Chateau Rauzan Segla 1986

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "The 1986 Rauzan-Segla is held up as one of the best wines of that decade. Now at 30 years old, it has an initially tightly wound bouquet that demands coaxing from the glass. It eventually offers exquisite aromas of small red cherries, cranberry jus, confit dates and briary, a hint of sandalwood tucked underneath. You would never describe the aromatics as "explosive" but it seems to gain in intensity. The palate is medium-bodied with a slightly savory entry. There is good structure here, but there is a sweet seam of fig and candied orange peel that to be honest, does not quite match the personality of the wine. My hunch is that this Rauzan-Segla is approaching the end of its drinking plateau, but any "decline" is going to be gradual and graceful. Drink now if you can, though I am certain large format bottles will have much more to offer. Tasted July 2016."

FALSTAFF: "Dunkles Karmingranat, zarter Ockerrand, Wasserrand. In der Nase zart animalisch, dunkle Beerenfrucht, Amarenakirschen, Lakritze, leicht verstaubtes Bukett (nicht ganz klar und präzise). Saftig, süß, reife Zwetschgen, präsente, kraftvolle Tannine, schwarze Kirschen und etwas Lakritze, extraktsüßer Nachhall, guter Speisenbegleiter, zarte Bitterschokolade, eine Spur trocken im Abgang."