Happy 50th birthday! I always ask what were you doing when you drink a wine this old.
I am told by my Somm buddy who brought this bottle, this is To Kalon fruit even though it is not listed on the label. Excellent fill line. 12% ABV. 👏👏👏
Color is brickish on the edges but the color inside is still beautiful & solid.
This is a wine not to decant or a short one and pour it out w/ 6 people. It does get better in the glass.
The fruit is old but still ripe; blackberries, black raspberries, baked strawberries, stewed plum/cranberries, baked rhubarb, almost watermelon notes, mid berry cola, steeped tea, dry crushed rocks, dry twig, dry tobacco, sandalwood to some cedar, light dark spice notes, dry herbaceous notes, pine bar, some tarriness, anise, dark forest, dry leaves, some v/a-bandaid, dry river stone, decade red, dark, florals, excellent acidity, great evolution, balance, still has tension, with elegance & smart polish that lasts a minute.
Bottle acquired recently from the winery. — a month ago
Double decanted before service; enjoyed over a several hour period. The 1988 pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and significant signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with dried dark fruit, tobacco, mocha, grilled meat, mushrooms, damp earth and baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry. At this point, the tannins have integrated completely and are perceived as medium; acid is similar. Finish is medium. This leaned towards the more rustic, old school style of Bordeaux and I’m all for it. While this isn’t falling off a cliff, I would drink now. — 3 days ago
Great Cab Sauv forward blend 🫑 — 10 days ago
Unbeatable location and excellent wine list, this one jumped off the page at us. Not surprising as it was our wine of the year in 2022. It’s back with a vengeance in 2024, into the #1 spot again. Smooth, almost creamy, with classic dark fruits (cherry), dark chocolate and earthy, leathery finish. Perfect with our Chateaubriand 👌🏼 — 15 days ago
A classified growth Bordeaux is not normally my Thursday evening tipple but for some unknown reason I felt a little like celebrating. This is drinking quite well right now. Nose opens with just a little air to show cassis and blackberry, leather, moist gravel, and a subtle graphite note. In the mouth, it’s got medium concentration, with soft but abundant tannins in the background and surprisingly good acids. In the drier side. Not a blockbuster or long ager, but quite elegant. — a month ago
Doug Powers
Solid red color too the rim, mostly dried Redfruits with some developing mushroom/soy undertones, tannins are largely resolved with a medium-long finish, shows just a bit of the 1986 tannic/dry notes, at or very near peak, lovely older Bordeaux! — 8 hours ago