5/10/2011 - delfino wrote:

Pristine bottle, opened and aerated for 1 hour in the bottle then poured into a decanter for another hour before drinking. Bouquet was brett, brett, brett. I could have had a cold and stuffed nose and still been able to identify this as a Burgundy, the bouquet was explosive. Funky, barnyard, shroomy nose that developed a cinnamon-spice element over the next 2 hours. Palette was silky, perfectly integrated tannins and acidity with bright red berry fruit but lacking in secondary characteristics. Very supple and a decently long finish. Needs a couple hours to open and soften, I'd cellar it another 3 years or so. Fantastic wine.

5/9/2011 - delfino wrote:

Ullage was into the neck, cork came out intact, bottle was in beautiful shape, looks brand new despite the 3+ decades on it. Wine had a pink ruby rim with a cloudy plum color core. This wine is a trip. Pruney, slightly oxidized nose, yet the palette has some nice blackberry, blueberry and peppery spice elements, the tannins are fully integrated and silky-smooth...but the best part of this wine is the mouthfeel-- huge, lush and coating. Great wine but if I had any left I'd drink 'em now, like as in by the end of the month. Not much time left but very, very enjoyable tonight.

3/15/2011 - delfino wrote:

I was hesitant to open this as I was skeptical it was ready. I was right. This wine is a good 3-5 years away from maturity, maybe longer. If I somehow could be sure that my next bottle is at the same maturity level as this one, I wouldn't open it for another decade. The wine was unyielding and tight only occasionally releasing a waft of fresh blueberries and then, nothing. The tannins have softened a bit but are still dominant. It is now day 3 and I'm sipping on it...the fruit is there but restrained. Secondary characteristics are nonexistent. I have a few magnums left (this was from a 750ml) and I won't touch them until 2018, maybe longer.

5/3/2010 - delfino wrote:

Bottle was in perfect condition. Mid-neck level fill, bottle looked like it was from this year. Cork came out intact. Absolutely phenomenal wine. Popped and poured. Deep ruby core with a brick rim. Wonderful floral bouquet of violets and white lily. Mid-palate still had remarkable, rich red fruit. Tannins have fully integrated but I wouldn't call them silky...close, but not quite. A little acidity was left but became quickly unnoticeable. Just an absolutely fantastic way to enjoy a beautiful Monday afternoon. If I buy more I will drink them within a year or two. What a treat!

3/30/2010 - delfino wrote:

Brioche! So subtle, so smooth....just a sultry wine. Great bead and decent mousse for 25 years....others found it sweet, I did not. Paired with a triple-cream brie from Burgundy....ridiculous. As one friend put it, "This stuff could make you fall off the wagon."

12/14/2009 - delfino wrote:

too young. still quite good. wait 2 more years to try next one.

6/25/2009 - delfino wrote:

Had a magnum of this at the end of February this year. Most special bottle I think I've ever had and the wine was equally phenomenal, heheh. Funny how wine can make a night forever.

6/12/2009 - delfino wrote:

Atrocious. Tastes like the dude who makes the sugar-glazed-super-butter-croissants in the morning and the dude respomsible for making this wine just switched jobs for the day. No offense to the baker, I LOVE those little breakfast bombs, but the wine.....tasting it was uh, uncomfortable. It was more like it was tasting ME, cramming it's sugarsoakedbutterbreath down my pipes like some hormonally ravaged teen flailing thru his first kiss. Yes, it was that bad. This wine should owe ME points for having drunk it. I award myself a 94+.

(Note: I had to replace my entire kitchen plumbing system subsequent to disposing of this wine down my drain. Yes...unbelievably, this wine killed my pipes)

4/30/2009 - delfino wrote:

I recently drank 4 of these babies over period of about a month. I too can attest to noticeable bottle variation as others have noted. One bottle I had was great, one I didn't finish and the other 2 were so-so. I'm done with these. It's like a damn See's candy case- whadja get?...creamy vanilla?...silky raspberry?...or the dreaded nut-crazy nougat nightmare? Pisses me off since that 1 bottle I had was great- and cheap. Next!

