structure with its high acidity and textural medium tannins that slowly pile up on the gums. The finish is dry, moderately grippy and quite savory with flavors of crunchy redcurrants, some bloody meat, light earthy notes of dried leaves, a little bit of sweet, wizened dark berries and a hint of leather.

A surprisingly nice, balanced and still relatively structured Roussillon red. Not a grand vin by any means, the wine still offers quite a bit of pleasure for a lowly co-op wine clocking at 24 years of age. The fruit has receded a bit and the taste has a subtly metallic edge to it, but otherwise this is fine and enjoyable stuff. Most likely peaking now and won’t evolve any further. Better to drink up before starts to go downhill. Terrific value at 9€. (88 pts.)

Very dark and almost fully opaque blackish-red color with an evolved maroon hue. Brooding, quite sweet-toned and remarkably rich nose with intense and somewhat funky aromas of juicy blackberries and blackcurrants, some bretty notes of horse stables, a little bit of toasty mocha oak, light pruney notes, a lifted hint of sweet volatile character and a touch of new leather. The wine is ripe, rather full-bodied and quite extracted on the palate, yet coming across as very sinewy and balanced at the same time. Intense and quite rich flavors of ripe blackberries and sweet notes of new leather, some cedary oak, light bretty barnyard tones, a little bit of blueberries and wizened dark plums, a hint of gamey meat and a touch of peppery spice. Very structured and quite chewy overall feel with its high acidity and still rather assertive tannins. The juicy finish is long, quite grippy and very complex with intense, ripe flavors of wizened blackcurrants and ripe blackberries, some leather, a little bit of bretty barnyard, light bitter notes of savory spices, a hint of vanilla oak and a touch of cedar.

A surprisingly bold, structured and concentrated powerhouse of a wine that is remarkably youthful for one clocking at 25 years of age. Had this been served blind, I would’ve thought it was 10-15 years younger. The new oak character is still rather obvious, lending the wine a somewhat glossy, modern sheen, but the funky leather and barnyard notes of brett serve as a beautiful counterpoint that add a wonderful, rustic edge to it. Although I’m not the biggest fan of red wines showing noticeable new oak influence, it doesn’t bother me one bit in this wine, due to its impressive depth, complexity and still relatively tightly-knit structure. All in all, this is holding up really well for its age and most likely the wine will continue to improve for another 10-ish years and keep good for even longer. One of the best Languedoc reds I’ve had and outstanding value at 18,67€. (94 pts.)

  • 1970 Château Siran - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux (15.8.2020)
    “11-13% alcohol”, according to the label.

Translucent and quite pale cherry red color with an evolved brick-orange hue. Savory, developed and slightly metallic nose with slightly restrained aromas of redcurrants, some sanguine notes of iron, a little bit of herbaceous leafy character, light red-toned fruit nuances of sweet raspberries and strawberries and a hint of earth. The wine is ripe, medium-bodied and slightly thin on the palate with dry and crunchy flavors of cranberries, some wizened blackcurrants, a little bit of sanguine iron, light metallic notes, a hint of savory old wood and a touch of sour cherry bitterness. The wine is high in acidity with relatively light yet still somewhat tough and grippy tannins. The finish is dry, crunchy and somewhat grippy with evolved flavors of tart lingonberries and cranberries, some sour cherry bitterness, light herbaceous notes of raspberry leaves, a little bit of metallic brett character, a hint of savory old wood and a touch of bouillon.

An evolved and still quite drinkable old claret that is showing surprisingly much life and fruit for one clocking at 50 years of age, not coming across as particularly tired yet. The overall fruit and body seems to have thinned out over the years, making the wine feel quite light and a bit underwhelming, and there is a slightly metallic nuance underneath the fruit that slightly distracts from the pleasure. Nevertheless, the wine shows very little if any signs of oxidation and while I doubt it will improve anywhere from here (or has improved in a decade or two), I have a feeling it is not going to fall apart anytime soon. Drink or keep. Priced according to its quality at 35€. (88 pts.)

