This had some funk upon opening, most of which blew off with some air. But there remained a hint of corked-ness, which persisted on the nose throughout the evening. While a distraction, for me it didn't overwhelm the palate. Still youthful in color and very full of fruit. I think a pristine bottle would be exceptional, but this is was just good...
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perfect mid-neck level and good cork, decanted 2 hours, very little sediment, amazing colour for age, deep black red with even hints of purple and almost no brown, even at the rim (air conditioned cellar since en primeur purchase), fine, deep, intense classic Paulliac lead pencils and cedar nose, just lovely, palate also with power and intensity, matches the structure and austerity / dryness typical of ‘86, excellent wine for the year with real class, power and structure, will keep at this level easily for 5+ years
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La première bouchonnée et la deuxième oxydée. Provenant d’un lot de 8 bouteilles achetées en 2010 dans un encan Vintages. Aucune des 8 bouteilles n’a été bue.... toutes défectueuses.... comme quoi il y a un fort risque à acheter dans les ventes aux encheres....
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good level and long intact cork, decanted 2 hours in advance, not a lot of sediment, colour still basically opaque and remarkably youthful, nose classic lead pencils and cedar Pauillac, powerful and really quite virile, palate of medium weight but with intensity and great flavour and length, very nice indeed, excellent now but will maintain this plateau for many years, a classic long-lived Bordeaux
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good level and cork, colour perfect for age, only slight bricking at edge, still remarkably powerful nose, classic Pauillac cedar, excellent, palate elegant but also with power and concentration, very much a food wine but also went very well with cheese and by itself after the meal, distinctly dry but austerity of ‘86 is kept in check by fruit, very good example of the year, to be drunk up but lasting very well, no signs of falling apart any time soon, improved (from an already high level) with time in the decanter/ glass, next time decant at least two to three hours in advance
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perfect mid-neck level, good long cork, colour still very dark and lively, only limited brown rim, superb nose, fine complex fruit with concentrated elegance and power, palate has just perfect balance from front to back, in this case the austere ‘86 character at the finish is a real plus, gives structure and maintains freshness of the fine fruit after 31 years, went superbly with food (wild boar entrecôte) but also a great pleasure just by itself after without food, at this age this was not only a good wine but clearly a good bottle, hope the rest are as good, to be drunk now while it is clearly at its best drinking plateau
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lovely restrained, classy and complex, archetypical Pauillac nose, overall fine and classy, not at all a blockbuster, very good fruit for an '86, avoids the overarching austerity that often marks wines from this vintage, just excellent, at its peak and will hold
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long spongy cork and perfect level, still vibrant colour, nose lovely classic fine Paulliac, lead pencil, cedar, classy and elegant but with real piercing power, palate of medium weight, characteristic somewhat austere acidic bite of the '86 vintage, good with somewhat fatty food as a result (lamb in this case), very good classic example and still quite youthful for a 30 year old wine
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My last bottle, but what a treat. To be fair, it needed almost two hours to breath before it really opened up and showed its stuff. Originally it was decanted for 45 minutes before being rebottled and brought to the restaurant. After reopening it, it needed at least another hour to shed off the dusty and dry and fruit limited taste. It was still good at that point, but after another hour it showed that it still had lots of fruit left to go with the restraint of an over 20 year old bottle of wine.
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Stored in a cold cellar since release. High fill. Excellent cork. Deep coloured young looking. Tannins still in evidence, fruit,good balance. Needs air. Lacks concentration and finesse.
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French v.s. Italian Wine Night (Extra Space): Appearance is clear, deep intensity, dark ruby colour. Nose is clean, medium intensity, with aromas of grapey blackcurrant. On the palate, medium acidity, firm medium tannins, full body, long finish. Still very primary with flavours of blackcurrant, and maybe just a touch of lead/graphite and tobacco. No herbaceousness here. Quite impressive that a 1986 is still so primary. Lots of fruit. This is consistent with my previous tasting of 1981 Château Duhart-Milon where I thought it was only about 10 years old.
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When pulling some older wines to check their condition and the accuracy of my inventory sheet, I found something sticky around the neck of this wine. Attempting to turn the capsule proves impossible with it stuck tight; it starts to tear under the force of my twisting. It seemed better to set this one up in on deck for drinking. Initially, brick presented on the rim with a plum core. After 1.5 hours, it was a deep inky core with shading to deep plum on the near rim and a clear ring on the rim. The nose expressed currants, blackberries, English leather, cedar, graphite and rosemary. My lands! Focused, clean, clear flavors of currants, blackberries, mineral, cherry, cocoa on the finish. Clear and clean with only a hint of sediment. Fully integrated tannins. Silky and complete without being showy. Showing beautifully just now. This is simply a wonderful wine. Whatever was on the neck did not likely come from this bottle. A member of the Rothschild family of wines. This wine can go a while longer without a doubt, but it’s unlikely to improve. 12.5% alc. With grilled veal chops.
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1/31/2024 - KevinS wrote: flawed
This had some funk upon opening, most of which blew off with some air. But there remained a hint of corked-ness, which persisted on the nose throughout the evening. While a distraction, for me it didn't overwhelm the palate. Still youthful in color and very full of fruit. I think a pristine bottle would be exceptional, but this is was just good...
