From the cellar: Quite sensational, particularly as it warmed to room temperature. We’ve been drinking high on the hog lately and I guess this is a pretty high hog. To my uneducated palate, I couldn’t discern much difference from the 20 year old Montelena we sampled down in California a while back. Steely, crisp, acidic, deeply nuanced, without a touch of honeysuckle rose, but with a finish that Michael Phelps couldn’t repeat. There is even a hint of spice, Shiraz style.  I was surprised I had this in the cellar for so many years.  But I did.  Give me some love for self control.

Price: I am too embarrassed, too disgusted, too repulsed and just plain angry about our government tax on wine to fess up, except to say this was extraordinarily expensive. So here is the question: Is this wine five times better than La Frenz? Is it four times better than a rack of Olivier LeFlaive entry level Burgundies? Is it three times as good as Ridge Mikulaco or twice as good as Ridge Estate Chardonnay? Well, it’s all relative. Each bottle has its strength. My strength is to find incredible joy in plonk half the price of this.

Market Liquidity: Connoisseur’s delight.