Mid-shoulder fill. The cork seemed firm (with a vein showing a bit of red). Removed with an Ah So - the cork was wet and crumbly below the very top of the seal. The first pour displayed a pretty strong shot of brown through the glass with a bit of balsamic on the nose.
Yet the wine is far from shot on the palate. A nice, strong consistent palate of mature black fruits with a nice 30-40 second finish. Tannins, not surprisingly, are fully resolved. As the wine grabbed some air, the balsamic notes receded, in favor of whiffs of blackberry/black cherry compote and a touch of chocolate.
Certainly no more upside on this bottle, but better than expected, particularly after drawing the cork. Worked well with a roasted chicken.