Slightly herbal, green pepper thyme nose. Some dried mint and tobacco emerge. Tannin totally gone but the color is shockingly dark nonetheless. Texture is broad and very soft, with a touch of potpourri and mandarin sweetness on the finish. Not oxidized or funky at all, just completely fanned out and slowly disappearing into the sunset. Hard to score something like this but easy to enjoy and talk about it.
Raspberry tea, old wood, a touch beefy/savoury, with some bottle stink hanging around. Tender but structured and easily engages with food, a bit of sweet cherry graces the palate. Unlike the 1920 Paternina, this bottle is very much still a wine and flexing some muscle. Saturates and lingers and gets better with air. Stunning!
First impression is maderized but there's a lot of intrigue here; tobacco, brown sugar, tangy citrus sweetness. Someone suggested an old Rioja with a splash of Terrantez thrown in and I think that captures it well. FWIW, my note from 10 years ago suggests this is evolving pretty slowly at this point in time: "Caramelly, burnt sugar, madeira-like nose with potpourri and orange peel lending complexity."
Typical Burgundy blend of Gamay and Mondeuse. Happily cruising along, maraschino and dried mint. Clean leather, weird herbal verve, red vines. Good, but unlike anything I can recall tasting.
Alcohol, berry pie, eucalyptus, sweetly fruited but no noticeable sugar. Smells like a sticky monster and when the dryness hits you think it's going to wither away but it holds together pretty well and certainly isn't dying. More of a curiosity than a great wine at this point and probably better to have alone instead of a flight of '68s.
Smells and tastes like a confiture of flame raisins with some cocoa thrown in. It's delicious and I don't know why these never seem cloying or overdone. One of the most impressive aspects of Draper's touch IMO.
Bottled in 1924. Syrupy, powerful wine with cocoa, cardamom, and star anise on the spicy palate. Clean spirit is hardly noticeable, finishes more bitter than sweet which is tolerable at its age. My favorite of the ports tonight.
The last of 12 wines and my notes have devolved into a few shaky adjectives. Mocha, figs, marvelously aromatic. I really like these old colheitas from Krohn.
1920 Federico Paternina Rioja Ollauri Gran Reserva Especial
Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
Slightly herbal, green pepper thyme nose. Some dried mint and tobacco emerge. Tannin totally gone but the color is shockingly dark nonetheless. Texture is broad and very soft, with a touch of potpourri and mandarin sweetness on the finish. Not oxidized or funky at all, just completely fanned out and slowly disappearing into the sunset. Hard to score something like this but easy to enjoy and talk about it.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1922 Martinez Lacuesta Reserva Especial 95 Points
Spain, La Rioja, Rioja
Raspberry tea, old wood, a touch beefy/savoury, with some bottle stink hanging around. Tender but structured and easily engages with food, a bit of sweet cherry graces the palate. Unlike the 1920 Paternina, this bottle is very much still a wine and flexing some muscle. Saturates and lingers and gets better with air. Stunning!
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1954 Marqués de Murrieta Rioja Ygay Reserva
Spain, La Rioja, Rioja
First impression is maderized but there's a lot of intrigue here; tobacco, brown sugar, tangy citrus sweetness. Someone suggested an old Rioja with a splash of Terrantez thrown in and I think that captures it well. FWIW, my note from 10 years ago suggests this is evolving pretty slowly at this point in time: "Caramelly, burnt sugar, madeira-like nose with potpourri and orange peel lending complexity."
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
1968 Umberto Fiore Gattinara Spanna Riserva 92 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Northern Piedmont, Gattinara
From magnum, in top shape. Dark, tarry, minty, serious demeanor with bits of preserved cherry. Would happily follow this for hours on any other night.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1968 Beaulieu Vineyard Burgundy 89 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford
Typical Burgundy blend of Gamay and Mondeuse. Happily cruising along, maraschino and dried mint. Clean leather, weird herbal verve, red vines. Good, but unlike anything I can recall tasting.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1968 Federico Paternina Rioja Conde de los Andes Gran Reserva 92 Points
Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
Aromas of old wood, pressed roses, cherry and spices. Juicy and tender with a clementine sweetness. Lovely old Rioja.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
1968 Mayacamas Vineyards Zinfandel Late Harvest
USA, California, Napa Valley
Alcohol, berry pie, eucalyptus, sweetly fruited but no noticeable sugar. Smells like a sticky monster and when the dryness hits you think it's going to wither away but it holds together pretty well and certainly isn't dying. More of a curiosity than a great wine at this point and probably better to have alone instead of a flight of '68s.
Read 5 Comments / Post a Comment / 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
1993 Ridge Zinfandel Essence 93 Points
USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles
Smells and tastes like a confiture of flame raisins with some cocoa thrown in. It's delicious and I don't know why these never seem cloying or overdone. One of the most impressive aspects of Draper's touch IMO.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1922 Martinez Gassiot & Co. Porto Vintage 93 Points
Portugal, Douro, Porto
Bottled in 1924. Syrupy, powerful wine with cocoa, cardamom, and star anise on the spicy palate. Clean spirit is hardly noticeable, finishes more bitter than sweet which is tolerable at its age. My favorite of the ports tonight.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1968 J.H. Andresen Porto Colheita 90 Points
Portugal, Douro, Porto
The sweetest of the three ports tonight with a cocoa and toffee drive. I found this slightly muddled and ashy compared to the others though.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1968 Krohn Porto Colheita 92 Points
Portugal, Douro, Porto
The last of 12 wines and my notes have devolved into a few shaky adjectives. Mocha, figs, marvelously aromatic. I really like these old colheitas from Krohn.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue