Actually six, if the 1995 Pétrus Christian offered had not been corked...
QPR considerations, well, IMHO they no longer apply for 1er Cru Bordeaux. The most expensive of these wines, the 1995 Pétrus, once cost about 100 Dollars (on subscription), so there can be no question that those who bought these wines at the right time got their money’s worth. The question today seems to me whether owners want or indeed need to keep bottles or sell them off (personally, I have always only bought wine with the intention to drink it myself, not to sell it). Of course, prices are much lower again than they were not long ago, but: over the years, I do not remember how often I heard people say prices could not possibly go up anymore, that this craze and hype must come to an end etc.
I have have long since begun to keep QPR considerations and my buying habits separate. Buying wine I do not absolutely need because it is good quality and fairly priced costs money too. When I make a mental list of what I might one day be truly unhappy to have missed, very little remains. None of the wines below would make it on my absolutely indispensable list. But: I will admit this has a lot to do with the fact that I have had them before. This is the one thing I have become more aware of lately, sharing wines with relative newbies like Remo (guess who made this happen) – we fine wine troupers cut our teeth back when everything was still available, not dirt cheap of course, but at least semi-affordable.
That is the essence of hype I believe: not to know first hand. Must admit it is easy and arrogant to smile at the “obsession” with overpriced wines of those who have only heard or read about so-called “legendary” wines (of course, from my perspective, none of the below fall into that category – these are all wines that my generation drank from restaurant wine lists at different stages of their evolution, with the exception of the Pétrus: too rare, too young). Our generation at least knows what we are missing – not as much as (and in some respects more than) it may seem.
Château Haut Brion Pessac-Léognan 1990
Deep, almost opaque ruby-black. Extremely minerally, beautiful brick clay, tobacco, smoke, racy cherry, quite full-bodied and powerful, this has nice cut and raciness, especially for a 1990. Long, even refreshing on the finish. Ginger, faint herbs and curry. Well-integrated oak. Firm, quite racy tannin, reminiscent of tobacco and black tea. Lively and precise, with pretty acidity for a 1990. Longer and more finesseful with airing. Model HB, balanced, beautifully expressive of its hallowed terroir, almost complete wine, merely lacks the extra stuffing and fruit that make the 1989 a modern-day legend. The 1990 is not nearly as unevolved, but doing very well in bottle. Drink or hold. Rating: 95+/96(+?)
Château Cheval Blanc St. Emilion 1990
Consistently one of the top half dozen wines of the vintage, or (inching) close(r). Slightly deceptive as far as its potential is concerned, as this is still young, quite fat and a bit rustic, and yet, seemingly approachable. Blacker ruby-black, ruby at the rim, there is not even a hint at orange at this stage. Faintest sour milk top note (the element that gives away Cheval Blanc in blind tastings). Darker and denser fruit than the Haut Brion, quite huge body, yet longer. Wow! Great fruit, tannin, and pretty acidity balance (even though this is rather low-acid). Noble tobacco, aristocratic fruit, red berries, forest berry mix perhaps, a touch of nutmeg to lovely and well-integrated, sweet oak. Thick, round and smooth, the fruit density and ripeness here are such that they give the wine a faintly petrolly quality, as well as a lingering aftertaste. Some wet versus the HB’s dried earth. In comparison, the HB is clearly more evolved, showing more or most of what it has got. Hold. Rating: 97+/98(+?)
Château Lafite Rothschild Pauillac 1982
The least impressive bottle of Lafite 1982 I have ever had, and still not a bad wine. Top shoulder fill, with the cork stained on its sides, probably stored too dry. Deep ruby-black almost to the rim. Deep, round, slightly heavy fruit. Less high-toned and perfumed red fruit subtlety than the best bottles, and less perfectly integrated acidity. Some raspberry coulis. Pretty minerality. Noble but soft green tobacco leaf. Nice tannin, not quite as flavourful as it can be. Fairly long. Not a completely “off” bottle, but not even close to fully representative. Rating: 94-?
Château Cheval Blanc St. Emilion 1983
To make up for the 1995 Pétrus that was corked. The least impressive bottle of Cheval 1983 I have ever had (not entirely sure about its provenance and storage, albeit from the same cellar as the 1982 Lafite), and still a very nice wine (the 1983 is really one of my favourite vintages of CB, more consistent on average than the 1982). Into neck fill, very lightly stained cork, acceptable (the corks of the two 1990s looked like new, just as they should). Full ruby-black with a garnet touch and a medium ruby-red rim. Quite strong, lightly smoky tobacco, least fruity 1983 CB I have had, not as dense as usual, somewhat reduced to terroir notes, earthy minerality and its acid/tannic backbone, but complex and very long. Oakier than the 1990, and a bit more rustic. Touch of hazelnut coffee. Not entirely sure how representative this was, but certainly an indication that this wine evolves the traditional way (that is, its backbone, much like a naked clotheshanger, is all that is going to be left in the end). Drink up within the next ten years? Rating: 93-/92(-?)
Château Doisy-Védrines Barsac 1997
Thanks to Christian. Medium golden colour. Golden sultana and lightly gluey botrytis, soft house dust. Medium weight and concentration, some alcohol sticking out. Faintly medicinal, a bit dry on the surface, but really fairly sweet. Tiny bitter note, touch of dried mace, a bit waxy. Medium length, improving a little with airing, opening up at least some quincy-golden lemon and pineapple, buttery-aged and now a bit fatter, but still slightly dried-fruity and dusty Barsac. There is a little acidity, but in that department, the medicinal bitterness prevails. Rating: 88(+?)
Greetings from Switzerland, David.
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„J'ai gâché vingt ans de mes plus belles années au billard. Si c'était à refaire, je recommencerais.“ – Roger Conti
