This was  served for a friends 60th birthday.  It was decanted for sediment and allowed to breathe for 20 minutes before being poured into glasses and given another ten minutes.  I ended up letting the wine go another 45 minutes (checking in on it during that time) before consuming which seemed to me optimum.  The bottle was bought a few years ago at auction and seemed sound and looked legit.  Purple in color, a bit lighter at the core with some browning especially at the edges.  A bit flat and slightly opaque.  After blowing off some bottle stink and coming back to life, the nose is complex.  There is some cassis and cherries, along with a bit of balsamic, lots of cigar box, some fresh tobacco, a hint of soy and spice.  Medium to full bodied.  Great balance.  With air, the acidity came out a bit more.  On the palate, cherries, cassis, tea and leather notes with a bit of moist earthiness.  Good finish.  Undoubtedly, this bottle was past peak, but still provided so much interest.  Add, to that, a friends birth year wine and this was a 100 point experience.  The wine itself, though old, was outstanding.  One can only imagine what it was like twenty years ago.  

Grade: 
A-
Score: 
92
Vintage: 
1961
Current Price: 
$9417.00USD