WTN: It Was Twenty Years Ago Today...

...that Jean and I were married. To celebrate our 20th anniversary, we exchanged gifts (Jean getting a diamond ring that she'd picked out and me getting a double magnum of '89 Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame, an upscale verson of the wine that Jean opened to propose to me in '88). We also cooked a dinner of mesquite-grilled ribeye steaks, basmati rice, sautéed shi'itakes, sugar snap peas and grilled onions, with which we opened arguably the only bottle of wine left in our cellar that predated our marriage:

1983 Ch. Margaux
color: dark garnet center going slightly brick at the edge
nose: initially, a bit reticent, cedar, dark fruit, turning more toward mushrooms and soy sauce and... dammit... the unmistakable odor of cork taint
palate: medium body, deep fruit, still fairly primary and TCA

I bought this wine at Garnet in NYC in '88 as a graduation gift for Jean the day she defended her Ph D. This bottle followed us from NYC to Berkeley to Indiana, suffering at times from less-than-ideal storage conditions. The cork was saturated but intact, but the subtle cork taint was obvious to me. I asked Jean about it, but she didn't get it, so I just put up with it (and for once the cork taint didn't spoil the wine entirely). Some day, perhaps, I'll taste an untainted version of this wine, but even if not it was a memorable experience. The double magnum of the '89 Grande Dame will be opened on Saturday during our big anniversary party on Saturday.

Mark Lipton

Mark,

Sorry for your disappointment...

I had another sort of disappointment with just the same wine.
I opened it up for a special meal of 1983s (Climents, Yquem, etc.), and despite having decanted it hours beforehand, that damned Margaux was tighter than a drum.

I have no doubt that at the age of 40 or so it'll be just fine. But, believe me, it's still a long way off your peak.
Had your experience been the same as mine, you might not have felt any better.

So, look at it philosophically .

By the way, Ch. Margaux is actually doing experiments with screwtop bottles. That doesn't mean they intend to change next year, but it does mean that these hallowed estates are not as conservative as all that.

Best regards,
Alex R.

Congratulations Mark and Jean. Well, you have 5 years to find a nice bottle of '89 something or other for your 25th (I think Otto might have a recommendation ).

Congratulations on your anniversary, Mark. Real shame that such an occasion had to be spoiled by a dud cork and a bad bottle. Hope you and Jean get a chance to enjoy a pristine version of that wine though in the future.

[David M. Bueker]

Mark - congratulations to another couple of '89ers. Laura and I will celebrate 20 years this summer. Not to be unkind, but I hope you have taken the "TCA bullet" for us.

Maybe we can get together some time & share an '89 of something.

Sigh, you kids!!

You made me think -- 20 years ago, I was coming up on my 19th anniversary...

Sorry about the cork. I've never had very good luck with Ch. Margaux. Fortunately I can no longer afford it.

F

Congratulations on your 20th Anniversary, Mark.

Do you know if Garnet is still open? I have not heard that name in a while.

http://www.garnetwine.com/

Thank you, Frank.

Congratulations!

I'm sorry to be the one to have to say this, but that 83 Margaux is one great wine. Here are my notes from January 2007:

1983 Château Margaux
Warm, soft, full fruit with dark punch in the middle. Very well integrated. Herb and mint, very complex. Beautiful with an extremely long finish. Denser than the 1982, although not quite as elegant. Awesome.
A/A+

That night it came in just behind the 1982 and 1990 for me at a vertical of 12 Ch Margaux.

Mark:
Congrats on 20 years. Too bad about the taint, but I'm sure the Champagne will make up for it.

[quote="Mark Lipton]... an upscale verson of the wine that Jean opened to propose to me in '88).[/quote]

Well matey, there's the problem: is'nt the man s'posed to do the proposing??

Congrats and many more blessed years!

Congratulations!
I'm sorry to be the one to have to say this, but that 83 Margaux is one great wine. Here are my notes from January 2007:
1983 Château Margaux
Warm, soft, full fruit with dark punch in the middle. Very well integrated. Herb and mint, very complex. Beautiful with an extremely long finish. Denser than the 1982, although not quite as elegant. Awesome.
A/A+
That night it came in just behind the 1982 and 1990 for me at a vertical of 12 Ch Margaux.

I have to agree. The '83 Ch. Margaux remains the best wine I've ever had. I bought it here in DC when was all the attention was on the '82s and the '83s were going unsold and on sale. I wish I had cases left to pay for my kids' college costs.

I have to agree. The '83 Ch. Margaux remains the best wine I've ever had. I bought it here in DC when was all the attention was on the '82s and the '83s were going unsold and on sale. I wish I had cases left to pay for my kids' college costs.

You and me both, Jon. Since Jean doesn't read WLDG, I can reveal the purchase price of $35 (in '88). Since it now sells for $300 or more, knowing what I know now, I wished we'd flipped it and bought a case of something.

Mark Lipton

Added in edit: At least we've got the label to show off...

You and me both, Jon. Since Jean doesn't read WLDG, I can reveal the purchase price of $35 (in '88). Since it now sells for $300 or more, knowing what I know now, I wished we'd flipped it and bought a case of something. At least we've got the label to show off...

I got mine for well under $50 and have seen it "on sale" for over $500, Mark! I know I have the label but maybe even the empty bottle.
I also bought the '83 Ch. Palmer and Ch. Rausan-Segla. Sadly, all are just memories now.

I got mine for well under $50 and have seen it "on sale" for over $500, Mark! I know I have the label but maybe even the empty bottle.

Of course, for wine tasting fun, you could fill it with a half decent cabernet and invite your most pretentious friends to dinner....

F

[David M. Bueker]

Every time this thread comes to the top I have to resist saying something about Sgt. Pepper.

Every time this thread comes to the top I have to resist saying something about Sgt. Pepper.

Guaranteed to raise a smile.

[David M. Bueker]

Guaranteed to raise a smile.

With a little help from my friends.

...that Jean and I were married. To celebrate our 20th anniversary,

Mark, I guess this might tell my true age, but my wife and I passed our 50th year last NYD. !!!!!

Happy Anniversary to you and Jean.....and many more.

Happy anniversary,Mark..wishing you and Jean many more years of happiness to come..
Jessica and I celebrated our 25 th on Tuesday..Jess doesn't drink reds so I didn't have to sweat pulling up a bottle of something from 1984 from the cellar(since I finished the last of the 84 Montelena a long time ago, don't have any 84's --tho I do have a bottle of the 83 Margaux and a bottle of the 83 Palmer)..We drank the 2004 Rhys Chardonnay to celebrate..it was stunning..One of the best Cal chards that I have had in a long time

Happy Anniversary Mark! Pity about the Margaux.

Happy Anniversary Mark and Jean!!!!

Salute