On Dec 14, 1:55*am, cwdjrxyz > wrote:
> Both wines were properly stored since release, had good fills still in
> the neck, and had no cork issues.
>
> Chateau Lascombes 1975: For very many years, this wine was extremely
> harsh. I would rather drink water than it early on. Now the wine still
> has good deep color with only slight age showing around the rim. Some
> fairly typical dark fruit is now showing in the bouquet and taste. I
> now can drink it with some pleasure with the right food. It still has
> plenty of acid and tannin andis a good grease cutter with very fat
> meat.
>
> Talley Vineyards 1991 Chardonnay Arroya Grande Valley. This is an
> estate wine made from grapes in the Talley family vineyard in southern
> San Luis Obispo County in California. Chardonnay from this region
> sometimes can age well for many years.This wine is still holding well.
> It has developed a rather intense herbal character that reminds me of
> horehound. This herb was used much more many years ago, and I had a
> grandmother who used horehound cough drops. There also was a hint of
> floral honey, although the Chardonnay was dry. I do not fancy
> horehound very much, and others may like this wine much better than I
> did. It is one of the most unusual Chardonnays that I have every
> tasted.

I have had older Talley Chardonnay a number of times and probably the
1992 more often thna any other and they are perhaps the best aging
California Chardonnay I have tasted. I do know "horehound" and
understand your aversion as my grandfather used to always carry a
small sack of horehound candies with him to cover up the whiskey on
his breath!