1986 was a pretty good vintage in Bordeaux and many regarded the 1986 Pichon Longueville Lalande as the wine of the vintage. 22 years later, it is a fantastic experience.
I decanted the wine for a couple of hours. The colour of the wine was still a ruby red/purple. It tasted of blackcurrant, spice box and licorice, quite concentrated and intense, with the Merlot component (35%) contributing its flesh. The wine was still lively and fresh with an excellent structure and a medium tannic finish. This wine would still have 10 years ahead at a top level.
The experienced complexity of flavours is something you cannot get from a young wine. This makes cellaring so rewarding. However, not every wine will pay you back like this. Great Bordeaux remains very special.
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