This past weekend my boyfriend's family visited and we celebrated his mom's 60th birthday with a bottle of Vina Real 1951 Rioja (actually 2 bottles). Incredible wine! Brick red color with just a bit of sediment. Lots of stewed fruit and warm spice on the nose and palate - very smooth yet lively. We had the first bottle with some cheeses from
Cowgirl Creamery. The cork was a bit moldy on top under the foil capsule, so we were worried the wine wouldn't be good, and it crumbled as we tried to extract the half that just didn't want to come out, but underneath it all the wine was fantastic. The second bottle was decanted in a restaurant and had a chance to really open up, so it was even better than the first, especially with the lamb and duck dishes we had at
Boulevard in San Francisco. What a treat!
Happy 60th Birthday, Nancy!
Old Rioja is a special experience, isn't it? For many years, 1973 Rioja was my go-to wine to celebrate our wedding anniversary. (It's one of the few areas in the world to produce ageworthy wines in 1973.) Unfortunately, 1973s are all gone, but I have a few others from the 1970s I should open soon.
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