1966 Leoville Poyferre-
Cork soaked 8/10ths, firm and sealed at the top. Color dark ruby amber with a dense core. Did not decant, bottle stood up 2 days in advance for sediment, pop and poured, drank tru a dinner of 2.5 hours. A real time capsule of a wine that had been sleeping soundly for 46 years. At first a little shy, tight, and hidden both on the nose and pallet. I mentioned to everyone at the table, to give it some time (air) as you too would be a little sleeply after such a long hibernation. As the wine opened up (20min.) it was like opening the doors to an old barn and blacksmith shop where horses had once been kept and tended to. At the forefront I got this Semi-sweet and tart plum, and a hint of soy, added to dirt, and smokey charred oak and truffles with a wiff of hay and animals, finishing off in a firm acidic backbone and silky fine tannins just hiding in the background. This wine gained viscosity as it sat in the bottle waiting consumptioned, went esquisitely with our Steak Tartare and other beef dishes. It served all glasses but the last pour which was filled with sediment (I learned with bottles of this age to keep the bottle in front of you and do the pouring yourself to keep the overly excited from turning the bottle into a carnival ride). I had previously heard of these huge tannic behemoths of 1966 and this my my first experience. I’ll be on the lookout now for any well kept bottles that I come across.
1995 Dominus Napa Valley, Napanook Vineyard-
This also was a pleasant curiosity. I believe as the story goes Dominus stamped all single vineyard Napanook wines with a diagonal red stamping for the vintages of 1991-1996, but discontinued it as it confused between their red blend. We all shared the Napanook single vineyard from the wonderful, balanced, and structured 1995 vintage. What a wonderful CA version of a French Bordeaux, California fruit and richness in a European tailored suit is my notes on this wine. Perfect time to open these bottles if you like young, rich berries that are halfway in the doorway to maturity as this wine had the characteristic of both. I will add though that this was a well stored bottle in my posessing since purschase, cork solid and dry, staining 1/8 inch in. This was WOTN for the group.
As for me I me, I liked the 1966 best and for its time capsule effect. But then I still have my record collection of vinyl and a record player in my home; go figure.
Kevin Ham
There are no good old wines, only good bottles of old wines. said before