July 13, 2022 - It’s like drinking a supreme pizza. Aged tobacco, roasted green veggies, dried raspberries, supple tannins, lively acid. This is not a fruit forward wine but that’s consistent with the younger vintages I’ve had of this. Plenty of life left.
January 3, 2022 - Well melded and balanced wine. went excellently with pork tenderloin with a fig, orange apricot glaze
August 2, 2021 - Been holding this for some time. Mold on the top of the cork. Quite fragile. The Durand was necessary. Very floral. Brick-like color. Some tea-like notes as well. Was expecting more of the classic green pepper, but didn't pick up on that. Maybe a little smoke and leather. We don't drink a ton of old(er) wines, so this definitely presented 'old' in a bit of an 'old soul' kind of way. Exciting to've held this so long and to open it to celebrate 13 years.
May 18, 2021 - Every bottle of this secondary market purchase in 2019 has been consistent. Black mold on top of cork but remainder of cork pristine, fill into neck like prior bottles suggesting excellent storage.
Medium ruby with some bricking at rim. Takes about an hour to open up after pop and pour, showing a complex nose of red fruits, leather, moist earth, tea. Medium body, palate follows the nose, nice sweet aged complexity, excellent balance. Still some tannins but no harshness on a medium-long finish combined with plenty of fruit suggest this has years of good drinking ahead of it. Excellent-Outstanding. Nearing the end of my stash on this with only one bottle left. Will be sad to see it go.
February 6, 2021 - This bottle was definitely on the quiet side but still in very good shape. The usual Raffault aromatics and graceful structure but you have to lean in more than usual with this bottle. Lovely.
December 25, 2020 - Drinking wonderfully, with maturing red fruits, herbs, tobacco, earth and stones. Herbaceous but not vegetal. Nice, pillow-soft tannins. Still full of life.
December 11, 2020 - Decanted for 45 minutes. Dark garnet color with scarlet edges. Nose of savory green leaf, beautifully fragrant floral notes, currant, rocky earth, plum pits. Layers of lively plum, currant, anchoring earthy green elements, and tobacco gracing the palate. Smoothed tannin and still-bright acidity to keep things moving. Long finish of satisfying dark plum and peppery earth with grip and depth in spades. A surprisingly agile, fresh, and totally enjoyable wine at age 30.
October 24, 2020 - Decanted around 5pm and tasted over the next 5 hours. Medium garnet color with just a hint of bricking, fresher looking than I expected. Nose had cherry, florals and some smoky, earthy nuances. Over time it evolved quite a lot and had chocolate, sour cherry, some menthol and a nice juicy finish. Bright and energetic for a 30 year old wine. Elegant and reserved yet layered and very interesting. Not on its last legs by any means.
June 29, 2020 - Last bottle, now 4 years later, seemed a little muted, could be anything from mild TCA to bottle variation to simple age. Still tasty with faux chicken cassoulet.
May 29, 2020 - Served double blind, a big thanks to Nutty08 :) same bottle
This had a pale garnet color, which should have alerted me to its age, but the fresh acidity and vibrancy of the whole package had me fooled that it was a younger wine. The nose is strong, and leads with a full dose of green bell pepper. Some tomato leaf and band-aid follow on a second look later in the evening, confirming the diagnosis. The palate is lively and there are still quite a lot of dark fruits on it, that is, not too tertiary. Tannins are fully integrated though (another clue to its age) and soft, and long...
What a treat. True to form, a valuable learning experience.