This wine is currently for sale at the Del Mar Wine Company for about 89 bucks.  Big money, to be sure, but there are not many places in town selling 15+ year old Bordeaux in town.  Part of the reason the wine can still be found from time to time at various retailers is that Robert Parker said that some bottles from Ducru in the years 1987-1990 had must odors.  One bad comment like that from the king, and your wine is still available 18 years later.  For whatever it's worth, Wine Spectator gave it a 92.

I enjoyed the wine quite a bit.  There were no musty odors in this bottle.  My bottle was in good condition, as was the cork.  No evidence of TCA or bad storage.  The wine has a medium dark purple color, and a nice Bordeaux bouquet of truffles, chocolate, lead pencil, mineral, and black currants.  The wine, which was reported as tannic 10 years ago has shedded almost all of its tannin, and is now fully mature.  The fruit has held up well, and the wine is at its pinnacle.  The finish is smooth and of moderate length.

For anyone who wants to experience fully aged Bordeax, this would be a good (albeit expensive) example.  Of course the best way to experience old Bordeauxs is to age them yourself if you have the ability.  If you have this bottle in your cellar, there is nothing to be gained from holding it longer, and the wine will probably start losing its fruit in the not too distant future.

4 stars.

If anyone has had this wine and wants to leave a comment, please click below.

 

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