WineLovers Discussion Group

2002 Stony Hill, Chardonnay:
Not many producers can have a 50th anniversary wine but this one can; clean, crisp very Chablis-like in structure but clearly CA fruit; a charming wine with a very long cellar life. About 13% alcohol and about $30 retail; I’d pay that again.

1999 Drouhin, Clos de Vougeot:
Well some of the premier cru wines of this vintage may drink well but this was closed-up tight; after several hours in the decanter it was better but it never showed more than making it clear it was Burgundy. Price unknown.

1967 Chateau Margaux:
One for the life list; from a vintage maligned comes the most extraordinary Bordeaux I have ever tasted; rich, powerful, expansive bottle bouquet with immense complexity entices; in the mouth the wine is full, deep, has grip, layer after layer of nuance, perfect balance and sumptuous texture that has both a worsted feel and a satin feel; endless length. Over the course of several hours it continued to change and grow, never losing its complexity but re-emphasizing different elements in the nose and palate; and, after more than four hours in a decanter and our glasses it showed no signs of falling off. 39 and counting. Sometimes you get lucky and sometimes you win the lottery.
Many thanks, Mark.

Best, Jim

Florida Jim wrote:1967 Chateau Margaux:
One for the life list; from a vintage maligned comes the most extraordinary Bordeaux I have ever tasted; rich, powerful, expansive bottle bouquet with immense complexity entices; in the mouth the wine is full, deep, has grip, layer after layer of nuance, perfect balance and sumptuous texture that has both a worsted feel and a satin feel; endless length. Over the course of several hours it continued to change and grow, never losing its complexity but re-emphasizing different elements in the nose and palate; and, after more than four hours in a decanter and our glasses it showed no signs of falling off. 39 and counting. Sometimes you get lucky and sometimes you win the lottery.
Many thanks, Mark.

Best, Jim

Thanks for posting this Jim and congratulations on winning the lottery! In early '78 I had the good fortune of buying 1 bottle each of '67 Lafite and '67 Haut Brion for $10 each. They were truly amazing then and I can only imagine what they'd be like now. In fact, my wife and I loved the Lafite so much, it prompted us to purchase a case of the '75 Lafite, the year of our wedding.

I love "off-vintage" Bordeaux. I've recently tasted several very fine wines from such impossibly bad vintages 1960, 1972, 1973, etc. If the producer was good in those times, they can be really good even in bad years. I wonder how they've kept in such good condition for so long?

Pity about the Drouhin. I don't think I've ever tasted their Clos de Vougeot. Is it one of the better ones of that treacherous appellation?

-O-

Otto Nieminen wrote:Pity about the Drouhin. I don't think I've ever tasted their Clos de Vougeot. Is it one of the better ones of that treacherous appellation?

A very good question; maybe Jay Miller can help us or, anyone . . .?
Best, Jim