Enjoyed a 30 year old bottle of wine last night... | FerrariChat

Enjoyed a 30 year old bottle of wine last night...

Discussion in 'Drink, Smoke, and Fine Dining' started by rob lay, Jan 13, 2004.

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  1. rob lay

    rob lay Administrator
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    Dec 1, 2000
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    I'd been saving this 1974 Robert Mondavi Cab I bought on winebid.com many years ago. I've never drank an older wine than this before. The cork looked well sealed, but was very fragile. The cork broke in two, but still came out in two pieces nicely. No cork went into the bottle.

    I'm not a wine expert, but the initial smell was pretty good. I was worried that it would taste terrible as maybe it had gone bad. So my first taste was more of "is this edible?". I was very pleased and as it aired out it got even better. The only distinction I could tell from the hundreds of other younger reds I've drank was that it was smooth. Most young reds have a pucker factor ripeness to them. Sorry to describe it this way, but it was like a room temperature grape juice smoothness. There was some sediment in the bottom and I've never seen that in a wine bottle before.

    I don't know enough to say if this was truly a great or average wine, but I really enjoyed the experience of drinking a 30 year old wine.
     
  2. kenny

    kenny Formula Junior

    Nov 9, 2003
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    Did ya forget to store the bottle lying down, so the wine juices soak up the coak preventing it from drying out and breaking when you open it??
     
  3. FerrariFrank1

    FerrariFrank1 F1 Rookie

    Aug 15, 2003
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    I have a 20 year old bottle of Bolla Valpolicella (Italian Dry Red Wine) That I got back in 1986. It came in a Black,Tin box,with a bottle of White Wine. It was packaged,back then as 2 bottles of "Vintage" 1984 (2 years,at that time) Wines. I drank the bottle of White several years ago. But,kept the bottle of Red,in the Tin box,always stored on it's side,and rotated periodically,in cool temperature. Usually,I could never save something like that for so long. But,I did in this case. I really don't drink anymore,so was thinking of putting it on EBay to see what I could get for it. Otherwise,maybe I'll just keep saving it. It's really kind of cool. The black Tin box is all dusty. But,when you open it up,the inside of the box is "velvety",and clean. The bottle of Wine is super clean and shiny.
     
  4. rob lay

    rob lay Administrator
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    Dec 1, 2000
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    Yes, don't know previous storage before 4 years ago, but I store all my wine horizontal in a wine cooler. It was almost like it was too moist, very fragile, but wet.
     
  5. jimpo1

    jimpo1 Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Jul 30, 2001
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    C'mon Rob, tell them WHY you drank a '30' year old bottle! If you don't I will! :D
     
  6. FerrariFrank1

    FerrariFrank1 F1 Rookie

    Aug 15, 2003
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    I'm a little leary,if I do decide to drink that Bottle that I have. I think it's either going to be great,aged,tasty. Or,Vinegar. But,it has been stored properly,so I'm thinking,Good :)
     
  7. rcallahan

    rcallahan F1 Rookie
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    Jul 15, 2002
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    I have a friend that has hundreds of bottles of old wine, mostly early seventys. he gives me 4 or 5 bottles per month, and eventhough the wines are stored properly, many times the cork is too fragile to come out with the normal cork screw. Have you thought of using an "Ah So"? (the kind that has two prongs that rotates the cork out?

    Last week we had a magnum of '47 Cos Estournal and could not get the cork out. Finally the cork ended up in the wine, but after decanting the wine was marvelous.

    Bob
     
  8. F328 BobD

    F328 BobD Formula 3

    Mar 17, 2001
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    I agree here, there must have been some reason why you busted this bottle open!!! What was the occasion???
     
  9. rob lay

    rob lay Administrator
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    Dec 1, 2000
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    I've gone an entire month without a Southlake speeding ticket! :D
     
  10. jimpo1

    jimpo1 Two Time F1 World Champ
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    30 days w/o ticket = 30 year old bottle of wine.

    Nice try Rob, but NOT!
     
  11. Wolfgang

    Wolfgang F1 World Champ
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    Mar 8, 2003
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    Rob = Texan
    Texan = Blues
    ...maybe he got the "Blues" last night?
     
  12. jimpo1

    jimpo1 Two Time F1 World Champ
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    I SAW THAT EDIT ROB!!!!!

    I'm on to you, and Tillman is too!
     
  13. Wolfgang

    Wolfgang F1 World Champ
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    ...me too!
    And sometimes it helps to talk about it!
     
  14. GrigioGuy

    GrigioGuy Splenda Daddy
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    It was I that edited it. I figured he could tell it himself.

    If he doesn't, the gif comes back :D
     
  15. Wolfgang

    Wolfgang F1 World Champ
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    Rob, I`ll play the "Blues" for you
     
  16. rob lay

    rob lay Administrator
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    That's good Tillman. Very true. Downhill is easier, right? :)
     
  17. GrigioGuy

    GrigioGuy Splenda Daddy
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    Ya had yer chance....
     
  18. Wolfgang

    Wolfgang F1 World Champ
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    Mhmm, in Germany "over the hill" is something like you turned 40th.
    That means: Half Time = Midlife Crises ????
    Rob, whats up with you?
    Sorry, if I`m wrong.
     
  19. F328 BobD

    F328 BobD Formula 3

    Mar 17, 2001
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    How about Irving, huh? Has it been 30 days there? :)

    I think it's 30 something... but I don't think it has anything to do with days or tickets.
     
  20. jimpo1

    jimpo1 Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Here's a hint boys and girls, the wine was '30 YEARS OLD'.
     
  21. jordan747_400

    jordan747_400 F1 Veteran
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    Hm, did someone have their 30th birthday? :)
     
  22. Ed P.

    Ed P. Formula 3

    Dec 28, 2002
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    Happy Birthday Rob (old timer!) lol... Hey, don't sweat it, I just turned 40.
     
  23. Gilles27

    Gilles27 F1 World Champ

    Mar 16, 2002
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    30?! Life's just about to start getting good, old man. Happy birthday...
     
  24. MikeF

    MikeF Karting

    Nov 4, 2003
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    I have a date with a 30 year old this weekend! I hope she is not a wine-er!

    If all goes well, I think I'll invite her to come with me to Cavallino.
     
  25. kdross

    kdross Formula Junior
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    Feb 10, 2002
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    Rob:

    When my wife and I returned from our honeymoon about 10 years ago, I had a 1959 Mouton Rothchild. I paid about $1,000 for the bottle, but it was the an absolutely wonderful bottle and worth every penny (I still have the bottle). It was properly stored and had a great fill level.

    I have since sold most of my wine collection (mostly french bordeaux - first growths), but I still have a few great bottles left. When I graduate law school next year I will open my last bottle of 1945 Chateau Lafite. I would love to get a bottle of 1928 Chateau Latour or a bottle of 1900 Chateau Margaux, but I think they are a little past my budget right now.

    Ken
     

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