Well, I opened both bottles today. When I opened the the 1974 gold,
the cork slipped inside but kept intact. The rim had a little
corrosion. The color was murky amber brown; I would think that it was
once a reddish color. The taste was a little strong, however, I'm not
too sure if chianti is meant to be that way. I can't say I ever
remember having a chianti before. I like merlots. Anyways, I didn't
want to chance getting sick so down the drain it went while I reminised
the year (1974) I graduated from Ontario H.S. I then opened the 1977
classico and the cork came out intact and had no corrosion on the rim.
It was the same amber brown of the gold but not as murky. It tasted
about the same as the gold, not very good, and down the drain it went.
At the end of pouring the classico some black goop spilled out. Then I
noticed the black substance in both bottles on the bottom. Wondered
what it was?

Residue.



wrote:
> Well, I opened both bottles today. When I opened the the 1974 gold,
> the cork slipped inside but kept intact. The rim had a little
> corrosion. The color was murky amber brown; I would think that it
was
> once a reddish color. The taste was a little strong, however, I'm
not
> too sure if chianti is meant to be that way. I can't say I ever
> remember having a chianti before. I like merlots. Anyways, I didn't
> want to chance getting sick so down the drain it went while I
reminised
> the year (1974) I graduated from Ontario H.S. I then opened the 1977
> classico and the cork came out intact and had no corrosion on the
rim.
> It was the same amber brown of the gold but not as murky. It tasted
> about the same as the gold, not very good, and down the drain it
went.
> At the end of pouring the classico some black goop spilled out. Then
I
> noticed the black substance in both bottles on the bottom. Wondered
> what it was?

> wrote in message
oups.com...
> Well, I opened both bottles today. When I opened the the 1974 gold,
> the cork slipped inside but kept intact. The rim had a little
> corrosion. The color was murky amber brown; I would think that it was
> once a reddish color. The taste was a little strong, however, I'm not
> too sure if chianti is meant to be that way. I can't say I ever
> remember having a chianti before. I like merlots. Anyways, I didn't
> want to chance getting sick so down the drain it went

Aaugh! Wine - even over aged wine - will _never_ make you sick unless you
drink too much of it. Wine does not support the growth of pathogens.

I wish I'd had the opportunity to taste it. Perhaps it was over the hill
(quite likely considering the provenance) but it would have been
interesting.

> I then opened the 1977
> classico and the cork came out intact and had no corrosion on the rim.
> It was the same amber brown of the gold but not as murky. It tasted
> about the same as the gold, not very good, and down the drain it went.
> At the end of pouring the classico some black goop spilled out. Then I
> noticed the black substance in both bottles on the bottom. Wondered
> what it was?

Sounds like both bottles had thrown significant sediment in the bottle.
FWIW, simply opening those bottles and pouring them wasn't giving them the
best chance to show what - if anything - they had to offer. They needed to
have been left standing for awhile (a few days to several weeks) to let the
sediment settle to the bottom of the bottles, then carefully opened and
decanted away from that sediment so that the wine you drank was clear.
Murky wines don't taste very good.

Anyway, it's a done deal now - but you'll know better in the future.

Tom S

Thanks, folks. I learned a lot here. Sorry, Tom. I wish I had a
person like you who has good knowledge and would have liked to have
experienced the taste. Anyhow, funny thing, I was watching Disc 1 of
Season 3 of the Sopranos (2nd or 3rd episode) the next day after
pouring the wine. And, low and behold there is Tony and Sal having
dinner at Artie's italian restaurant and there sitting at there table
is a bottle of Ruffino Oro, however, no date on the bottle.

Thanks, folks. I learned a lot here. Sorry, Tom. I wish I had a
person like you who has good knowledge and would have liked to have
experienced the taste. Anyhow, funny thing, I was watching Disc 1 of
Season 3 of the Sopranos (2nd or 3rd episode) the next day after
pouring the wine. And, low and behold there is Tony and Sal having
dinner at Artie's italian restaurant and there sitting at there table
is a bottle of Ruffino Oro, however, no date on the bottle.