Luminous, quite pale and moderately evolved cranberry red color. Developed and attractive nose with still rather sweet-toned overall feel to it. Classic, fragrant aged Nebbiolo aromas of roses, some strawberry, a little bit of juicy red cherry, a light marmaladey notes of dark fruits and perhaps a lightest hint of diacetyl underneath. The wine is clean, medium-bodied and crunchy on the palate with bright flavors of ripe cranberries, some perfumed floral tones, a little bit of wizened red cherry, light notes of blood, sweet hints of wild strawberries and raspberries and a touch of medicinal herbs. The structure relies mostly on the high, incisive acidity as the tannins feel relatively soft and light. The finish is dry long and crunchy with nuanced flavors of cranberries, wild strawberries, some blood, a little bit of sour cherry bitterness, light floral notes of roses, a hint of tar and a tertiary touch of savory earth.

A wonderfully poised, fresh and harmonious old Valtellina. Stylistically this is very crunchy, delicate and transparent for a Nebbiolo, coming across as even lighter than many wines of Alto Piemonte. Although well over 35 years old, the wine is still drinking fantastically. Most likely the wine is at its peak and has been there for some while, but there are no signs of the wine going downhill anytime soon. Won’t benefit from further aging, but can be kept for some time more without any problems. A terrific food wine, but drinks really nicely on its own as well. Outstanding value at 14€. (92 pts.)

Aged and rather translucent reddish mahogany color. Old, robust and quite pungent nose with very tertiary, oxidized aromas of soy sauce, chopped nuts, some gunpowder, a little bit of gamey character, a hint of bouillon and a touch of raisiny fruit. The wine is juicy, dry and very tertiary on the palate with a moderately full body and aged flavors of oxidative soy sauce and hoi sin, some gamey meat and iron notes of blood, a little bit of beef jerky, light bitter notes of sour cherries, a hint of cigar and a touch of fried porcini mushrooms. The wine is high in acidity and while the tannins are quite resolved, the receded fruit lets the tannic grip take quite a bit of prominence on the palate. The finish is old, tertiary and rather oxidative with flavors of soy sauce, chopped nuts, some wizened black cherries, a little bit of beef jerky, light crunchy cranberry tones, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and a touch of damp earth.

My third bottle of this Barbaresco. While there has been some bottle variation before, the wines have been still more or less alive. Not particularly memorable or complex efforts for aged Barbaresco, but nevertheless enjoyable. This bottle, on the other hand, was getting already so oxidized that it was already beyond pleasure and drinkable only to a quite small degree. All in all, too tired and past its peak. The bottle cost 20€. NR (flawed)

Deep, developed and quite opaque black cherry color with an evolved maroon hue. Developed, quite tertiary and slightly vegetal nose with aromas of wizened dark fruits, some chopped beetroots, light savory notes of decomposing wood and old furniture, light earthy notes of savory spices, a hint of ripe blackcurrant and a touch of pipe tobacco. The wine is ripe, extracted and moderately full-bodied on the palate with a taste that feels somewhat more ripe and slightly more substantial than what the nose suggested. Flavors of wizened blackcurrants, some vegetal notes of beetroot, light plummy tones, a little bit of toasty oak spice, a hint of leafy greenness and a touch of crunchy cranberry. The wine is medium-to-moderately high in acidity with somewhat resolved, textural and very gently grippy tannins. The finish is ripe, subtly grippy and somewhat thin with short-ish flavors of ripe dark plums, some blackcurrants, a little bit of gravelly minerality, light vegetal hints of beetroots and a sweet hint of toasty oak spice.

Just like the last time I had this wine, this feels quite little like a Ribera del Duero and much more like an atypical Cabernet Franc from Loire. This time the wine was a bit more balanced with slightly more fruit and ripeness, but at the same time the tannins felt much more softer and more resolved than previously. You can really taste that 1992 was a cool and quite poor vintage in Ribera del Duero, as the wine felt remarkably vegetal for a Tempranillo with a relatively thin overall feel for a classic Ribera del Duero. Served blind, this would be quite impossible to point to Castilla y León - or even to Spain, for that matter. Drinkable and quite enjoyable, but ultimately nothing too memorable. Priced somewhat according to its quality at 23€. (84 pts.)

  • 1983 José de Sousa Reguengos Vinho Tinto Velho - Portugal, Alentejano, Alentejo, Reguengos (15.8.2020)
    The label says “Vinho Tinto Velho, Casa Agricola José de Sousa Reguengos de Monsaraz, Engarrafado por José Maria da Fonseca”. To my understanding, this wine is “Vinho Tinto Velho” and “Reguengos de Monsaraz” is the village the winery of José de Sousa is located. Furthermore, as I’ve understood, this is a winery purchased by Fonseca in the 1980’s, so this wine is made by José da Sousa, but the wine was bottled later, after the purchase. 13% alcohol.

