The damnable plastic corks Behrens & Hitchcock insisted on using for so long may or may not have affected the aging of this wine. But this particular cork proved almost impossible to extract, nearly breaking my Screwpull
In any case, despite being 15 years old, the wine deserved its inky appelation. It was an intense ruby-purple, even though it had already thrown a lot of sediment. The bouquet was pleasant but one dimensional, suggesting black fruits. On the palate, it was again one dimensional with a lot of youthful blackberry and black cherry fruit. Surprisingly, mature Caberent markers like leather or tobacco were missing. Again, as I have done before, I am forced to wonder whether those stupid plastic corks are affecting the aging of Behrens & Hitchock wines of that era.
Grade: B
