Well this was a fun one! From half bottle. Dark brown in the glass like an old madeira…which is probably the closest description I can come up with for the palate as well! Nutty, Carmel in the mouth but with a huge burst of citrus/ acidity on the finish. Not as complex as an ancient madeira, but it’s at least in the same ballpark. VLong finish as well that keeps evolving for 45+ seconds. Great end to the evening, and a pleasure to drink this unicorn (4 left including mine it looks like in CT).
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Ugh that color. Botrytis infected Chard must have been a thing back in those days? Like my 89 Heitz Alicia A Nectar of Chardonnay…also botrytised fruit, 11% alc, made to drink more as a dessert wine…not as brown as yours 
…more burnt orange amber…it was more of an intrigue than good.
Good for you…keepin it interesting!
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Yeah, the color was not pretty, ha! But it was still at least ‘fun’ to try! Not mad i don’t have more but still glad i had it.
Wonder how these wines were when they were young??
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Rich,
When this Chard was young, it was just another heavily botrytised Calif white. Nothing to distinguish it as a Chard. Could have easily been a Riesling. Heavy botrytis tends to obliterate any varietal character.
Tom
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You’ve got quite the cellar! Very cool
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I’m out!
Lol
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Thanks Tom! Was really curious how this drank in it’s youth, and your comment makes sense. Interesting what it turned into, but I’m definitely not mad that i don’t have any more in the cellar 
The first truly heavy-botrytis wine was the '73 FreemarkAbbey Riesling Edelwein, a BA level wine.
Then in '75, they did a TBA level Riesling.
By the mid-70’s, winemakers were by then aware you could make botrytis wines in CA. Up until the early '70’s, the conventional wisdom in CA was the humidity was too low to be conducive to botrytis. As usual, “conventional wisdom” was once again wrong. In the late '70’s a bunch of winemakers were playing around w/ heavy botrytis. This Caymus was one of those.
I am, of course, glossing over the Wente Spatlese R '72 and the Wente Auslese R '73. Both from their Monterey vnyds. Wouldn’t be surprised if those are still interesting wines.
Tom
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Super interesting, thanks Tom!
I actually have a bottle of the 1969 Wente Spätlese which looks to be in pretty good condition (fingers crossed). Based on your comment, I’m assuming these were pretty solid in their youth, yeah?
Never had that in its youth, Rich. I don’t think those first Wentes had botrytis involved. Just Late Hrvst R.
Tom
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