Somewhat translucent, dark rusty red color with a somewhat evolved deep orange hue. Robust, old and tertiary nose with subtly sweet-toned aromas of wizened dark fruits, some juicy strawberries, a little bit of bouillon, light lifted notes of nail polish VA and a hint of leather. The wine is textural, moderately ripe and quite developed on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and dry, savory flavors of gamey meat, redcurrants, some blood, a little bit of sweeter pruney fruit, light volatile notes of nail polish, a hint of crunchy cranberry and a touch of dried figs. While coming across as quite evolved, the wine is still full of life and fruit and the overall feel is pretty structured, thanks to the moderately high acidity and still rather firm and grippy tannins. The finish is long, savory and moderately grippy with complex flavors of ripe black cherries, some gamey meat, a little bit of tart cranberry, light pruney notes of wizened dark fruits, a hint of blood and a tertiary touch of earth.

A very nice, balanced and thoroughly enjoyable old Alentejano red. Typical of older Portuguese wines, the overall feel is textural, somewhat rustic and still rather structured with quite a bit of fruit still left to the wine. Although Portugal’s winemaking wasn’t really up to par yet in the 1980’s, especially down in the south, these older red still manage to surprise positively more often than not. Good stuff that is drinking nicely now and probably will keep good for a good handful of years more. Ridiculously good value for the money at 13,75€. (91 pts.)

Moderately translucent dark cherry red color with a somewhat developed figgy hue. Surprisingly sweet, fruity and almost borderline jammy nose with very evolved aromas of strawberry liqueur, some sweet balsamico tones, a little bit of new leather, light sweet nuances of blackcurrant jam and prunes, a subtle hint of diacetyl and a touch of marshmallow. The wine is ripe, juicy and full-bodied with very ripe and somewhat sweet-toned flavors of blackcurrants, some wizened red plums, light strawberry liqueur notes, a little bit of vanilla, a hint of sweet raisiny fruit and a touch of balsamic VA. The structure relies mostly on the surprisingly high acidity, as the fully resolved tannins feel very soft and silky, contributing only to the texture, not to the structure. The finish is juicy, silky and subtly grippy with ripe, sweet-toned flavors of wizened blackcurrants, some dried dark fruits, a little bit of juicy figs, light liqueur-ish tones, a candied hint of vanilla marshmallow and a developed touch of meaty umami.

A silky, juicy and still surprisingly fruity Argentinian red that felt moderately less evolved and noticeably less tertiary than the bottle I had a year ago. While that wine was pretty good and a solid effort for a South American red wine clocking at +40 yo, performing remarkably well for its age, this wine managed to trump that experience. You can easily taste the ripeness of the fruit here, since the evolved tertiary flavors haven’t really overwhelmed the fruit yet and the combination of high acidity and modest alcohol manages to keep the wine very nicely in balanced despite all the ripeness. Although the sweet-toned fruit and that subtly vanilla edge to the taste might make the wine feel a bit of a crowdpleaser, this was still a very positive surprise and an enjoyable experience. Nice stuff, terrific value for the quality at 17€. (91 pts.)

Developed and very slightly translucent, dark mahogany red color with a somewhat evolved coppery rim. Developed, somewhat sweet-toned and slightly oxidative nose with aromas of wizened dark fruits, some bloody meat notes, a little bit of tobacco, light tertiary fruit notes of pruned and dried figs and a hint of leather. The wine is dry, dense and very savory on the palate with a full body and quite noticeably bitter taste of wizened figs, ripe dark-toned fruits, some umami notes of raw, bloody meat, light crunchy crowberry tones, a little bit of beef jerky, a hint of tobacco and a touch of old, dry leather. The overall feel is enjoyably textural and quite seriously structured with its high acidity and still quite formidable, grippy tannins. The finish is rather tannic and grippy with remarkably long and rather robust flavors of crunchy redcurrants, quite pronounced sour cherry bitterness, a little bit of pruney dark fruits, light raisiny tones, an umami hint of gamey meat and a touch of pipe tobacco.

A tough, stern and dead-serious powerhouse of Bandol. This bottle was from the same batch as the bottle of which my last TN was on; unlike that bottle, which felt noticeably tired and rather oxidative, this wine was in much better shape, retaining a good deal of fruit and not showing much oxidative qualities. However, I suspect those bottles have come from a cellar with nonoptimal conditions, since this wine, too, felt more evolved and tertiary than what I’d expect from a Pradeaux clocking at 20-25 years of age. This was good as a whole, showing solid balance between the fruit and the structure, but it still isn’t match for the best old Bandols I’ve had. Hopefully this and the previous bottle I had were just performing poorly and there are some better-kept bottles that perform better. At 32,50€ this was priced somewhat according to its quality. (88 pts.)

Developed, moderately deep orange color with a luminous bronze core. There’s quite a bit of deposit in the bottle, so decanting is recommended. The nose feels quite evolved, complex and sweet-savory with layered aromas of cloudberries, wildhoney, some solventy and ethery notes of VA, light applesauce tones, a little bit of Tawny-like oxidative nuttiness, a sweet hint of dried pineapple and a mushroomy touch of chantarelles. The wine is oily, full-bodied and slightly hot on the palate with intense, dry-ish to subtly off-dry flavors of roasted chestnuts, honey, some caramel tones, a little bit of cloudberry jam, light volatile notes of ether, a hint of overripe nectarine and a touch of salted peanuts. Its bright, high acidity lends remarkable intensity and freshness to the wine. The finish is very long, complex and quite oily with somewhat off-dry flavors of caramel, some mushroomy tones, a little bit of honeyed richness, light Tawny-like nuttiness, a hint of tangy salinity and a touch of baked apple. The high alcohol lends a little bit of warmth to the aftertaste.

A beautifully complex, harmonious and delicious Vernaccia made in a style reminiscent of an Oloroso Sherry, suggesting the wine might see some biological sous-voile aging. Wonderfully complex and surprisingly fresh for its unique, fascinating style. Definitely not for everybody - I can imagine most people would consider this wine either faulty or thoroughly oxidized, but for me this was just terrific. An intriguing combination of Oloroso tang, Tawny Port nuttiness and dry Madeira acidity. Terrific value at 23€. (92 pts.)

Quite deep, developed and concentrated caramel-brown color with a burning reddish-orange core. Rich, very developed and somewhat oxidative nose with intense aromas of syrupy molasses, roasted chestnuts and walnuts, some acacia honey, light smoky tones, a little bit of burnt sugar, a hint of nutmeg and a touch of lemon marmalade. The wine is medium-sweet to rather sweet on the palate with quite developed and remarkably intense flavors of acacia honey, burnt sugar bitterness, some sharp lemony notes of citrus fruits, light syrupy tones, a little bit of oxidative nuttiness, a hint of smoke and a touch of honeycomb. The acidity feel noticeably high, which lends wonderful intensity and sense of structure to the wine. The finish is sweet, sharp with lemony tones and very persistent with a complex, evolved aftertaste of honey, some caramel, a little bit of smoke, light oxidative notes of roasted nuts, a hint of tangy salinity and a touch of burnt sugar bitterness.

A quite rustic and moderately oxidative Tokaji that has evolved quite wonderfully into a beautifully complex, tertiary dessert wine. From my previous experiences with this wine, this has always been a rather oxidative in style compared to many modern examples of Tokaji, making it feel a bit unpolished, but now, with enough age, these oxidative notes suit the wine wonderfully, making it come across very harmonious and enormously delicious. Furthermore, this bottle lacked the somewhat metallic notes all previous bottles had exhibited. All in all, a wonderful little Tokaji and a bargain at 12,19€ for a half-liter bottle. (93 pts.)

Intense yet relatively pale neon yellow-green color. Fragrant, quite intense and very much varietally correct nose with perfumed aromas of rosewater, some acacia honey, a little bit of exotic spice, light sweet nuances of pear jam, a mineral hint of wet stones and a toasty touch of nuttiness. The wine is full-bodied, juicy and somewhat oily with sweet, quite intense and surprisingly youthful flavors of rosewater, honeyed richness, some pear jam, light apricot notes, a little bit of slivered almonds, a hint of sweet exotic spices and a touch of bitter spices. The medium acidity keeps the wine moderately well together, although not really contributing to the freshness or to the structure. The finish is rich, juicy and sweet with lengthy, youthful flavors of honey and beeswax, some rosewater, light overripe apricot notes, a little bit of pear jam, a bitter hint of savory spices and an evolved touch of nuttiness.