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1/15/2022 - red_man Likes this wine: 92 Points
perfect mid-neck level and good cork, decanted 2 hours, very little sediment, amazing colour for age, deep black red with even hints of purple and almost no brown, even at the rim (air conditioned cellar since en primeur purchase), fine, deep, intense classic Paulliac lead pencils and cedar nose, just lovely, palate also with power and intensity, matches the structure and austerity / dryness typical of ‘86, excellent wine for the year with real class, power and structure, will keep at this level easily for 5+ years
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10/16/2020 - fontaine wrote: flawed
La première bouchonnée et la deuxième oxydée. Provenant d’un lot de 8 bouteilles achetées en 2010 dans un encan Vintages. Aucune des 8 bouteilles n’a été bue.... toutes défectueuses.... comme quoi il y a un fort risque à acheter dans les ventes aux encheres....
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7/7/2019 - red_man Likes this wine: 92 Points
good level and long intact cork, decanted 2 hours in advance, not a lot of sediment, colour still basically opaque and remarkably youthful, nose classic lead pencils and cedar Pauillac, powerful and really quite virile, palate of medium weight but with intensity and great flavour and length, very nice indeed, excellent now but will maintain this plateau for many years, a classic long-lived Bordeaux
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11/10/2018 - Poisey wrote:
Cooked and way past its prime. Bad storage i suspect.
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9/15/2018 - red_man wrote: 91 Points
good level and cork, colour perfect for age, only slight bricking at edge, still remarkably powerful nose, classic Pauillac cedar, excellent, palate elegant but also with power and concentration, very much a food wine but also went very well with cheese and by itself after the meal, distinctly dry but austerity of ‘86 is kept in check by fruit, very good example of the year, to be drunk up but lasting very well, no signs of falling apart any time soon, improved (from an already high level) with time in the decanter/ glass, next time decant at least two to three hours in advance
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6/18/2018 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: flawed
A vertical tasting of Château Duhart-Milon 1975-2012 (Restaurant Vineum, Rotterdam, NL): Very corked. Which is a pity, because there seems to be a beautifully vibrant, classic Pauillac character here. Faulty.
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1/20/2018 - red_man Likes this wine: 92 Points
perfect mid-neck level, good long cork, colour still very dark and lively, only limited brown rim, superb nose, fine complex fruit with concentrated elegance and power, palate has just perfect balance from front to back, in this case the austere ‘86 character at the finish is a real plus, gives structure and maintains freshness of the fine fruit after 31 years, went superbly with food (wild boar entrecôte) but also a great pleasure just by itself after without food, at this age this was not only a good wine but clearly a good bottle, hope the rest are as good, to be drunk now while it is clearly at its best drinking plateau
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7/27/2017 - red_man Likes this wine: 91 Points
lovely restrained, classy and complex, archetypical Pauillac nose, overall fine and classy, not at all a blockbuster, very good fruit for an '86, avoids the overarching austerity that often marks wines from this vintage, just excellent, at its peak and will hold
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12/22/2016 - red_man wrote: 90 Points
long spongy cork and perfect level, still vibrant colour, nose lovely classic fine Paulliac, lead pencil, cedar, classy and elegant but with real piercing power, palate of medium weight, characteristic somewhat austere acidic bite of the '86 vintage, good with somewhat fatty food as a result (lamb in this case), very good classic example and still quite youthful for a 30 year old wine
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8/7/2015 - SMHalps Likes this wine: 93 Points
My last bottle, but what a treat. To be fair, it needed almost two hours to breath before it really opened up and showed its stuff. Originally it was decanted for 45 minutes before being rebottled and brought to the restaurant. After reopening it, it needed at least another hour to shed off the dusty and dry and fruit limited taste. It was still good at that point, but after another hour it showed that it still had lots of fruit left to go with the restraint of an over 20 year old bottle of wine.
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4/13/2015 - Thoughtful Likes this wine: 89 Points
Stored in a cold cellar since release. High fill. Excellent cork. Deep coloured young looking. Tannins still in evidence, fruit,good balance. Needs air. Lacks concentration and finesse.
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3/26/2014 - Derek Darth Taster wrote: 90 Points
French v.s. Italian Wine Night (Extra Space): Appearance is clear, deep intensity, dark ruby colour.
Nose is clean, medium intensity, with aromas of grapey blackcurrant.
On the palate, medium acidity, firm medium tannins, full body, long finish. Still very primary with flavours of blackcurrant, and maybe just a touch of lead/graphite and tobacco. No herbaceousness here.
Quite impressive that a 1986 is still so primary. Lots of fruit. This is consistent with my previous tasting of 1981 Château Duhart-Milon where I thought it was only about 10 years old.
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7/26/2013 - mike l. Likes this wine: 91 Points
nice. plenty of fruit! 91+
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8/19/2006 - timewithwine wrote:
When pulling some older wines to check their condition and the accuracy of my inventory sheet, I found something sticky around the neck of this wine. Attempting to turn the capsule proves impossible with it stuck tight; it starts to tear under the force of my twisting. It seemed better to set this one up in on deck for drinking. Initially, brick presented on the rim with a plum core. After 1.5 hours, it was a deep inky core with shading to deep plum on the near rim and a clear ring on the rim. The nose expressed currants, blackberries, English leather, cedar, graphite and rosemary. My lands! Focused, clean, clear flavors of currants, blackberries, mineral, cherry, cocoa on the finish. Clear and clean with only a hint of sediment. Fully integrated tannins. Silky and complete without being showy. Showing beautifully just now. This is simply a wonderful wine. Whatever was on the neck did not likely come from this bottle. A member of the Rothschild family of wines. This wine can go a while longer without a doubt, but it’s unlikely to improve. 12.5% alc. With grilled veal chops.
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