Some Greatest Hits From The 1970s

[Comte Flaneur]

Yesterday morning none other than Ramon Cabrera stepped off the red eye from JFK at LHR for a well-earned vacation. To celebrate his visit I gathered together six hardcore London enthusiasts to sample some Bordeaux from the 1970s. 

I conveyed to Ramon my heartfelt wish that he returns to the BWE flock, just as Patrick and Arvind have. I assured him he would be welcomed back with open arms. 

We met at the RSJ restaurant next to Waterloo station. 

Starter

Robert Ampeau Meursault Perrieres 1991

A splendid bottle of pre-premox white burgundy. A resplendent evolved golden hue, nutty, hazelnuts, hint of honey comb, exotic fruits and unctuous citrus. Lush and delicious. Outstanding.

Flight one: 1970 Bordeaux 

Haut-Batailley

Some horsey, meaty notes (some would say brett but it was far from unpleasant), aged claret with hints of celery salt, austere with out being lacking, very proper, very classic Pauillac. Some American palates would find this lacking, but I found this old school claret to be a treat. Excellent

Ducru Beaucaillou

Some 18 hours earlier this bottle was in the hold on the red-eye from JFK. It started in measured fashion, and gradually began to fan out. A little cloudy it developed haunting aromas of dark fruits and dark chocolates, with a solid core of lead pencil with some spice and tobacco notes. Effortlessly accomplished, lithe, complex and multi-faceted this pulled out a clear lead over its flight mates. A very complete wine. Outstanding to magnificent.

Calon Segur

Another beautifully resolved, classic mature old-fashioned claret with meaty notes, church pew and milk chocolate overtones. Recognisable St-Estephe attributes, it is a less hard core version of the Montrose. Excellent to outstanding. 

Montrose

There really is austere, but thrilling and bracing. You could argue that this could use another couple of decades. In some ways this is a masochist’s delight, but it has a marvellous finish. Excellent to outstanding. 

Flight three: 1979 Bordeaux

Cheval Blanc

Cherry-infused right bank fruit, vibrant and spicey this is drop dead gorgeous, and perfectly resolved. Magnificent

Haut-Brion

This bottle was also on the red eye and the only way you could tell was that it was slightly cloudy. The last time I drank this I think was in 1994 when it was already fully resolved. Judging by this showing it has been on a glorious plateau. It is not big or brassy but has everything you could ask for in a mature claret. Scorched earth and elegant graves. Magnificent

La Mission Haut-Brion

This was a pristine bottle. Smokey, tertiary and spicey, just gorgeous. It was hard to pick a winner in this flight. Maybe this was half a nose behind the Haut-Brion? Outstanding to magnificent.

Flight two: 1978 Bordeaux 

Leoville-Barton

A BBR bottling this just didn’t seem quite right on the night. NR

Ducru Beaucaillou

This batch has been quite variable, and this was one of the less good bottles. I don’t think it was flawed but it seemed to be showing signs of cracking up. A bit old and furry, and all over the shop like a drunken sailor. OK

Pichon Longueville Comtesse De Lalande

Classic entry but a little attenuated on the palate. This was the best wine in a disappointing flight. Good. 

Dessert:

Chateau D’Yquem 1988

Not quite as perfect as the one at the Palmer dinner, I think it suffered a bit from being too warm.

The Haut-Brion narrowly beat the Cheval Blanc for the accolade of WOTN. 

Overall a wonderful experience. The 1970s were a thrill and a joy. Resolutely old school. Just imagine how tough the Montrose would have been in 1980? The 1979 flight was however the highlight. It was a brilliant flight with three wines which were absolutely singing beautifully. Three perfectly resolved first growths/ de facto first growths. What a treat. It was a good call by MEK to persuade me to shift the order: originally the 1979s were down to come last, but given we were only seven, our senses may not have been razor sharp as we approached the third flight. 

[stefan]

It has been a while since I have had most of these. Great collection of wines.

'78 Ducru is annoying: good bottles are fantastic; others are weak; many are corked. Pichon Lalande is one of my favorites from '78; too bad this bottle was far along the downslope.

[AKR]

Very nice. I'm surprised by how many of those 70's that I've sampled over the years, although not all the ones that Comte mentions.

I like them earlier on the maturity curve so don't go especially looking for them now.

Is corkage difficult to arrange in London?

[Comte Flaneur]

Arv corkage can be arranged quite widely in London especially if you are well connected, in the know and give a nod and a wink.