So a friend, a professor of computer technology who maintained a home nearby while obtaining his doctorate at Berkeley, teaching at Vanderbilt for 20 years and then ending his career at Columbia in Manhattan before moving back to Birch Bay, acquired as gifts a number of big league wines including, for example, an '82 Leoville Barton and a '96 Grand Cru Burgundy (Grancey). He knew enough to know these wines had value but not enough to store or transport them properly, so these grand wines were passively stored since acquisition and endured two cross-continental trips in moving vans at the peak of summer heat.
Expecting the worst, he invited a few friends over last night to say goodbye to these old bottles. A Bruer Malbec-Shiraz blend from Australia was a sweet caramelly mess. A Barolo whose name I didn't catch didn't have much life left in it, and the Leoville Barton was black, cloudy and bitter. Better but not great was the Grancey--at least there was still some Burgundy character there.
Best by far was this one:
1991 Kanonkop Paul Sauer Simonsberg-Stellenbosch Red Bordeaux Blend
Standout among five 80's and 90's vintage wines that suffered lifetime passive cellaring and two trips across the U.S. in a moving van at the peak of summer heat. Bing cherry fruit, tobacco, graphite and sandalwood are evident as is the classic old world structure. One swoons to imagine what a bottle with pristeen provenance would be like.
In the spirit of the evening I brought the following wines:
1993 Chateau Ste. Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon Horse Heaven Vineyard Columbia Valley
A good showing: soft yet relatively youthful cabernet typicity but with no remaining tannins.
2001 Château Léoville Barton St. Julien Red Bordeaux Blend
Although not as aged as Chuck's wines, I pulled this as a comparison. Purple-black color. Sturdy, muscular and without any satisfying secondary nuances. 2nd to last bottle from a case purchased on release that has never shown well. Second of two bottles opened, the other was corked.
1972 Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Completely tertiary with tea and potpourri notes obscuring any reference to the underlying grape. It was, however, a tasty drink for those of us with the taste for old wines, and an impressive 50 year old entry level cab.
1995 Grosset Gaia Clare Valley Red Bordeaux Blend
Distinctly Australian nose of barley malt with sour cream and cherries, though that's more typical of McClaren Vale syrahs and I don't recall encountering it in a cabernet before. Similar on palate with rare beef, other red fruits and antique book leather. Andouzing for six hours prior to service brought some focus.