4/17/2009 - delfino wrote:

Fantastic deal at $20 a bottle. Just a real nice aged Bordeaux. Good wine, the nose is the shining point. Peaking, but will hold and continue to develop a little bit. Just starting to brick at the rim, but still dark throughout with great legs. No rush. Got 2 left but I know in the back of my head they'll be gone within weeks...just a damn fine wine. Lucky me. By the way, I just remembered that K&L recently got a ton in @ $25 a bottle, for what it's worth.

3/15/2009 - delfino wrote:

Not real familiar with this grape, the Tempranillo. Still drinking the bottle, but what a nose! Nice Bordeaux-like nose gives way to a really silky, elegant wine. I don't like fruit forward wines but this has great fruit without being overpowering or sweet. I'd wait another year or two or three for the next, but drinking well now. Paid $35 for it today...good wine but certainly not rushing back to the store at that price- but at $25 I'd buy a case. Great gift wine...I'd be shocked to hear that someone doesn't like this right now.

3/11/2009 - delfino wrote:

Good, but not great. Slight bricking, still inky dark plum in color. Took an 1-2 hours to fully open, then great classic nose of vanilla, cedar and tobacco. Heavy stone flavor with a strange zing- almost like the sensation of licking a battery, tho obviously less intense. Fairly complex with nicely balanced sweet fruit. Years left, but likely peaking in one more, maybe two. Didn't do enough for me to buy more of, but an enjoyable learning experience all the same.

3/1/2009 - delfino wrote:

Clearly not dead. In fact, for the first several hours it was as closed as a bank on Sunday. Orange at the rim, but modestly so. 6-7 hours later the wine began to open up, and though it was definitely great, I'd wait another 5 years if I could do it again.

3/1/2009 - delfino wrote:

Good, but a fruitbomb. Maybe it's just me. Regardless, I tossed one in the cellar to forget about, curious what 3 more years will do. We'll see.

2/27/2009 - delfino wrote:

Past an enjoyable drinking point- at least this bottle was.

2/27/2009 - delfino wrote:

Had one left, bought a year ago from an auction. Night and day from last experience. Wine was gone.

2/16/2009 - delfino wrote:

BIG wine. Barnyard nose. Long. Lots going on, needs more time to come together. I enjoyed it but would wait if I had more.

2/8/2009 - delfino wrote:

I did not like this wine. It wasn't horrible, but I kept tasting it out of some odd curiousity. Couldn't figure out exactly what I didn't like...very odd wine. Strangely, it appeared very aged, deep brick in color at the edges- too much so for a 14 year old Meyney from a good vintage. Who knows. Didn't finish the bottle.

2/8/2009 - delfino wrote:

Cork was a MESS. Wine was way gone.

2/4/2009 - delfino wrote:

Wow. Pulled from the cellar, fill was at the shoulder, cork was 80% soaked but came out intact. Lots of white crystals at the top when the capsule was removed. This wine was one wonderful surprise. Upon opening the nose hit immediately; leather, vanilla and surprisingly- fruit. It sat for about 10 minutes or so in the bottle and was then poured but not decanted. Fantastic, rich nose and so delicious! The fruit didn't hit until about 10 seconds in and I couldn't believe the length. It just went on and lingered. This wine was layered, balanced and subtly intense. I was really very, very impressed. I have one left and will drink it within a couple months. The wine was a bit thin, but not terribly so, given the age. It was cloudy throughout and brown at the edge. There was a good, but not ridiculous, amount of sediment. I imagine this wine was even better 1 or 3 years ago, but who knows? I certainly would recommend it now tho, if you have the opportunity.

1/17/2009 - delfino wrote:

We'll have flying cars before I'll open this bottle.