"Cwdjrx _" > wrote in message
...
> Most older Chiantis that I have tasted were considerably younger than
> this 50 year old Ruffino Riserva Ducale Chianti 1955. In old age most of
> them had become very dry, astringent, and had lost nearly all fruit.
> Thus I was expecting to have to pour this 50 year old wine down the
> sink.
>
> The fill was just barely below the neck. The cork appeared sound and did
> not show any signs of leakage. The cork crumbled and nearly seemed
> cemented to the inside of the neck, so it took nearly 15 minutes to mine
> the cork out without getting cork crumbs in the wine. I nearly had to
> start a charcoal grill to heat port tongs to use on the bottle.
>
> The bottle had a bit of initial BO when opened as often happens in old
> wines, but this soon was gone. The color still was rather deep with some
> scarlet showing through but of brick color around the rim. There still
> was some typical fruit, although not as intense as in a good younger
> wine. The wine was rather smooth and round rather than the expected
> astringent. Some wood, stem character, and alcohol are beginning to show
> through. There was a hint of tawny port without the sweetness. Of course
> this wine peaked a few decades ago and is now in decline, but I am quite
> amazed that it still shows as well as it does.

Nice to hear that you didn't have to dump it! I really love Italian reds.
Wish I'd tasted it. I was just beginning 4th grade when those grapes were
harvested.

Tom S