Tasted at the La Romanée vertical at Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, the 1865 La Romanée had been whisked away from the cellars of Bouchard the very morning of the tasting and transported to Vosne-Romanée. It has a surprisingly deep colour, healthy and clear. It is not quite as fresh as the likes of the 1908 or 1911 tasted alongside, with cold tea (Earl Grey) and tertiary notes. It is medium-bodied, a bit rustic and conservative, hints of ginger and brown spices, dry and masculine toward the finish though with sufficient vestiges of fruit after 150 years to ensure you finish the glass, thus fulfilling its raison d'être. Returning after several minutes I noticed a little rooibos developing on the finish. It is a delightful wine from the pages of history, if not quite the transcendental experience you might have predicted. Tasted June 2015.