I was rummaging around the cellar last week and found an old bottle without a label or capsule, that had leaked quite badly. Around 15 years ago, I bought a parcel of old Burgs out of Paris that included a couple of old DRC’s and I suspected it was one of these. I took the bottle upstairs, got out the high-powered torch and discovered it was a 1948 La Tâche. It had lost around a third of its contents but the colour still looked good. Last night we drank it with great success.
1948 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche, Grand Cru: There was a faint whiff of nutty aldehyde and plenty of iodine. It had the usual beef stock and Hoisin that I associate with La Tâche and a honeyed sweetness at its core. It was full, rich and heady, quite a powerful wine and one full of savoury nuance. It had a slippery, oyster like texture but was light on its feet and remained strong in the glass over a couple of hours. Length was very good.