Tasted side-by-side with a '70 Cos (my parents' wedding anniversary year), this once again showed extremely well, and was clearly the better and more youthful of the two wines. Notes consistent with my last bottle, tasted a few weeks ago.
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Fantastic bottle in fantastic condition. Cork was completely clean, extracted without effort using my Durand. Very top shoulder fill. Pours a dark garnet that reveals its age, but with very little bricking at the rim. Very Graves-like profile, with earth, berry and gravel notes. Lots of life here, with pretty cranberry, leather and tobacco notes on the palate, a healthy dose of acidity, and a long cedar and herb-tinged finish. Probably the best '70 I've tried to date, better even than the excellent Montrose.
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A Belated 52nd Birthday Celebration (Alisal Guest Ranch, Solvang, CA): Not as stellar a showing as prior bottles from this case, but still very enjoyable. Tertiary notes along with some drying cassis and spice, but the signature Graves cigar ash kind of aspects I had enjoyed before were absent, and there was a bit of barnyard in play. Still, not bad for a 52-year old.
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An Ambitious Birthday Celebration Effort (Los Olivos, CA): As with a prior bottle from the same lot, this continues to amaze. The wine is still showing secondary characteristics, and all Graves signature notes are on display: sweet, gentle cherry notes interplay with some tobacco, ash and appropriate acidity.
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One of a pair bought a few months ago. In excellent condition, base of neck level, no signs of seepage. Gentle nose of tobacco and bramble. Clean of any hint of excess oxidation. Tannins fully resolved. Body quite light. Finish is very persistent and lovely without obvious alcohol. Extremely gulpable! Would have peaked 25 years ago but still superb now. P.s. later aroma of orange spritz and more complexity.
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2/7/2023 - GrapeScott wrote: 93 Points
Tasted side-by-side with a '70 Cos (my parents' wedding anniversary year), this once again showed extremely well, and was clearly the better and more youthful of the two wines. Notes consistent with my last bottle, tasted a few weeks ago.
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1/29/2023 - GrapeScott wrote: 93 Points
Fantastic bottle in fantastic condition. Cork was completely clean, extracted without effort using my Durand. Very top shoulder fill. Pours a dark garnet that reveals its age, but with very little bricking at the rim. Very Graves-like profile, with earth, berry and gravel notes. Lots of life here, with pretty cranberry, leather and tobacco notes on the palate, a healthy dose of acidity, and a long cedar and herb-tinged finish. Probably the best '70 I've tried to date, better even than the excellent Montrose.
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10/16/2022 - JonnyG Likes this wine: 89 Points
A Belated 52nd Birthday Celebration (Alisal Guest Ranch, Solvang, CA): Not as stellar a showing as prior bottles from this case, but still very enjoyable. Tertiary notes along with some drying cassis and spice, but the signature Graves cigar ash kind of aspects I had enjoyed before were absent, and there was a bit of barnyard in play. Still, not bad for a 52-year old.
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10/4/2021 - JonnyG Likes this wine: 93 Points
An Ambitious Birthday Celebration Effort (Los Olivos, CA): As with a prior bottle from the same lot, this continues to amaze. The wine is still showing secondary characteristics, and all Graves signature notes are on display: sweet, gentle cherry notes interplay with some tobacco, ash and appropriate acidity.
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9/1/2021 - wineforth Likes this wine: 94 Points
One of a pair bought a few months ago. In excellent condition, base of neck level, no signs of seepage. Gentle nose of tobacco and bramble. Clean of any hint of excess oxidation. Tannins fully resolved. Body quite light. Finish is very persistent and lovely without obvious alcohol. Extremely gulpable! Would have peaked 25 years ago but still superb now. P.s. later aroma of orange spritz and more complexity.
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