VCC 1949-2010

[Musigny 151]

Having just done an in depth tasting of Magdelaine the week before, it was interesting to compare and contrast the two chateaux.

While Magdelaine operated within a 93-98 point spread, VCC is certainly capable of 100 point scores, and the 1949 and 1953 were both examples. Utterly profound wines from the Golden Age of VCC before the frosts of 1956 required some serious replanting.

I did not write detailed notes, in fact wrote no notes at all, so this all from memory.

Let’s get the failures out of the way.
The 1975 Margaux served blind at the end of the tasting was dying when opened, but completed the process within a minute or two.
1989 was a spoiled bottle. Recently tasted a fabulous magnum; this was heat damaged and unpleasant.
2009 was also not a success but not as bad as the others, but I have had much better examples, but don’t think it is one of the great VCCs

Now to the good stuff.
2014 is one of my favorite wines. Showed young and very well in a fairly austere style. 94

2010. Alcohol well integrated. Large scale but nicely balanced. More open than 2005. 94

2005
Very backward. Like Magdelaine, needs decades, but much as I liked the Magdelaine, this will be better. 97

2000
Interesting how this was rich and pleasant again, the vintage defined the wine as with Magdelaine. 94

1998
An excellent wine but prior to the tasting I had opened another bottle, and both bottles seemed to be fairly closed. A bottle from last year was clearly much more open, and really profound. 93?


1990
A fine wine in early maturity. Still more fruit than tertiary stuff, but evolving beautifully. 94

1985
This was gorgeous and well worth seeking out. I am finding the vintage has evolved extremely well producing wonderfully balanced wines. The VCC had that balance with some lovely notes floral and cassis 96

1975
Pomerols in this vintage did pretty well, but there always seems to be a hard tannic edge to them. Still showing but plenty of fruit and the beginning of some interesting earthy notes. 92

1970
Although a perfectly nice wine, this was clearly less exciting than I expected. It was the only wine that showed it’s mortality, it wasn’t over the hill but you could see it’s path. Fruit still there but forest floor and mushroom. 91

1966
It seems this is where where the 1985 was heading. Balanced, beautifully made, old fashioned, lots of tertiary stuff with a beautiful gilding of fruit. At the height of its powers. 95


1964
Note to self, do not put the 1964 in a flight with 1961, 1953 and 1949. Everyone noted it was a very good wine, but compared to the other three it just seemed muted. Balanced, with some fruit and a touch of violets, earth and a medium finish. 92

1961
Concentrated and intense, the ‘61 would have run away with most tastings but then it would not have had to compete with 1949 and ‘53. This was a masculine wine, powerful, and uncompromising. No real hint of delicacy but waves of fruit, spices and floral elements. A superb layered finish 98

1953 and 1949
I am going to group these together as there was more similarity than difference. The frosts of 1956 which destroyed much of the vineyard, came after, so these were old vine bottles. It was hard to pick a winner, these were wines of balance and concentration with every one of the hallmarks of the chateau; the fruit, violets, licorice and leather and the slow appearance of earth and mushroom. Exquisite and long. The 1949 may have been slightly more tertiary but it would have reflected the slight difference in age. 100 and 100.

[Dionysus]

Mark, you're one lucky fellow. A truly outstanding tasting.
To think two of those wines are 70+ years old...and both 100 pointers to boot...wow!

I've yet to try an aged example, but have 14, 16 & 19 lying in wait.

[JCNorthway]

Thanks for sharing your experience with a fabulous lineup of wines, most of which I am unlikely to taste. Seems amazing how well the 1949 and 1953 have aged. I had a chance to drink a 1949 Gruaud Larose, thanks to a friend with a deep cellar, who knew it was my birth year. It was surprisingly youthful, but that was probably 10+ years ago.

[greatbxfreak]

Great notes Mark,

I tasted 1953 VCC 11 years ago and it was an astonishing wine. I rated it 99p.

[greatbxfreak]

2008 VCC ?

[SF Ed]

Sounds like a fantastic evening!

I've had the 1964 VCC and your notes look spot on. I found it much more reserved that other top 1964 right bankers.

My exposure to 1953 right bankers is slim but the very few I've had have been great. I don't think I've ever had a 1949 at all.

SF Ed

[JimHow]

Congratulations, Musigny151, I know you've planned that event for a while.
We'll be having the 1988 VCC, also known as the "BD Killer," at an event later this winter.

[Musigny 151]

2008 VCC ?

We had a few missing. I would have liked to put that one in, as it is a vintage I am beginning to become quite fond of.

We did have the 1982, and I can’t recall too much as it was middle of the pack, and I remember we talked about it being very typical of the vintage.

[Blanquito]

The 82 VCC was wonderful, tres complex at the Pomerol night in BWE DC ‘21.

[Nicklasss]

Marvellous tasting of VCC, and nice write up Musigny 151, especially from memory.

VCC is not a wine we see often, like most of the top Pomerol. For me it is a concentrated and classic Pomerol, and with the few vintages i had, do great wines years in and years out.

The 1999 i had with JeanFred lately was excellent and evem more than that in the context of the vintage.

I liked all vintages of VCC i had, so 1982, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1998 and 1999.

[Comte Flaneur]

Nice notes Mark, what a thrill to drink the older wines, seems like VCC is immortal.

[JoelD]

Sounds like a great tasting, Mark. I was sad to miss the both of these events. Sounds like a few of your usual favorites underperformed. 89, 98, 00?

Guessing this 1970 wasn't quite as good as the bottle we had this past summer? Sounds closer to the one I opened in April.

[AlexR]

You're a lucky man Mark.

VCC is such an elegant wine...
And you hit all the high points.

I'll pretend not to be jealous...

AR