Most older Chiantis that I have tasted were considerably younger than this 50 year old Ruffino Riserva Ducale Chianti 1955. In old age most of them had become very dry, astringent, and had lost nearly all fruit. Thus I was expecting to have to pour this 50 year old wine down the sink.
The fill was just barely below the neck. The cork appeared sound and did not show any signs of leakage. The cork crumbled and nearly seemed cemented to the inside of the neck, so it took nearly 15 minutes to mine the cork out without getting cork crumbs in the wine. I nearly had to start a charcoal grill to heat port tongs to use on the bottle.
The bottle had a bit of initial BO when opened as often happens in old wines, but this soon was gone. The color still was rather deep with some scarlet showing through but of brick color around the rim. There still was some typical fruit, although not as intense as in a good younger wine. The wine was rather smooth and round rather than the expected astringent. Some wood, stem character, and alcohol are beginning to show through. There was a hint of tawny port without the sweetness. Of course this wine peaked a few decades ago and is now in decline, but I am quite amazed that it still shows as well as it does. I have heard of some old Biondi-Santi Brunello holding for 50 years and more, but not most other Italian wines.
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