Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts

We had some great wines last night, but two Bordeaux from 1982 stood head and shoulders above the rest. I really loved both of these wines. If I had to pick one, I would give a slight edge to the Sociando for its thrilling feral wildness, but the Magdelaine was more of the room's favorite.

1982 Sociando Mallet
Beautiful nose of pine resin, wood smoke, bell pepper, campfire ash, unsweetened chocolate, sagebrush. The bouquet grows with air as some sweetness emerges, but the nose is not flashy; it remains restrained, cool, classy, deep. To taste, there's cassis, black olives, and some black tea notes. The fruit is quite earthy/leathery/cedary, but still beautifully intact. With air, some minty vanilla notes emerge. There are ample, hard tannins which harken to another era, but that are now silky smooth. I find this combo --silky iron-- pretty thrilling. Finishes long, cool, shrubby. This is the best bottle I've had of this, incredible. 94-95 pts.

1982 Magdelaine
So good. Sweet cherry fruit, almost confected, but with bright acids and stiff, bark-like tannins. Very pretty next to the beefier 82 Sociando, but with terrific persistence and concentration. There's a wintergreen top note on the nose that I seem to get on all mature vintages of Magdelaine. As usual, quite Burgundian in style. Smooth, mature, balanced, complete. 94-95 pts.

Those Magdelaine notes will be fewer and fewer as time goes on. I hardly have any, and am not even sure where they are. Kind of a bummer they are gone.

Nice - the Sociando sounds right up my alley.

I loved the 82 Sociando. As I recall, it cost about $7.00 in 1984. I bought 6. If I'd only knew how wonderful it would become later in life, I would have bought more. But I was young to wine. Though in the first 10 years,it was a beast. Once it calmed down, for me it was a 10 on a 10 scale.

Happy New Year everyone.

Bill

It is really hard to find S-M from the 70s, especially in the US.

Good to read these two 1982s go from strength to strength Patrick. I think it was more than ten years since we did that Sociando vertical in NYC and I remember Arv being there. I think the 1982 showed very well then out of magnum, iirc.

I have not tried the 1982 Magdelaine, I would imagine difficult to track down these days. We did try a 1985 out of magnum in August, which I really loved, for its under-stated elegance. Some found it too under-stated and too elegant.

1982 rocks.

Has anyone had a dissapointing '82 Bordeaux, either lately or in the past?

Not me.

Stu

sdr wrote:1982 rocks.

Yes. Yes it does. Virtually ever chateau I've tried from the 82 vintage was either their 'best ever' or at least tied for first.

sdr wrote:Has anyone had a dissapointing '82 Bordeaux, either lately or in the past?

Not me.

From memory, the only disappointing 82 I've tried has been the Leoville Barton.

I never drank a 1982 that was disappointing.

I've never drank a 1982 that was disappointing.

Grand Puy Lacoste! I hated that wine. Tasted roasted and burnt.
Ducru Beaucaillou. I had it once and thought meh.

I have encountered some bottle variation - not surprisingly - most pronounced in Leoville-Lascases and Leoville Barton, but also in Cos D'Estournel. Patrick I had a sip from a good bottle of Leoville Barton in December, which was firing on all cylinders. I have also tasted some which have been a bit leathery and tired.

The only occasion I tried Chateau Petrus 1982 was in 2000 when it was in an awkward place and outshone by the 1978. But I would not describe it as 'disappointing.'Just brooding and skulking, which added to the intrigue.

I think the most consistently brilliant 1982 is Latour with the best still yet to come. That was my take when we compared a few in October. These wines are drinking brilliantly but there is generally no desperate hurry to drink them up.

Same experience here with 1982 Leoville Barton.
I've had it twice, one time it was A+, the other time it was so-so.
Likewise '82 GPL. My first purchase at Premier Cru many years ago was two bottles of '82 GPL, they were both excellent. The '82 GPL came in fifth or sixth place out of six wines in the legendary Chicago '01 blind tasting.

Well, I thought the 1982 GPL was a fantastic bottle of wine. Maybe I should bring my last one to the BWEfest to test my recollection.

Bill

I've had the 82 GPL twice and was enthralled both times. But Jacques was present for one those bottles, and you could see how little he liked it. Too roasted.

I tried the 1982 GPL at our 2015 Bordeaux Christmas lunch where it acquitted itself well - was not embarrassed - in a Latour 1983 - Lafite 89 sandwich. I found it polished and correct, but lacking in the excitement and flamboyance that you get in other 82 rock stars. It is not the sort of wine that would throw a TV off a hotel balcony. Mind you I think Jacques seems to have a grudge against GPL unlike the 2009 GPL I would have thought it would be difficult to find the 1982 GPL vulgar. Pedestrian? Perhaps but only compared to other 1982s.

I also tried Smith Haut Lafitte 1982 last month. I would describe it as 'charming' - the provider sourced it in Paris for 80 euros, about the same as you would pay for the 2002.

I'd be up for an '82 tasting one night at the convention. I have a dozen or so 82s I could pair with Bill's 82 GPL: Canon, Magdelaine, Beychevelle, Cantemerle, and some other possibilities (I need to check my inventory).

I can tell you that if you go far enough afield, you can find some failures.

Tom In DC wrote:I can tell you that if you go far enough afield, you can find some failures.

Isn't that true for every great vintage?

BTW Tom, Loxton's offering this year were great, especially the chard, syrahs and the pioneer blend.

Bill

How do I order some of those Loxton Syrahs Bill?

Jim,

https://www.loxtonwines.com/Wines

Thanks Bill, do you have any preferences among his Syrah offerings?

I thought both 2013 Hillside and Griffin's Lair were drinking well with some potential to age.

Bill

Thanks sounds good, I'll probably buy three of each, mix it up a little.