A very tasty, balanced and still surprisingly youthful Gewurztraminer. Definitely much younger than what I would’ve expected from a 20-yo Gewu. Varietally very correct with lots of depth and nuance. Drinking wonderfully right now, but will keep for many, many more years. Delicious. A killer with funky cheeses. Terrific value at 32€ for a standard 0,75-liter bottle. (94 pts.)

Very evolved, deep and luminous burnished golden color with a coppery-orange core. Rich, complex and quite seductive nose with toasty aromas of chopped nuts and saffron, some creamy notes of panna cotta, a little bit of honeyed richness, light smoky notes, sweet hints of applesauce and maple syrup and a lifted, volatile touch of ether. The wine is full-bodied, oily and very concentrated on the palate with very sweet and intense flavors of saffron, honeyed richness that feels almost burning in its cloying sweetness, a little bit of pineapple and fruit salad, light rubbery tones, a hint of overripe nectarine and a touch of burnt sugar bitterness. The mouthfeel is quite weighty and rather sticky. The acidity feels moderately high, but overall the fruit concentration seems to overwhelm some of the freshness from the acidity. The finish is sweet, sticky and very intense with complex and very lengthy flavors of dried pineapple, some saffron, light honeyed notes, a little bit of fruit salad, light oaky notes of toasty wood and vanilla and a rich, creamy touch of browned butter.

A bold, super-rich and concentrated Sauternes with tons of depth, fruit and complexity. It has been 8 years since I’ve tasted this wine the last time, and I’m not sure if this wine has benefited from the aging - back then the wine felt like it was on its plateau of maturity, coming across ridiculously complex and very harmonious with the sweetness and the acidity playing off of each other wonderfully. This time the wine felt as complex as ever, but somewhat more concentrated, more ponderous and more sticky. It felt as though the wine hadn’t picked up any more complexity, but the sweetness had come more to the fore, making the wine feel more powerful, but less about finesse and harmony. This was still an exceptional and enormously complex effort for a Sauternes, but most likely it had peaked some years ago and most likely is not slowly gliding downhill. Better to drink up sooner rather than later, since I really don’t see much upside to further cellaring. Outrageous value at 33,40€ for a full 0,75-liter bottle. (94 pts.)

Luminous and somewhat viscous pale maple syrup color. Sweet, lush and very nuanced nose with quite concentrated aromas of maple syrup and caramel, some butterscotch, light nutty notes of chopped hazelnuts, a little bit of vanilla, light fruity notes of bruised apples and dried dates and a touch of smoke along with a subtle, lifted overtones of VA. The wine is sweet, full-bodied and quite oily on the palate with intense flavors of Sultana raisins, some syrupy notes molasses, light notes of crème à la vanille, a little it of maple syrup, a hint of peanut butter and a touch of sweet smoke. The wine is medium in acidity with quite noticeable heat from the high alcohol. The finish is sweet, remarkably long and quite sticky with complex flavors of syrupy molasses, crème à la vanille, some dried pineapple, light nutty notes of roasted hazelnuts, a little bit of Sultana raisins, a hint of butterscotch and a touch of baked apple. The high alcohol makes the wine end on a mouth-warming note, accompanied by a touch of burnt sugar bitterness.

A wonderful, complex and harmonious Rivesaltes that combines fascinating, oxidative nuttiness and caramel tones to understated nuances of oak and still somewhat youthful fruit notes of dried and bruised fruits. Utterly delicious. Most likely this will behave like most other oxidative fortified wines, i.e. it won’t develop much or at all after bottling; however, I doubt this wine is going to fall apart in anywhere near future. Drink or keep. A bargain at 18€. (94 pts.)

  • 1969 Riveyrac Rivesaltes - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Roussillon, Rivesaltes (15.8.2020)
    17% alcohol, 120 g/l residual sugar, 4,5 g/l acidity. Bottled in 2014.

Very deep, dark and concentrated syrupy brown color. Brooding, powerful and surprisingly dry nose with aromas of treacle, Cognac-like savory wood, some oxidative notes of chopped and roasted nuts, a little bit of dark-toned raisiny fruit, light syrupy notes of molasses, a hint of campfire smoke and a sweet touch of baking spices. The wine is intense, full-bodied and viscous on the palate with a sweet taste that has started to turn towards a drier, savory overall feel, due to the age. Concentrated flavors of syrupy molasses, savory and somewhat Cognac-y wood, a little bit of peppery spice, light dried-fruit notes of raisins and dried apricots, a hint of campfire smoke and a touch of burnt sugar bitterness. The wine comes across as relatively high in acidity, offsetting some of the sweetness wonderfully and lending impressive sense of structure to the wine. The complex finish is intense, somewhat sticky and remarkably lengthy with flavors of maple syrup and caramel, some burnt sugar bitterness, a little bit of peppery spice, light dried-fruit notes of raisins and prunes, a hint of smoke and a touch of dried dates.

