Tried these two last night:
1. Mas de DaumasGassac VdP de l'Herault/HauteVallee du Gassac RTW (MeBaD; 13%; 80% CabSauv) V.Guibert de la Vaissiere/Aniane 1989: Very dark color w/ slight bricking; slight bretty/unclean rather earthy/dusty some boysenberry/black curranty/licorice some pungent/mineral fairly complex slight old CdP-like very interesting nose; bit tannic/dried out earthy/dusty/mineral light blackberry/black curranty bit bretty/unclean/funky fairly soft/smooth slight rustic/coarse flavor; med.long earthy/dusty/mineral slight tannic/dried out licorice/blackcurranty some complex finish w/ light tannins; still very much alive & rather earthy/rustic but not the dramatic development I expected.
_________________
2. Domaine du RieuFrais Syrah VdP des Coteaux des Baronnies (MeBalP; 12.5%) Viticulteur/Liotad J.Yves/SainteJalle 1990: Med.color w/ some bricking; some smokey/meaty/beef jerky light blackberry/Syrah light dusty/coffee attractive complex nose; soft/smooth light blackberry/Syrah light pencilly/oaky/meaty/smokey slight dusty/coffee complex flavor; med.long slight tannic/dried out light blackberry/Syrah/pencilly slight meaty/smokey rather smooth/elegant finish; an elegant old lady, still smoking a pack-a-day, who should've died yrs ago of lung cancer.
___________________________________
A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. This is a wine I bought yrs ago because it was cheap. And a Syrah. And very dark/black. I stumbled upon it last night and figured it'd be dead & gone. When I first opened it last night, it was indeed just that....some oxidized & old & tired on the palate, rather tannic & dried out. I didn't bother to take notes & was going to dump it out, but didn't get around to it.
What a surprise when I tried it this morning. That old/tired character had vanished, leaving this lovely/gentle old Syrah that was quite a pleasure to drink w/ my bowl of Wheaties/Breakfast of Champions.
I've not seen this producer (http://producteur-vin-vente-directe-de- ... dex_en.php)
in the USofA in many a year, but I gather he's still producing wine.
Sometimes you take a flyer...and win one.
Tom