A couple of 50 year old wines

Having reached a point in life where it is appropriate to let one's hair down a bit more than normal, three of us headed out last Friday to share some wines, have a good meal and celebrate being alive. As the birthday boy, I suggested with start with rose bubbles simply because I have always preferred rose. So to get underway, a Billecart Salmon Rose NV. A pale rose, it has a lovely palate with fine strawberry fruit and a great length of acidity underneath that makes it extremely refreshing.

WIth the pleasantries out of the way, it was onto two wines that were bottled the same year I was born. First up a Marc Bredif Vouvray 1959 12%. It may seem an unusual observation but we were all amazed by the state of the label. The importer who organised the bottle for me, told me it had come straight from the Bredif cellars. It was fantastic to see the label looking as though it had only attached yesterday, not a mark, not a scratch. Although the cork was sealed under wax, the nose did have a mustiness that never really blow off. In the glass, the wine was a light pale amber. Thankfully the mustiness experienced on the nose did not adversely the amazing honeysuckle and marmalade flavours with a hint of candified fruit that provided an excellent sense of depth. The dry finish however was shorter than I expected.


Next up the Pichon Longueville Baron 1959. The three of us had purchased this bottle a couple of years before and it had taken all my persuasive skill to put off opening the bottle until this year. By comparison this bottle like me looks as thought it has been around for 50 years. The initial bouquet was one of wooden pencil shavings. Over the course of the meal, a small portion I saved for later evolved into wonderful expression of old spice and leather. By the end of the evening I had experienced one of the great bouquets I have been luck enough to sample over the years. The colour was also impressive, a medium colour red with almost no bricking. Given its age, a phenomenal achievement to retain such purity of colour after all this time. In the mouth, the wine was both light with red berry fruit and yet delivered great presence which built and built as the wine moved to back. I could definitely develop a passion for great old wines.

To round out the meal we had a Prince Florent de Morde Corton '98 GC. An earthy wine with violets on the nose and mushroom, dark plums and spice flavours. Finally a Ch Guiraud 2005 half bottle. Melons on the nose, the colour is just starting to yellow up a whilst the palate has great length built on honey dew melon and hazelnuts. A great night spent with 2 good friends and some wines we will never forget.

Nice notes, and happy birthday.
I'm guessing the label didn't go on in 1960, lots of producers store unlabeled.

Nice notes, and happy birthday.
I'm guessing the label didn't go on in 1960, lots of producers store unlabeled.

Thank you. Main birthday is this Thursday with 3 nights of fun and excess culminating in dinner for 40 on Saturday night. Thursday night we head to Tetsuya's in Sydney. It is ranked in the top 20 restaurants in the world and for me will the first time I have headed to this shrine of culinary excellence. I have a couple of other interesting wines to try this week including a 1959 Moulin Touchais. The Moulin Touchais, I am having at home on Friday with some friends who have come in from NZ and am still trying to work out what to pair it with. Any food suggestions appreciated.

Congrats on successfully completing your first 50, and on celebrating in style!

I can add a personal perspective to what Dale said about the labeling of the Bredif. We toured the winery in 1998 during a visit to the Loire. They have a cave carved into the limestone hills out back which we were able to tour. This is where they keep the old bottles. They are arranged in bins, also carved out of the stone, and while the bins are labeled with the vintage dates, the bottles themselves aren't labeled until they are purchased and are ready for shipping. This is common practice at a number of wineries. We bought a '47 Vouvray from them that we cellared until 2007, and opened as part of a 60th birthday celebration. It was fantastic, with great complexity and length, and shared some of the nutty, candied fruit that you describe. Though not labeled "Molleux," it was described by the staff as a wine that was sweet when it went into bottle.

Look forward to your notes on the Moulin Touchais, I have a bottle for Betsy's 50th this Dec (also have Talbot, and a Sauternes and a late harvest Primitivo)

Congrats on successfully completing your first 50, and on celebrating in style!

Indeed. Especially as we now learn that this was only the pre-party!

Look forward to your notes on the Moulin Touchais, I have a bottle for Betsy's 50th this Dec (also have Talbot, and a Sauternes and a late harvest Primitivo)

Dale have you given any thought to what you will pair the MT with. I was thinking rocquefort. Initially I was intending to prepare a desert along the lines of a fig torte but now am tending more towards cheese. Interestingly enough, the site I purchased it from did a vertical dinner with just MT and paired with a pork, peach and black gabbage dish. I am tempted but suspect the dish might just be out of my culinary reach. Here are a few ideas.
http://www.nicks.com.au/Index.aspx?link_id=76.938

Thursday night, went to Tetsuya's last night for the actual big 50 birthday. Rated in the top 10 restaurants last year and the top 20 this year, it is one very serious restaurant and I can see why. No menu, just a 12 course degustation meal based around a fusion of Japanese and French food. Unlike some degustation meals, it was just the right quantum of food.

First wine was a Henri Billiot Brut Rosé NV: From the grand cru village of Ambonnay, the wine is made from a base of first pressings of 75% pinot noir and 25% chardonnay (04, 05, 06 vintages) with 4-8% of still pinot noir blended in. A pretty big wine for a rosé with a great depth of flavour and a good match for the first dish. Brought into Aus by the same friend who brings in the German rieslings, he has built up an amazing portfolio.

Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Riesling Kabinett 07: A little bit whiffy at first but it blew off very quickly. Refreshing peeled granny smith apples, with a touch of lemon and pear juice drizzled over it.

Jouard Chassagne Montrachet Morgeot Les Fairendes 1er 01: More developed than I expected but nevertheless lovely, with honeysuckle and butterscotch.

