(Not a) birthday dinner (Hinsdale, IL): From magnum (with seepage). Fine, but hardly convincing. Pretty foursquare and ordinary, with some muddled fruit here. Most likely not representative.
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This bottle of 1976 Chateau Lafite Rothschild was cellared in a wine cave part of its life and a modern cellar the more recent part of its life. The fill for this bottle was mid-shoulder and the label had been tattered from back when it was in the cave. Using a Durand, I was able to pull the cork intact and it was saturated but seemed to have done its job. The color was good and the wine was sound; in fact, it was very much alive and full of character! Opened about four hours prior to service and decanted for sediment (of which there was plenty). No formal notes. At this stage in its life, the 1976 Lafite pours a garnet color with an orange rim. The nose is straight up old-money. Classy aromas of desiccated red cherries & red currants, dried tobacco leaf, graphite, a mix of organic and inorganic earth, leather and dried baking spices. On the palate, the structure was still quite palpable with tannins till present and acid doing its job with aplomb. Confirming the notes on the nose. The finish is long and graceful with some nice stoney minerals. Drink now but well cellared examples could hold longer if you wanted…but if you’re even thinking about it, just open it!
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(Château Lafite Rothschild) Rich tobacco, leather nose; very mature, sweet cassis, with leather and tobacco notes; medium-plus finish (broke down after 30 minutes in the glass)
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3/29/2024 - Gpatt Likes this wine: 87 Points
Nose tobacco and leather. Smooth wine not much complexity. Just a great smooth wine.
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2/22/2024 - acyso wrote: 88 Points
(Not a) birthday dinner (Hinsdale, IL): From magnum (with seepage). Fine, but hardly convincing. Pretty foursquare and ordinary, with some muddled fruit here. Most likely not representative.
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2/18/2024 - Sean Tay wrote: 94 Points
Pronounced nose of cedar, charr wood, toast, leather, spices, earth. Medium acidity and medium tannin. Drink up will not improve.
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7/12/2023 - thesternowl wrote: 94 Points
This bottle of 1976 Chateau Lafite Rothschild was cellared in a wine cave part of its life and a modern cellar the more recent part of its life. The fill for this bottle was mid-shoulder and the label had been tattered from back when it was in the cave. Using a Durand, I was able to pull the cork intact and it was saturated but seemed to have done its job. The color was good and the wine was sound; in fact, it was very much alive and full of character! Opened about four hours prior to service and decanted for sediment (of which there was plenty). No formal notes. At this stage in its life, the 1976 Lafite pours a garnet color with an orange rim. The nose is straight up old-money. Classy aromas of desiccated red cherries & red currants, dried tobacco leaf, graphite, a mix of organic and inorganic earth, leather and dried baking spices. On the palate, the structure was still quite palpable with tannins till present and acid doing its job with aplomb. Confirming the notes on the nose. The finish is long and graceful with some nice stoney minerals. Drink now but well cellared examples could hold longer if you wanted…but if you’re even thinking about it, just open it!
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9/28/2022 - DAN BAILEY wrote: flawed
Grippy but slightly torrefied and something’s flattening the wine - TCA?
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