Monday, June 05, 2006
Too much to drink, Part I: Aperitifs
In February I was invited to a 50th birthday party, featuring an incredible lineup of wines. I came across the list when I was unpacking in my new apartment, so here it is with what I can remember about them. The title of the post? Well, 24 bottles were split 9 ways--over 10 hours, but even so, it was a lot to take down (and a few bottles were left on the shelf after everyone could not go on!).
Also, a huge thank you to our host, who prepared an incredible meal despite the handicaps of vast quantities of alcohol and losing running water about halfway through.
I arrived to find open 2 things that would probably qualify as curiousities, but turned out to be great--the 1972 Prieur Chevalier-Montrachet, which had a lot of lemon in it, a really nice, thick texture, and good, fresh acidity. The other was the 1971 Launois Pere et Fils blanc de blancs, which didn't have too many bubbles left; it had a real caramel character, which is one of my favorite flavors.
Next up was a bottle of 1962 Lafite. My first experience with old Lafite, and I could really see what people mean when they talk about cedar and "lead pencil" in these things. Following that was the 1979 Giscours, yet another one that makes me think a lot of Bordeaux from 1978 and 1979 is cheap for what you get (I've had some really good ones that you can find for $50 a bottle or even less--pretty compelling compared to what you get when you walk into a wine store and see what's on offer from new vintages at that price).
Moving back into whites, we had a tie for the world's smallest horizontal (2 bottles): 1996 Dauvissat Les Clos and Les Preuses. The Preuses was a little oxidized (possibly from what the cork had been treated with to sterilize it--apparently, a reasonably common issue in mid-90s Burgundy), but the Clos was terrific--thick, minerally, citrusy, just great. After that was the 1959 Vina Ardanza Reserva Especial, which was terrific--fresh, complex, yummy leather and earth notes--this would be a great "ringer" in a tasting of older Bordeaux. Next up was one served to us blind. Old syrah was the most common guess--pretty dark color, some gaminess, that kind of thing. No, it was the 1976 Joseph Swan Pinot Noir.
3 more were on tap before we sat down for dinner (and how's THAT for a cocktail hour?). First, the great 1990 Latour, a wine I've been lucky enough to have a number of times. It hasn't disappointed me yet. Third of the group was the 1978 Gray Hermitage l'Ermite, very solid, but outclassed by the other two in this group. I can't find a thing about this on the web--if anyone reading this knows anything about the producer (negociant? someone who owned a bit of the vineyard?), I'd love to hear about it. The second one poured the 1988 Guigal Cote Rotie, La Turque, and it was amazing--I'd say it left me speechless, except that I immediately called a friend who is crazy about these wines to say that I finally "got it." Without question this is one of the greatest wines I've ever had.
Coming up next: Part II--Dinner!
