21
Aug
2023
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Category: Uncorked Tonight
I haven't had a Portuguese wine in a long time, so I spied this on the cellar shelf and decided maybe it was time to change that. 
Upon Opening ... For a 13-year-old wine, the cork comes out clean and easy. It's in great shape. Colour of the wine is good too. Impressive.
AROMAS ... Earthy with dark dried fruit, and a little bit of smokiness.
TASTE ... Similar to the nose ... Ready to drink ... Smoky, oaky, earthy. Silky across the tongue with good acidity. It's dropping off after the first hour but it's such a delicate wine when opened thatbl it drinks well right out of the bottle.
Open 1 hr ... I think the clock on this wine started ticking the moment the cork was popped. Within an hour there was oak notes layering themselves in on the dried fruit; and they kept getting stronger and stronger. Tertiary was taking. Each sip started to be less and less exciting and enticing.
Bottom Line ... This is a nice wine for about the first hour, after that it starts to fall apart. At the 2-hour mark. I was less interested in it, and moved on to water. Could I have continued to drink it? Sure. But it had lost it's enjoyability and appeal.
16
Aug
2023
- Details
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Category: Uncorked Tonight
This was one of those wines I had no Boudauhope for. I found it in the wine cellar and said, 15 year old Roussillon, I'll be lucky if it's any good. Now let's see if my assumption was right.
Upon Opening ... Cork breaks in half - hurray for my Durand opener, these things are a life saver with older wines. I push the broken piece back in and the cork comes out clean and intact.
AROMAS ... Dusty and spicy with subtle dried fruit (these are freeze-dried strawberry like nuances).
TASTE ... Intriguing - fruitier than the nose lets on, relatively smooth and clean; finish has the spice and acidity. Where is this going? I actually want to find out. I think I was wrong to under estimate this bottle.
Open 1 hr ... Super smooth and silky, fruit is dried and smoky, but subtly so. Most is of the dark-ish fruit variety with hints of licorice and mocha.
Open 1.5 hrs ... Silky smooth still, and really easy across the palate - exactly where you want it to be. There's fruit (dried), spice and acidity all nicely balanced. If the wine stays here I'll be a happy camper.
Open 2.5 - 3 hrs ... Still smooth, but the best of this wine's moments are starting to fade from view. Now we are on the downhill glide - I'll stop here and put this one to bed..
Bottom Line ... For a wine I expected nothing from this over-delivered. I was happy there was still some fruit to show, and although dried it was a nice foil for the acidity and was balanced by the spice; for awhile it was a pure pleasure to drink. If you've got any of this - drink it now.
