The Year of Jazz & Wine: 1959

[RPCV]

Neil Martin is one lucky dude. What an epic article this is... I can't say I agree with his stance on music but the wines he tastes in this article run true north for me.

I am unlucky to be born in 1960, sandwiched between two wonderful vintages of our beloved Bordeaux. That said, his article reminded me of a time when I was into choosing what I felt were the best albums of all time. Certainly not all inclusive but here's what pops into my mind.... Miles Davis: Kind of Blue....Jeff Beck: Blow by Blow....Beatles: Sgt. Peppers....Clash: London Calling....Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon....Zeppelin: IV.

A great read and fun to recall times of old....glad I still have a few Huet '59 left in the bin.

Cheers,

RPCV

[jckba]

https://vinous.com/articles/the-year-of ... 9-nov-2020

[Nicklasss]

Interesting and fun to read. Almost impossible to reproduce.

I know i had some old Moulin Touchais. I have to look back if I had the 1959... yes, in the summer of 2009 :

1959 Moulin Touchais, Coteaux-du-Layon : A sweet white. Look soo young. Nose of almonds, after that, add flowers, maple syrup, peaches and cinnamon. In mouth, medium sugar with super fresh acidity. Oxydized apples tastes, with raosted touch and some more almonds. Also acidic pears. Long mineral finish. Really good but I think i prefer Sauternes and Barsac... TN : 91.

Maybe i had one or two 1959 red Bordeaux, from Tim or MichaelP or SF Ed or sdr generosity. I have look back. If i remember well a "special" weird label 1959 Petrus for sure, in 2015 in Bordeaux. A 1959 Yquem at a convention. And i guess a 1959 Nénin with MichaelP. 1959 Maucaillou from Tim. 1959 Beauséjour-Duffau from MichaelP.

Nic

[RPCV]

Agree. I am amazed at how high these scores are and how pedigreed the line-up is. Maybe that's why the scores are high but just an amazing group of wines...I know he gets to taste wines like this on a fairly frequent basis, but think about one of US getting in on a tasting like that....chance of a lifetime for me, that's for sure.

[Jay Winton]

My birth year as well as mrs vino so, of course, legendary. I've been fortunate to have Margaux (somewhat cooked but some great wine underneath), 59 Mouton-thanks to Stu who thought it a good not great bottle and 59 Lafite, again from Stu this time a glorious wine. So fresh. We are a generous group.

[Musigny 151]

God I wish critics would focus on the wines. The vintage is glorious; you don’t need to drag your uninformed thinking kicking and screaming into the conversation. What does this add?

“ Where’s the melody? The aleatoric nature of jazz, zigzagging like a fly trapped in a jar, keeps me at arms length. I completely understand why others are fanatical, obsessive about this musical form, but I must accept that just like single malt whiskey and golf, jazz ain’t for me.”

[Comte Flaneur]

As someone else noted on another board it is a shame about the overwrought theology and heavy handed use of the thesaurus, because other wise he is a reliable critic and a nice unassuming chap to boot. That particular self indulgent tirade was a turnoff, deflating my will to continue reading.

[stefan]

Neal Martin on Jazz reminds me of Jeff Leve on Burgundy. Martin should follow Leve's lead and stick to writing about Bordeaux.

[s*d*r]

Even today the ‘59s can be dazzling, at best with that mellow sweetness unique to old Bordeaux. Maybe a little less precise than the very best ‘61s but warmer and more generous. Don’t think they are all dead leaves and ashtrays although the more tired ones are. My faves of the vintage are boringly predictable - Lafite, Latour, Mouton, La Mission Haut-Brion. I just picked up a Léoville Las Cases at auction so we’ll see if that one has any life.

Stu

[JimHow]

The only reason why I've tasted 1959 is because of the unbelievable generosity of Stuart.
As I recall I enjoyed the '59 Lafite and Latour even more than their 1961 counterparts.
I was born in 1958, which was like the worst year in the history of the planet for growing wine grapes.
Nonetheless, I absolutely loved the 1958 Haut Brion that Timmy served us at his birthday party.
The '58 Lynch, as Dan Aykroyd would say, was: Bad... Very bad.