Tried this the other day when the cork fell out:
1. JosephPhelpsVnyd JohannisbergRiesling StantonEstate/NapaVlly Selected LateHrvst (10.9%; RS: 10%) 1975: Deep golden bronze/browning/rather murky color; very strong botrytis/apricotty/peachy slight earthy fairly complex old TBA nose w/ no signs of oxidation other than the color; some tart/tangy/metallic quite sweet intense botrytis/peachy/apricotty light earthy flavor; very long/lingering very intense botrytis/peachy/apricotty slight earthy finish; not a whole lot of complexity or evolution like you get in a German BA/TBA, just a ton of botrytis. $16.50 (K)
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A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. The cork seal was not in a very good position. I stood the btl upright and a few days later when I had it on its side, the cork popped out & much of the wine leaked out of the btl, leaving behind about a third of the wine. This was after the btl had stood upright for about a month, with no signs the cork was compromised.
This was a pretty classic example of an old Calif BA/TBA. Just a ton of botrytis but no real evolution or development. Sort of in suspended animation. It's a very good dessert Riesling but not the evolution that you'd like in this wine. Probably w/ greater acidity, you'd get that.
This was one of the early botrytis Riesling made a Phelps by Walter Schug.
Tom