WTN: '86 La Lagune & decanting experience

With grilled herbed crusted lamb chops went to the cellar looking for a Bordeaux. Had one lonesome bottle of '86 La Lagune and popped the cork in the afternoon. Poured a little in a small glass and it showed nothing. Decanted the wine and set it back in the cellar to coax it open and keep it from getting too warm. After 2 hours tried it again and it was beginning to open but still very tight. With dinner poured the wine in large Riedel Bordeaux glasses and the wine finally began to sing.


Very bright, deep red color with hints of currant on the nose. The fruit was quite large of strawberry and rasberry and a good dose of leather. Tannins were definitely present in the background and some may say too much. This wine had a huge finish. A nice Bordeaux that is just beginning to enter it's drinking window but I would much prefer it in 5+ years. Unfortunately my only bottle.

Walt

[Jenise]

Walt, thanks. I have just one bottle of this, and without a note like yours I'd be in danger of drinking electing it for our next anniversary over some of the loftier 86's I own.

We did a 1986 horizontal last year. No la Lagune, but most wines were doubledecanted (with a few hours open air time) well in advance. That was enough for some (Talbot was a pointe in particular), several (most?) others still needed time to improve in glass.