Pure translucent garnet. Intoxicating fragrant nose of cedar, and lead pencil. On the palate so refined with cassis, blueberries, raspberries, eucalyptus, lead pencil and cigar box and honey....this bottle was fully resolved after 30 years. Medium-bodied with density but at the same time cool fruited weightlessness across the palate with superb precision and length. Effortlessly brilliant wine.
The 1986 vintage of Ducru preceded the blighted triumvirate of 1988/89/90 and has had mixed reviews. But when Ducru gets it right, or you get a perfect bottle like I did tonight, boy are you in for a treat. This was such a delight after somewhat underwhelming experiences recently with the 1982 and 1995 Ducrus. My wine of the year.
Footnote: a wine with mixed reviews but always with great potential I thought. I always had faith in this wine, despite its proximity to the Ducru dark era. I thought it showed very well at the BWE 1986 dinner in Manhattan in October 2008. IIRC it was in my top five. This was a bottle out of my case I took out of storage in December, which I originally put into storage when I moved to the US 11 years ago. Seven left.
