Well, not really guzzle, more like decant off the sediment, pour, swirl, inhale, sip… Those descriptors don’t alliterate in the subject line.
Going to a close friend’s 50th birthday tonight. A two day party in a nearby mountain town.
I’ve had four really good-looking bottles standing up in my cellar for three months in preparation:
Two 1964 Martinez Lacuesta Rioja Reserva Especial
1964 Campo Viejo Rioja Reserva
1964 Giorgio Barbero e Figli Barolo Riserva
I’ll be off the grid for a couple of days, but will try to post photos and TN’s when I get back.
One of the things I love most about this wine hobby/passion/collection/obsession; sharing with friends, and in this case, their friends and family.
Cheers,
Warren
Nice, Warren! I hope your 64’s will show great! I am on a long celebration this year 
-Barolista: 180 Bottles Of Wine On The Wall...
I also have the Barolo from Barbero, please report back on how your bottle was!
Best
/Joakim
www.barolista.blogspot.se
MY FRIEND’S 50TH B-DAY, WITH SOME 50 Y.O. WINES - (8/8/2014)
I brought a mag of champagne and three bottles of '64 vintage wines to the party. I had stood them up in the cellar for three months, then transported them to the restaurant in Glacier, WA. Unfortunately, there were a few bumps on the way, and although the Rioja’s poured clear, the one Barolo poured cloudy. The corks all came out well with the help of Señor Durand. I Andouzed them for a couple of hours (that’s all the time we had), then decanted one at a time into my travel decanters (2 liter Erlenmeyer flasks). Unfortunately, the restaurant had generic glasses, lipped and somewhat crappy. The party was all non-wine drinkers, and I didn’t give the glasses another thought. As soon as I smelled the three riojas in the bottles, I new we were in for a fine vinous experience.
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NV Laurent-Perrier Champagne Brut L.P. - France, Champagne
We started the night with a magnum of this rock-steady crowd-pleaser. I’ve always liked these, especially out of a mag. Lemony, scarcely yeasty, mushrooms, no oxidation. Fine mouse lasted until all glasses were gone. I try to always keep a mag or two of this in my cellar, and have never had a complaint in many years and bottles.
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1964 Martinez Lacuesta Rioja Reserva Especial - Spain, La Rioja, Rioja
This smelled the most promising out of the bottle, so we poured it first. What a beauty. Bricking with a little dark red remaining, the clarity of this and the Campo Viejos were amazing after a decant for sediment. Loamy, rich earthy soil, leather and sweet tobacco (the 3 old riojas all had that in common). This had a little more sweet licorice and cranberries, and was overall a bigger wine that the Campos. Like the other riojas, this never faded before the glasses were drained. Wonderful wine, and not about to fall off any cliffs this decade.
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1964 Campo Viejo Rioja Reserva - Spain, La Rioja, Rioja
Really a nice showing on this one. I opened two bottles of this, with no perceptible bottle variation; they were truly identical.
I thought this would suffer following the gorgeous Lacuesta. I needn’t have worried. Bricked with some ruby red remaining. Crystal clear. Beautiful nose and palate with pipe tobacco, leather, orange peel, smoky brown spices. More restrained and elegant than the Lacuesta. I’d be hard pressed to pick of favorite.
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1964 Giorgio Barbero e Figli Barolo Riserva - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
The worst of the four '64’s. Although it stood up in the cellar for three months, the fine sediment might have suffered from the slightly bumpy drive. At first, it showed promise, some dark leathery fruit under the bottle funk. Very cloudy; tannic on the palate. Fell apart within minutes in the glass before shedding the old-bottle malodor.
None of the party-goers were serious wine drinkers, but each really payed attention and appreciated what was in the glass. Theses were wines that cut through boundaries between wine geeks and the occasional wine sippers. I like to think we’ve aged quite well, and it’s nice to see wines doing the same in their fifth decade. One of my favorite aspects of my wine hobby is sharing that obsession with friends and family.
Posted from CellarTracker