1958 Chianti Classico Riserva Ducale Oro

Last Tasted 6/94 If I had tasted this wine in a blind tasting I would have undoubtedly mistaken it for an old vintage of Chateau Haut-Brion. The faded ruby color possesses plenty of garnet/rust hues. The explosive bouquet offers up sweet aromas of tar, leather, smoke, tobacco, herbs, and a strong mineral component. The light color is deceptive in view of how much sweet, ripe, jammy fruit remains in the wine's flavors. There is no astringence to this medium to full-bodied wine, with lovely sweetness and expansiveness on the palate, as well as a glycerin-imbued, alcoholic finish. This lusty, fully mature, complex Chianti Classico admirably proves that certain vintages of these wines possess significant aging potential.