First growths for Christmas

[Comte Flaneur]

Yesterday I had lunch with two of my American friends, one from California, one from New Jersey. These guys dont drink much Bordeaux: they generally drink stuff like Leflaive, Roumier and Chave. But when they do they aim high, so when they invited me for lunch I knew I had to unearth something special. The best I could come up with was La Conseillante 1982.

It was great fun comparing these wines, especially matching the Conseillante against the now almost legendary Cheval Blanc 1985.

La Conseillante 1982

Bright but evolved orangey colour. Quite evolved. Notes of wet soil and mushrooms, then some cedar/sandalwood, floral notes, tobacco, cherries, truffles; medium bodied-layered and complex, opens up and improves in the glass; absolutely delightful. Full mature, but will easily last for quite a few more years.

Cheval Blanc 1985

A more opaque maroon, subtle notes of plums, raspberries, tobacco caress the palate. This wine is seamless as well as timeless; thicker textured than the Conseillante, absolutely silky and luxurious; it just glides over the palate.

Chateau Latour 1985

Younger colour, more foursquare with more prominent tannins. Leafy cabernet with notes of cedar and tobacco. Medium bodied. Starts slowly, but gathers momentum and gradually reels in the other two wines. Every glass is better than the previous one. The last one is spectacular. A very elegant and refined style of Latour. A wine which is just entering its drinking window, which I would imagine would last several decades.

It was difficult to pick a winner but if you put a gun to my head the Cheval Blanc wins. But only just.

[Comte Flaneur]

[Ramon_NYC]

I hope your guests were appreciative of your coming up with "only" the 1982 La Conseillante. I've had it many years ago during a 1982 horizontal and it stuck out in my recollection as one very fine wine. I don't recall having had either the '85 Latour nor Cheval Blanc. it sounded like the CB was rocking and rolling, but I suspect that the '82 LC was a worthy botttle in the mix.

Good to see that you continue to drink very well over there, Ian.

[salilb]

Lovely wines and great notes Ian. That 85 Cheval Blanc is a wine I've been particularly keen to hunt down.

Conseillante's one of those producers I've found frustratingly inconsistent, but in some vintages (82 and 89) the wines are extraordinary.

[stefan]

I like your choices of luncheon wines, Ian.

[Bacchus]

Can I be friends with your friends?

[sdr]

La Conseillate always fools me with its beauty. It seems too light to last and evolve. But that it does. My favorites are the '89 and '90, with the 82 right behind.

I'm glad you had a good experience with the '85 Cheval. It's always been too slight for me, not enough Cheval in the Cheval, if you know what I mean. In the eighties, I prefer '82, '83 and '89, with the wonderful '90 sweeping them all under the rug.

Stuart