TN: 1986 Ch. Potensac

I've been checking out some of my older Bordeaux lately, with generally good results. This one had a nice tight cork (I've been hitting a few corks that self destruct when opening lately).

Dark fruit in the nose, plummy and also spicy with an oriental flair - 'anise' trick if you can pull it off! I'd been cooking with fennel seeds earlier and also found a bit of that in the nose. Nice acidity levels gave it a juicy feel and although there is still significant tannins (the reason I had delayed drinking this for so long) they have softened sufficiently so as not to get in the way of the flavours.

All in all, a very decent showing.and further cellaring isn't going to improve the wine any further.

[David M. Bueker]

Probably cost $8 back then?

Probably more in my market. I didn't transcribe the prices paid for everything from my old wine program to Cellartracker. Next time I fire up my old Windows XP machine that still has the old program, I'll have a look.

Was curious so fired up the old computer. The 1986 Potensac was $18 and the 1995 was $36.

[David M. Bueker]

So $12-$14 depending on conversion at the time.

1.16 conversion rate in around 1989 when I would have bought it, so about $15.50 US at the time.

It hurts to look at historic wine prices - stuff that I used to buy for $70 is now selling here for $365 a bottle (La Chapelle Hermitage) or Sassicaia that I paid around $40 is now $275 on release....ackkk!