An outstanding old Rivesaltes that is technically very sweet, yet comes across as surprisingly little so - the age has polished away quite a bit of sweetness from the residual sugar and the aged, savory nuances of nuts, wood, smoke and spices lend a wonderful counterpoint to the rich notes of syrup and caramel. Not surprisingly, the wine really doesn’t come across as that youthful anymore, but it is still quite young for its age and I can imagine this wine is not going to fall apart anytime soon, i.e. in not several decades. Drink now or keep for however long you want to. Outstanding stuff, remarkable value at 54€. (96 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

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As I’ve said before, not only are you a phenomenal note writer but also a very intelligent buyer. Lots of interesting stuff here for anyone to look into more carefully. Thanks!

Your note on the José de Sousa doesn’t surprise me at all, and in fact I believe that the improvements in wine making you commented on may very well work the other way around when it comes to how well Portuguese wines show with age. The symbolic date for me is 1986, when Portugal joined the EU and Herdade do Esporão released their very first Reserva, done by the then young and up and coming Luís Duarte of more recent Herdade dos Grous fame. But those back vintages of Esporão today - and they were at the vanguard of the movement that revolutionized winemaking in the country - are painfully past their prime, whereas the rustic and inexpensive wines of the cooperatives (who did not adapt their winemaking until this century) are either in prime drinking window or still on an upward trajectory in the case of well stored bottles (1997 Portalegre comes to mind). The comparison is even clearer when we compare the Quinta do Carmo wines from the period before and after the brand was purchased by the Rothschilds.

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Wow, Otto… that’s a pretty incredible collection of old wines. Thanks for writing up & sharing such detailed TN’s with us. They’re long… but not boring.
Never heard of the Valtelline producer Plozza. Not too surprised it’s still holding on, though. Tom

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Amazing notes! I remembering suggesting to my friend that she buy Besserat de Bellefon for her wedding in the early 80’s. It was wonderful then! A very under the radar Champagne. I’ve never seen a Klipfel Gewurz, maybe not imported to U.S… And I’m a fan of old Suduiraut.

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Yes, great notes, Otto,
On a truly unusual range of wines; I also appreciate Tomás insight about the changes in Portuegese winemaking.

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A Valtellina that’s almost 40 years old? My kind of tasting! [cheers.gif]
Thanks for sharing!

How did your lucky non-winegeek crowd react?

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Having drunk some older Portuguese reds in the past, this seems pretty much right. I can imagine they must’ve been pretty rustic and charmless wines in their youth, especially compared to the stuff that was produced in France, Spain, Italy, Australia or the US. However, many of those wines have not only survived but turned out to be quite wonderful after +30 years - and I wonder if the wines produced in Portugal today can become so fascinating after a similar amount of time.

Thanks! [bow.gif] Plozza seems to be doing quite well even today, calling themselves “Plozza Wine Group” and producing wine not only in Tirano, Valtellina, but also in Franciacorta: https://www.plozza.com/it/

Besserat de Bellefon has been widely available here in Finland for quite some time, so it’s hardly under-the-radar here. However, I had no expectations of that old bottle, so it certainly was a positive surprise it was holding up so well.

I myself am a big fan of Suduiraut, both young and old. I wasn’t that surprised that this 1999 vintage was getting already past its peak now, since I’ve had it before some years ago (it was then at its peak and probably starting to take its first steps downhill), but I was still sort of disappointed as I was hoping it would keep good for longer.

Probably more in an academic curiosity kind of fashion rather than in that pure glee and excitement how some wine geeks can react. But everybody was very excited before the tasting and very happy after it, saying they had learned a lot. And they said it was not only “interesting” but also very enjoyable, so I guess this was a big success in every way. I secretly hope I managed to make at least some attendee take their first steps in wine geekery with this tasting!

8

Those alcohol levels are quaint.

9

Indeed, especially for the Lopez wine. Hard to picture an Argentinian Bdx blend hitting the market while clocking at 12,9%.