12/2/2023 - ekessler wrote:

corked

5/16/2023 - ekessler Likes this wine:

Decanted since cork couldn't be extracted. Nice, typical Rioja nose with tar and coffee elements. Strong core of acidity, lively taste that belied the wine's 45 years of age. Long finish but with only medium complexity. Very enjoyable and excellent with food (at Narru, San Sebastian).

5/16/2023 - ekessler Likes this wine:

PnP at Narru, San Sebastian. Stunning. Only a tad below the epic Murrieta 1986 blanco. Fresh, with minimal oxidative qualities. Great acidity, with a rich, long finish and a lovely sweet core.

5/15/2023 - ekessler wrote:

Cork had failed and leaked. Too maderized / oxidized to enjoy.

5/15/2023 - ekessler Likes this wine:

This wine was lovely. Fresh, aromatic, great color (light red), and tasted wonderful. Strawberries, roses, and some tar on the nose. Deep, lively Rioja taste. Amazingly good for an almost 50-year old Crianza.

2/27/2023 - ekessler Likes this wine:

Drank at Choco Ona, Espelette, France. Fantastic bottle. Cork broke even with Durand, so bottle was decanted. Smooth, fresh, and as fragrant as a great burgundy. No funk or oxidation.

1/16/2023 - ekessler wrote:

Double decanted. Tasted funky and oxidized when first poured. Improved with air. Really blossomed on day 2 in to a beautiful Unico. This bottle, per Vega-Sicilia, was either the 1973 or 1978 bottling.

1/16/2023 - ekessler Likes this wine:

Remarkable old Rioja. Sweet perfumed nose that just goes on and on. Delicious palate with luscious fruit and tobacco, cedar, and coffee notes. Wine of the weekend.

1/16/2023 - ekessler Likes this wine:

Transcendent.

1/16/2023 - ekessler Likes this wine:

Excellent. Bracing acidity, limestone, chalk. oysters.

1/16/2023 - ekessler wrote:

Cork had failed and bottle was too oxidized to enjoy. Bummer.

1/16/2023 - ekessler Likes this wine:

Was surprised how fresh, effervescent, and fruity this wine remained. Very tasty.

1/16/2023 - ekessler Likes this wine:

Shockingly, the wine was fresh and minimally oxidized.

11/24/2022 - ekessler wrote:

Amazing, excellent wine. Similar experience to that of AQUACONGAS. PNP. Cork soft/wet all through and even lost a bit into the bottle using Durand. Dark (for a Roija), minimal bricking. Sublime. One of the rare old bottles of Rioja without any funk.

11/6/2022 - ekessler Likes this wine:

Thankfully, this bottle was in great shape. Minimal brett, fresh and fruity with lovely complexity and acid. [Group's #4 of 11]

10/28/2022 - ekessler Likes this wine:

Fully mature and integrated. Light garnet. Rose, cherry flavors. Probably not the best stored bottle.

8/14/2022 - ekessler Likes this wine:

An extraordinary wine.

7/27/2022 - ekessler wrote:

Still excellent. A bit of sweetness with racy acidity. Long, complex finish. Wish I had more.

4/10/2022 - ekessler wrote:

fully madeirized. another bottle of fine sherry!

11/9/2021 - ekessler Likes this wine:

This bottle was sound. A bit simple but a lovely, aged riesling.

10/30/2021 - ekessler wrote:

slightly corked.

11/1/2021 - ekessler Does not like this wine:

dead.

10/16/2021 - ekessler Likes this wine:

Opened 4 hours then double-decanted. Still alive and fresh. Great black fruit, food friendly, rich and lovely, sweet nose. Fading, with slight browning at rim, but with plenty of stuffing to go a few more years.

10/14/2021 - ekessler wrote:

2nd of 2 bad bottles (from Garagiste)

9/29/2021 - ekessler Does not like this wine:

Corked or heat damaged. Undrinkable.

9/7/2021 - ekessler Likes this wine:

Surprisingly fresh and clean. Oak fully integrated and not apparent. More Burgundian than Californian which was an unexpected treat.

8/25/2021 - ekessler Likes this wine:

went well with PWC oysters. good value.

7/19/2021 - ekessler Likes this wine:

WOTN. Fabulous.

5/10/2021 - ekessler Likes this wine:

Lovely honeyed botrytis notes. Good acid backbone framing a delicious apricot and peach mid-palate with a long not-too-sweet finish. Some petrol on the nose which dissipated after a few hours. Drinking beautifully, this wine showed no signs of approaching end of life.

4/22/2021 - ekessler wrote:

badly corked with horrible kerosene/diesel nose

4/11/2021 - ekessler wrote:

Corked and undrinkable on day 1. Sippable but not good on day 2.

3/27/2021 - ekessler wrote:

badly corked

3/27/2021 - ekessler wrote:

fabulous old Riesling. no petrol. lime, apricot. exceptional and delicious.

3/27/2021 - ekessler Likes this wine:

off-dry. peach and apricot. great balance with lovely acidity.

3/27/2021 - ekessler Likes this wine:

excellent dry Riesling. Slatey.

1/18/2021 - ekessler Likes this wine:

nicer with Moroccan couscous.

1/18/2021 - ekessler Likes this wine:

Nicely aged CdR

1/18/2021 - ekessler Likes this wine:

Still going strong. Alas my last bottle. Great with Thai food.

1/18/2021 - ekessler Likes this wine:

Very good with dungeness crab and garlic noodles. Nutty and rich with a touch of oxidation.

1/1/2021 - ekessler wrote:

NYE. fun with French 75 but nice on its own.

1/1/2021 - ekessler Does not like this wine:

too ripe, too high alcohol. barely tastes like wine.

11/20/2020 - ekessler wrote:

nice citrus and complexity. excellent with fresh oysters.

11/20/2020 - ekessler Likes this wine:

Smooth and elegant. Some Brett on the nose which mostly dissipated with air. Berry, cherry, leather, wood, dark fruits. Fantastic with NY strip, butternut squash puree, and sautéed mushrooms.

11/7/2020 - ekessler Likes this wine:

Not the best of the 8 2008 Chablis GCs tonight but a strong contender. Very tasty, long finish, saline, still somewhat austere.

9/19/2020 - ekessler wrote:

Still fresh. I agree with the apricot and honey description. Very tasty but not particularly complex.

9/19/2020 - ekessler wrote:

low fill, flat, chemical small, no sweetness, slightly fizzy. bad.

9/9/2020 - ekessler wrote:

Last bottle of the case and best of the bunch. Not world class but tasty. Slight bricking/orange tint.

8/23/2020 - ekessler Does not like this wine:

way over the hill. Brick orange, oxidized, cork fell into bottle when touched.

7/11/2020 - ekessler wrote:

Still drinking beautifully.

6/20/2020 - ekessler wrote:

a bit oxidized but still nutty and pleasant.