Tuesday, June 24 2008
Drinking the Century
Actual bottle not shown: at 108, it wasn't up for a photo session
According to Decanter magazine, a bottle of pre-Phylloxera 1900 Rioja was consumed at a publicity dinner held by Christies auction house. How does a 108 year-old bottle of Tempranillo blend taste? Not bad, apparently:
Medium-deep red with some brick tones, but still bright. Cherry aromas on the nose, exquisitely perfumed and sweet. Medium-bodied, utterly smooth and silky, still remarkably fresh, a touch faded but by no means lacking fruit. The balance is excellent, with no trace of dryness, and the long finish has lift and freshness. Remarkable. 19.5 points
I'd take a glass. Interestingly, because the bottle had its original cork intact, they used the old 'red hot tongs and ice water' technique to extract the cork without crumbling it. I've only done this once before (on a bottle of very old vintage Port) and while it's surprisingly simple it can be terribly nerve wracking. Video of the action here.
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