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To decant a VP for personal consumption on an uncomfortably hot summer's evening must show dedication - or lunacy...

First bottle from a case with good provenance bought earlier this year.

Before decanting, I cooled the glass of the decanter by running a cold tap over it for a couple of minutes.

Decanted at 9pm - fair amount of sludgy sediment; not the cleanest of decants, despite the bottle having been stood up for several weeks.

Excellent colour, nose almost non-existant (like many 83's..)

First sip (the dregs) - bit harsh, strong licorice note, very fiery finish.

Hope this comes together, for now the decanter is sitting on the cellar floor to stop it warming up.

More anon..

Tom

PS: Have just opened a Kiwi SB (Wairau River) that's been nicely chilled in the fridge...

... and it's a duff bottle...

uncle tom wrote:To decant a VP for personal consumption on an uncomfortably hot summer's evening must show dedication - or lunacy...

I was just about to open a Tawny - not sure how that will be tonight, but time will tell!

A couple of hours on, and a glass proper.

The wine is showing in a very similar way to the GC77 we had at Joost's house - including, unfortunately, the 'I might be corked' nose...

Indeed it's so similar, and yet quite a long way from the textbook 'corked' sensation; I'm wondering if this is a red herring??

See how it evolves..

Tom

24 hours on, and I can confirm that the Herrings are red..!

Nose weak and slightly medicinal, no star on that front.

On the palate this is now full, composed, and almost fire-free, although there is a slightly soapy note that is not entirely agreeable.

But it is not corked.

Although this wine has excellent colour, it lacks gravitas - there's something missing...

Will re-visit tomorrow

Tom

still possible thats it is slightly corked, even if it doesn't outright smell corked. That doesn't sound right for an '83 GC.

Gould Campbell 83 for me is a very pleasant, complex and young looking VP at the moment. Liquorice domination on flavour profiles is what I got but I had no impression of corked taint nor muted nose.

A couple more days and the wine is showing nicely now, with virtually no fire and quite a pleasant nose.

I am certain that this is not corked, but it IS a little odd - in colour it is reassuringly dark, yet on the palate is shows quite light. It's flavour impacts my forward palate well, but to the almost total exclusion of the rear.

I'm struggling to work out where this wine is going - a little voice tells me that it's going to do a '77 and get old before it grows up - certainly the clear meniscus suggests maturity, while it also remains quite tannic.

It might improve with a few more years, but then again, it may not, so I'll call its prospects neutral.

While good in parts, it is too much of a curate's egg to score highly.

So 5-5

Tom