The "rare" wine tasting resumes

So as my cellar becomes increasingly stuffed as does my offsite storage I decided to open two more bottles from that gag case that Josh Wertlieb sent me. The other tasting notes and the whole story behind this can be found here and here. So tonights wines seem especially shall we say risky and I have the lowest expectations so far.


The first wine is the 1993 Horton Cabernet Franc from Orange County, Virginia. Many years back I actually attended a tasting at someone's house of over 40 Cabernet Franc's and another vintage of this wine placed sixth. I remember it being like a lighter Loire Cabernet Franc. This had the smell of death though. Dirty leaves that were semi-wet and semi-drying out. A pile of leaves I would not like to be pushed into. There is some excessive minty character too and stewed tomati. So excited to put this in my mouth! Ugggghh. Dead with some semblance of fruit and pretty rich. The mouthfeel us kind of weighty. The finish is all decaying leaves and leaves a high toned dirty cherry bitter sensation in your mouth. Now that is some rare wine! So rare I could only get the Norton label!


The second wine I have major trepidation to open, sniff and then . . .gulp . . .put in my mouth. It is the 1967 Domaine de Baumard "Logis de la Giraudiere" Anjou Rouge de Cepage Cabernet. The fill is high and the bottle looks in excellent condition but something in my head is saying do not put in mouth. Well cork goes right in as soon as it gets touched by the corkscrew. Nose smells like old Loire wine. Nothing offensive. Dust, cherries, mint, cassis and wet earth. Nothing special but not as bad as I thought. Leafy again. Very leafy. Palate is juicy but the fruit is long gone. Remnants in the middle but still very tannic as Anjou Rouge or Anjou Brissac I find never lose their tannins. Dusty and full tannins. The finish is non existent but not terrible.

There are four or five more bottles so the fun does not end for me!