Very cool wine and great review. Agree that the bottle size can make a big difference. I haven't had many older half bottles, but I did find a great deal on a Mouton 1986 half bottle. I'd never had Mouton, and I knew this to be a great vintage, so I picked it up. It wasn't very good unfortunately, and I've heard that full bottles of 86 Mouton are spectacular right now. So good advice that I hope people listen to. I learned the hard way!
I have a 1945 D'Yquem in my cellar. I know where it was cellared since 1955 and I've had it since 1979 under excellent circumstances. I was born in 1945 and intend to open it on my 80th birthday. It's light brown and at the base of the neck.
560 CAD is a steal for a good aged D'Yquem - But also a fair price. D'Yquem is not in high demand atm, with a wine draught where noone in general is buying wine atm and dessert wines are hit harder atm. But a great price and I agree with your tasting notes, though I would point out that "oxydized" for new-to-wine viewers, does not mean old/bad in any way, as Sauternes's can be drunk for at least 200 yrs if the bottle was stored well and the cork held up.
barath: good points about sweet wines not getting pricing and oxidized. In my mind, oxidized in not a bad thing but natural for old wines. If it wasn't oxidized, I would be worried. But I agree...beginners hear the word oxidized and they associate negative vibes from that. Cheers!
@@TrophyWineHunter That last point is also my experience, and I can imagine that. When a bottle of wine is stored in a wine cellar under good conditions (what also applies to a Sauternes). And the cork closes the wine properly, creating a normal bottle development. Even after many years, provided the cork does its job well. Under the influence of a minimum of air in the bottle. And perhaps after many years, through a little bit of air that lets the cork through. No worries, this little bit of air also needs a wine for a healthy bottle development. You may wonder if you should call this normal bottle development oxidation. And of course, one wine can have more development than the other, certainly older bottles, due to different storage conditions. Or simply through different years. In my opinion, many people confuse normal bottle development with oxidation. Which, honestly, has a somewhat negative sound. I personally prefer to speak of oxidation, if a wine has been under the influence of excessive air for a long time (then a wine clearly shows negative oxidative scents and flavors, which there is no doubt about). But that is not the case with good normal bottle development. A tawny Port or Madeira etc, is under the influence of air for a long time, controlled, there it has a positive effect on smell, taste, complexity. However, that is another story. Today I tasted a white Rioja Reserva from 1988. Eldorado de Murrieta Ygay. The wine showed a beautiful healthy bottle development and color. And a phenomenal balanced smell, taste and complexity. There was excellent bottle development, but no oxidation. Then the wine would have been as it should not be. With features, such as an incorrect Sherry or dry Madeira. In such a case I use the word, oxidized. Normally I prefer not to use the word oxidation, In the case of normal bottle development with old wines. Cheers!
@@marcusvandenbroek8957 good point! I should re emphasize in future videos that oxidation is a natural process in older wines and not necessarily negative. Cheers!
@@TrophyWineHunter I think that's an excellent idea! Some nuance and clarification on this subject seems to me to be a recommendation. Regarding a minimal positive oxidation, more or less controlled, by a good bottle closure. Versus, a negative oxidation, due to a bad cork occlusion. So actually an uncontrolled oxidation (development). As a result, too much air reaches the wine. With in extreme cases a wine, which shows negative oxidative characteristics. From a mediocre colheita Port, Marsala, Sherry or even old vermouth. Thank you for your response Tony.
I was thinking it did look a little maderized. I had a friend who has been gone a few years that had a case from the late 90s. He never got a chance to drink any. I had a bottle I bought in the early 70s that just was a little too sweet for me.
