I was the recipient of some generosity over the last few weeks. First, when a friend shared a bottle of Veuve Cliquot 1996 Grande Dame with me.....what a treat!
From memory, this was a complex wine featuring citrus, apple, nutty and yeasty flavors, rolled into a tight package with plenty of room to grow and gain. Elegant on the palate. Very nice Champagne.
Christmas Day, my brother finally opened the bottle of Sassicaia 1988 that I have been pestering him about. The bottle was a gift to him from a friend, at my brother's wedding back in '90, and he's been carting it around the country ever since. I told him if he didn't open it soon, he'd likely have some expensive vinegar on his hands.
The wine was youthful, still purplish, though showing some signs of age. Beautiful nose of cedar and lead pencil, with some forest floor and wild berries thrown in for good measure. On the palate the wine is powerful, showing the Cab Franc component. The tannins are fine - there are dark fruits, can I say brooding? The fruit expands on the palate and is quite mouth filling - I would say it was a chewy wine. The wine was left open for some time (even overnight) without any ill effects whatsoever. It was a real treat to taste. Thanks Luke.