Muzzie's Cellar

My father-in-law passed away in 1998 leaving behind a good number of bottles of wine for his family to enjoy. About forty bottles remain ranging from cru Beaujolais (Moulin-a-Vent) to 1961 cru Bourgeois to a couple of first growths and some very nice California reds. The wines are mostly from the late seventies through the mid-nineties with a few from earlier vintages. He was not a big spender but he bought well and for the long haul. Under this event, I will record notes on those wines I am allowed to partake of as we open them.

Caveat: There are potential storage issues. A few years after his death, his garage wine cooler crashed and the wine may have sat in the heat for some time (we just don't know). The wine was then stored in a refrigerator for a number of years, albeit on a low (warmer) setting. . At least one bottle of premier cru Bordeaux has proven to be bad.

• 1986 Château Clerc Milon

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  (9/5/2008)

  We opened this wine with some trepidation. It is one of about 40 bottles of wine that remain from my father-in-law's cellar. He passed away in 1998 and a few years later his garage wine cooler crashed and the wine may have sat in the heat for some time (we just don't know). The wine was then stored in a refrigerator for a number of years, albeit on a low (warmer) setting. So storage is an issue. The wines are mostly from the late seventies through the mid-nineties but some are of earlier vintages. At least one bottle of first growth Bordeaux has proven to be bad.
  
  The very good news: This was excellent. It opened with a ripe, full bouquet of dark fruit and leather and a spicy, herby woodiness. The palate seemed out of whack at first, acid and thin, but after a just a minute or two of air seemed to open into the same sort of fullness of fruit. It seemed youthful, full and ripe, but with a nice stony minerality accenting the fruit. Smooth, ripe tannins and a long finish complete the picture of a fine, if not quite magnificent, drink.

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• 1991 Ridge Geyserville

  USA, California, Sonoma County

  (9/6/2008)

  Cork showed some signs of leakage around one side. Opened with a powerful rubber tire odor--with strong hints of dark fruit behind it--that took a while to diminish significantly. As it is did, however, the wine became beautifully fruity, with nice secondary notes of leather and cedar and a fine cherry flavor. We should have let this sit open another couple of hours because it kept getting better. But we drank it all. Not sublime, but a very nice aged drink for our evening meal.

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