Sunday, March 19, 2023 - Such a beautiful and poignant pleasant surprise. Opened for my father in law’s 80th birthday and expected something historically interesting but way past its prime.
First good sign was the cork — I opened with a Durand but could have used a regular corkscrew — it held together great. Next good sign was the color — lighter red-brown, like a young amontillado.
Nose — deep rich caramel and apricots. Fresh apricots! At 80 years. Depth and complexity off the charts, felt like exploring the story of the 80 years.
Palate — vibrant fresh acid (the apricots again) and that long caramel. The freshness was stunning. If the color was lighter I could have believed 20 years old. Moderate sweetness.
Finish — like the nose, long and gorgeously integrated and savory but still fresh.
Again — beautiful surprise. Incredibly grateful to have lucked into such a beautifully preserved bottle.