The oldest wine I have that I would proffer with complete confidence is a 1959 Yquem. Sitting next to that, a 1971 Petrus, and nearby friend Kathy's half-bottle of 1967 Yquem. All have been stored carefully for many years and were bought "new".
However, the provenance, subsequent impeccable storage, and fill of the La Tache magnum is very reassuring, despite the overall year being a mite spotty for burgundy. The problem is: what will the occasion be?
I once drank a DRC 1964 Richebourg by myself at one sitting. Too much --- I got toxic. A magnum of old burgundy needs at least four seasoned drinkers. And just the right, relatively neutral, but wonderful food.
7 star and Metaxa are still around,
Metaxa, The Greek Spirit - The Distillation Process
Collection
thus...
Mr. Marsh, for a few of us, idea(l)s never cease to “be around” .
George
Don't remind me of wasted youth. When I lived with folks in the trade, one Saturday four of us finished off and entire case of samples.
I can confirm that's true and I'll be there next year. Perhaps I can lend a hand in the kitchen? Just to tweak Brad a bit, I do have some magnums of '95 Belle Helene...
I hope by then I will be able to afford to have moved into a more secure place. At the moment I don't dare leave the premises for all that long, without a really trustworthy housesitter. So I don't get out much, and then not for even a full day.
When I moved here I was comforted by the proximity to the manager, and the appearance of relative poverty. It worked for a while, indeed many years. But some people are getting more desperate 🙁
When I moved here I was comforted by the proximity to the manager, and the appearance of relative poverty. It worked for a while, indeed many years. But some people are getting more desperate 🙁
Yes I had the 59 once before and it was by far the finest sticky wine ever. Broadbent thought it worth six stars, one over his maximum. The only other wine I noticed in his book that he felt warranted his blowing the maximum was the 1945 La Tache. I shared both of those with two friends circa 1982. One of them still remembers it, the other is dead.
With three others I drank a 67 Yquem far too young, really infanticide. Preceding it iirc: 1970 Louis Latour Corton-Charlemagne "Ancien Domaine des Comtes de Grancey", a 1953 Leoville-Barton, and a magnum of 1947 Volnay Clos de Chenes. The Corton-Charlemagne was so good I almost sent everyone home with their contributions so I could drink it all myself 🙂
Kathy hopes to drink her 67 half-bottle with me someday. Once again we're looking for an occasion. And a quarter-bottle of Sauternes is still a lot.
probably the only really great wine i've tasted was awhile back - probably was expensive then and more so if anyone has one left is a 1995 DRC la tache in bangkok at the Oriental Hotel when I was treated to several days there (@3K/day). [the place came with a butler, no less] Its nice to be spoiled... if not by others, then yourself.
Got recommendations for low/medium-end wines - red or whites?
Got recommendations for low/medium-end wines - red or whites?
Last edited:
If you are prepared to be adventurous, you can find excellent alternatives to practically all styles of wine. eg inexpensive Cab Sauv / Merlot style wines can rival Gran Cru Bordeaux though true clarets always have other grapes the New World producers would turn down their noses at.
The exceptions are Burgundy (Pinot Noir) and Sauternes (Botrytis infected). Alas, I'm no longer in a position to research this.
It's mango season in Cooktown and the fruit is rotting on the ground as we can't eat them fast enough. I'm eating one now and thinking a small glass of dYquem would be perfect accompaniment.
A heresy! Gotta be roast beef and Yorkshire pudding with swedes and carrots done traditional as in God's own county. Beans on the side. Difficult for me as I cook on a Trangia 🙂 Actually roast kangaroo would be good.
California and other regions of the US have long since come of age about multi-varietal wines, having passed through the stages of calling things by French names that could be about anything ("Chablis", "Sauterne [sic]", "Burgundy") to believing that things should be a pure varietal, to finally embracing "meritages", although these are still not predominant.
Is there a best way of making this taste appealing? Had it once in a top restaurant in Brisbane, and I think I've been put off it for life ...
Frank
Maybe sometimes it's because it's just the first time you experience a special drop. A gift of Austrian Eiswein when I was a youngie blew me away, I savoured it over many days completely on my own, the selfish bastard I was!!
Also, roughly at the same time a friend shared a bottle of the finest Henessey you could get at the time, felt like liquid pearls going down your throat. Every other brandy related product since has been somewhat disappointing ...
Frank
e
As you learn about anything you can gather some perspective and put things in their proper place, but only from your own personal perspective. Someone who hates all spirtis would not care that they had a 1904 single barrel Cognac in their glass.
Probably the stupidest thing I was ever seriously tempted to do was buy a bottle of 1985 Romanee-Conti at a Thai restaurant in Tokyo (on my own coin at $1500). This was so far below the current auction price that I almost did it.
Another example where you have to go to the originals is high quality German wines.
The best German wines are all Rieslings and sweet so go completely against the rest of the world. Rarely found outside Germany but usually 'reasonably' priced (by claret & Burgundy standards). Nothing like Ch. Cardboard Rieslings from Oz. The identifying characteristic is a 'petrol' nose.
Another good source of advice are the Wine Guides which report on Blind Tastings. The vinous fraternity has Blind Tastings down to a fine art cos the various Wino competitions. This is where the expensive stuff is sometimes beaten by cheapo but goodo. IIRC, the annual UK Observer Wine Guide was usually reliable but it seems to have died. I assume you aren't after $zillion stuff to keep for the turn of the millenium like Brad & Scott .. but just want something nice to drink.
Dunno what the equivalent US publication is.
My favourite BBQ steak as tender with flavour unlike beef or veal. It's Agile Wallaby around Cooktown.
For the Burgundy, I was thinking of pan fried with a rich sauce but just plain off the BBQ is good. Just realised I've never had it as a roast.
Last edited: