Saturday, 5 December 2015

Affordable aged wines - VDNs from Southern France


This was a display I saw at the Wine Fair this year. These are all well aged wines 41 to 81 years old, yet with prices between $500 and $700! Why such undervalued gems? Perhaps it is because they are sweet to start off with; also they are from relatively obscure appellations from the South West of France; and they are also fortified. Aside from that, many would ask if an 81 year old wine at such a bargain price could actually be drinkable (questions of provenance and at that), but they are frankly unaware of the rancio style of deliberately oxidized wine, which are virtually "indestructible". If they aren't familiar with Madeira, there is no reason they'll know these beauties. But for the people who know, or folks who are simply adventurous, they represent an affordable opportunity to try really well-aged wines. Of course I got a bottle of the 1934. Then I found it was actually available for tasting - but that is for another entry.

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