Prieur Roch Vosne Romanee Haute Mazieres 99: This was a late ring in for reason set out below. Pretty serious village wine. Produced by the former winemaker or vineyard manager for DRC (can't remember which one the shop told me but the name is on the label Lots of rich wet soil, raspberries, mushroom and forest floor. Interesting to watch it open up as time progressed. Very very drinkable. Pity about the price.

Chateau Guiraud 05: Lovely, elegant sauternes, showing melon, lime and honey. Much more restarined than the very over the top LP I have been drinking from 03. Terrific poise and length.

Seppelt Para Tawny Port '88: This was a real suprise, as a gift from the restaurant to go with the wonderful chocolate desert they deliver up to the birthday boy. A little spirity and volatile, but nice brown sugar, molasses and stewed raisins.

Overall first time at Tets and I can see why it truly is seen by many as a notch above the rest. I think WOTN was the Henri Billiot Brut Rosé NV followed by the Prieur Roch Vosne Romanee Haute Mazieres 99:. Sadly the Pichon Comtess de Lalande 1985 that we opened earlier in the day that was supposed to be the feature wine had lose its fruit and the decision was made not to take it along to dinner so we knocked the bottle off at home as an apertif before we departed.

Friday night, I cooked dinner at home for 5 friends who had flown in from Auckland. First up some duty free Verve Clicquot Rose NV. Normally one of my favour champagnes given my lack of experience in this area but sadly over shadowed by the Billiot from the night before. Next up McWilliams Elizabeth Semillion 2000 drinking well, the acid has softened up now and the lemon and lanolin flavours are coming through. With the duck ragu pasta a CJ Pask Gimlett Gravel Chardonnay 2007 a most enjoyable chard from Hawkes Bay. Earlier vintages tended to be a bit over the top, too much malo buttery stuff going on. Thankfully they have wound it all back and whilst it is still strong wine, it is much more elegant with good depth. Also with the pasta, a Savaterre Pinot Noir 2004. Better than a bottle from the same case earlier this month. Savory chewy fruit. Still think this wine might have been a bit overhyped at the time of its release. Also a St Hallet Blackwell 98 lovely chocolate mocca flavour and a Castagna Gensis 2002 I should have decanted this. It never really opened up into the same wine I had last year.

Messy dinner saturday at Table for 20 with 40 friends. A superb venue in an old Masonic Hall. Run by an Italian, it comprises two long table in a large hall. The meal is fixed menu. Grabbed about 3 cases of reds from the cellar of mixed odds and sods to go with a case of CJ Pask Gimlett Gravel Chardonnay 2007 and a case of Schmitges Riesling 2007. Spent most of the evening drinking the riesling. The one red wine I do remember drinking was the Bannockburn Shiraz 2002. Glad I left a couple from the case behind in the cellar. More of a cool climate style shiraz with softer more restrainted and elegant approach.

Last night a Moulin Touchais 1959. Another really interesting chenin blanc from the Loire. Sweet in a slightly oxidative sherry style. Dale, it is more a sipping style almost in sherry glassed wine rather than a straight desert wine. We paired it up with a mountain gorgonzola and the two made a great match. Highlight of the evening: my friend's 18 yr old son saying it was the first wine he had ever really enjoyed. Made it worthwhile opening the bottle.

Last dinner party tonight with some friends from Melbourne who return tomorrow. Mainly rieslings as they only eat fish.

Rest of the week: sleep!

Many happy returns, Mark. Good to see you doing serious celebrating in great style for the big milestone. Glad you enjoyed Tet's. Some of his stuff doesn't quite work but overall they have got their act down pat.

Many happy returns, Mark. Good to see you doing serious celebrating in great style for the big milestone. Glad you enjoyed Tet's. Some of his stuff doesn't quite work but overall they have got their act down pat.

David

Thanks for that. I think I may take a week or so off now. Actually feel wined out. In truth the celebrations started last Wednesday for lunch when a friend took me down to Kingsleys on W Wharf for lunch. He was kind enough to order a Rockford Basket Press Shiraz 2006. When he told me it was a RBP, I was initially concerned as the last RBP I had consumed was a 1998 and it was still years off being ready to drink. By comparison, the 2006 was an elegant wine with restained tannins. I was even more surprised to actually pick it as a Barossa Shiraz given I rarely drink the stuff and I have virtually none in the cellar bar the Blackwell 98 and some RBP 04. Deep garnet colour, mocha and chocolate red fruit. I would happily drink more of this on nice sunny winters day with a steak watching the boats on the harbour.

Finished off cooking again at home for some stray Melbourians who departed this morning. Started with 3 different types of Oyster, Bruny Is off Tasmania, Coffin Bay off SA and St Helens off Tassie. My vote went to the rather sweet St Helens. The oysters were then followed by a blue cod provencale with steamed mussels. As it was a seafood focused meal, we started with a Schloss Gobelsburg Riesling Urgestein 2006. Starting to develop quite a golden hue and a floral white peach bouquet. I got a little honeysuckle on the nose, with a palate that an interesting richness and depth. Next up was a Jacobs Creek Steingarten Riesling 2006. for those that have no come across this wine before, do not be put off by the Jacobs Creek handle, this is probably the most serious wine in the JC portfolio. Pale golden straw green color. Still extremely taunt with tightly coiled mineral streak over slate. I doubt I will bother opening another bottle inside 3-4 years. Finally a Grosset Polish Hill 2002 under screwcap. Similar golden hue to the Schloss Gobelsburg but in comparision, a bone dry style that is just starting to reveal some its potential and depth of flavour.

It was fantastic to see the label looking as though it had only attached yesterday, not a mark, not a scratch.

It was almost certainly attached when leaving the cellars. When I visited Vouvray's Philippe Foreau a few years ago, we had to wait at the end of the visit for him to "habiller" our purchases, i.e. labelling, capsuling and placing of tax "vignette".