Both wines were properly stored since release, had good fills still in
the neck, and had no cork issues.

Chateau Lascombes 1975: For very many years, this wine was extremely
harsh. I would rather drink water than it early on. Now the wine still
has good deep color with only slight age showing around the rim. Some
fairly typical dark fruit is now showing in the bouquet and taste. I
now can drink it with some pleasure with the right food. It still has
plenty of acid and tannin andis a good grease cutter with very fat
meat.

Talley Vineyards 1991 Chardonnay Arroya Grande Valley. This is an
estate wine made from grapes in the Talley family vineyard in southern
San Luis Obispo County in California. Chardonnay from this region
sometimes can age well for many years.This wine is still holding well.
It has developed a rather intense herbal character that reminds me of
horehound. This herb was used much more many years ago, and I had a
grandmother who used horehound cough drops. There also was a hint of
floral honey, although the Chardonnay was dry. I do not fancy
horehound very much, and others may like this wine much better than I
did. It is one of the most unusual Chardonnays that I have every
tasted.

On Dec 14, 1:55*am, cwdjrxyz > wrote:
> Both wines were properly stored since release, had good fills still in
> the neck, and had no cork issues.
>
> Chateau Lascombes 1975: For very many years, this wine was extremely
> harsh. I would rather drink water than it early on. Now the wine still
> has good deep color with only slight age showing around the rim. Some
> fairly typical dark fruit is now showing in the bouquet and taste. I
> now can drink it with some pleasure with the right food. It still has
> plenty of acid and tannin andis a good grease cutter with very fat
> meat.
>
> Talley Vineyards 1991 Chardonnay Arroya Grande Valley. This is an
> estate wine made from grapes in the Talley family vineyard in southern
> San Luis Obispo County in California. Chardonnay from this region
> sometimes can age well for many years.This wine is still holding well.
> It has developed a rather intense herbal character that reminds me of
> horehound. This herb was used much more many years ago, and I had a
> grandmother who used horehound cough drops. There also was a hint of
> floral honey, although the Chardonnay was dry. I do not fancy
> horehound very much, and others may like this wine much better than I
> did. It is one of the most unusual Chardonnays that I have every
> tasted.

I have had older Talley Chardonnay a number of times and probably the
1992 more often thna any other and they are perhaps the best aging
California Chardonnay I have tasted. I do know "horehound" and
understand your aversion as my grandfather used to always carry a
small sack of horehound candies with him to cover up the whiskey on
his breath!

In your post from 2004 and 2008 I see that you have a bottle of wine from my great great grand father. The wine is Compania Mata Moscatel 1816. Unfortunatly the family winery was sold in 1964. Today I am searching for the few bottles left. I have found some bottles in Geneva, Chicago, and Germany. The oldest I have found is from 1928. Will it be possible for you to let me know where you found this bottle? Do you know if there are any more left?
Best regards, and thank you in advance for your cosideration,

Patrick Mata.