May 21, 2023 - 20 Mature Magnums (mostly Bdx, w/ Unico, Vogue Musigny, Marthas): From magnum, tasted double blind. No detailed notes taken. I was so consumed by the incredible Vogue Musigny 1952 in the next glass, that I didn’t give this enough attention. But part of the reason for that is that this paled in comparison. While it had a beautiful sweet fruit core, there was not much more. A bit of tertiary notes and herbs but overall a bit unimpressive vs the competition. Still, definitely an ok to good wine without fault.
May 6, 2023 - Magnum Rarities Tasting in Zurich (Zunfthaus zur Waag, Zurich): From Magnum and tasted blind. A limited aroma palette, but what was there was precise and intense: Tobacco, leather and concentrated fruit of cassis and brambleberry. A juicy, fruit -forward palate with tangible, slightly mouthcoating tannin. Incredibly youthful and I would have guessed 80ies. We later on also had the 1982 and this was clearly superior.
May 6, 2023 - Annual Richter All-Magnum Extravaganza: Dense, overripe nose, dried figs, malt, espresso, slightly oxidative. Not an ideal bottle of this wine
April 4, 2021 - English Bottled by Hankey Bannister. I bought two bottles at Strakers in about 2017 for not very much, the other was low-mid shoulder and drinkable, just, this one a better mid shoulder. Slow oxygenated for 10 hours.
Good colour, faded rim but garnet core. The nose isn’t great, stables, rubber, vestige of fruit. Flavour, resolved claret, cranberry and pomegranate fruit, nice. Much better than the nose would suggest. Drying out quite a bit but holds up well enough in the glass. A pleasant, faded old wine. Glad to have been able to drink this. A wine from a different time
June 1, 2019 - Cheval Blanc Vertical ‘Chez Elke’ (Hotel Hohenzollern, Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler): Corked - but the wine behind shows the richness of this wine...
What a shame
June 1, 2019 - Sadly corked bottle.
March 26, 2019 - An Evening of Vinous Merriment and Majesty Among Friends (Craft, New York): Classic right bank profile with dark fruit but not heavy at all. A more evolved nose compared to the '52 and '53 tasted alongside. Still firmly tannic.
August 16, 2018 - Great Wine Seminar. British bottled. Unbelievably dark. Dull.
December 24, 2017 - English bottled by Hankey Bannister. Tatty label and low-mid shoulder, a cheapish, risky auction purchase. I opened this at noon, cork came out in 2 pieces. Distinctly oxidised nose. Smelt well gone. Six hours later not much change, too old. A taste, maderised but there is some fruit here nonetheless. However not good enough to drink with dinner so I opened something else. At 11 hours after opening, still a strong whiff of oxidation on the nose but there is some fruit. To taste now, this is drinkable and there is some fruit, certainly improved on earlier but a bit dried out and lots of oxidative raisin notes. Tastes better than it smells. This would have been a big wine. I put the rest in some small bottles I had and have put them in the fridge. Will taste again tomorrow but with low expectations. On the second day the oxidised notes had gone altogether. This needed nearly 24 hours of slow oxidation to bring it to peak condition. Not a profound drinking experience but I was able to enjoy the bottle.
October 6, 2017 - Bottle with original cork. Still very dark ruby red colour, nose of liquorice, strawberry, cedars, leather - outstanding. Good level of acidity, Tannins exactly where they should be, still so present. Plums, slightly smoky but over all full bodied. I guess it depends on the bottle but this one is a real stunner!