Some Bordeaux Oldies
Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2017 10:42 pm
Since I recently had a birthday that made me officially ancient, I decided to use the event as an excuse to open some of my oldie Bordeaux, although none as old as I am. Coincidentally, the local wine shop, Wine Watch, put on a tasting of old Bordeaux as well. These notes are a combination of three events.
1966 Chateau Lafite-Rothschild 92 points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Fascinating wine. Pale color, no browning. Incredibly complex if faint bouquet of primrose, then tobacco ash, old leather and much more I cannot describe. It's mostly tertiary but lifted by floral notes and supremely elegant. Changes by the minute in the glass, a contemplative wine. As Jeff Leve notes, the palate does not live up to the bouquet. Nevertheless, it's sound and well balanced and not too acidic. Light in body, yet still a trace of tannins, so finishes well. Maybe better ten or twenty years ago, but then again, maybe not. Lafite evolves in mysterious ways.
1966 Chateau Latour 94 points
France, Bordeaux, Medoc, Pauilliac
Another splendid bottle of '66 Latour, which is proving to be the most reliable of the old Latours, even if not quite reaching the profundity of the very best bottles of '59 and '61. Excellent deep ruby color almost to the rim. Deeply Pauillac aromas of black earth, gravel, porcini and truffle. Medium full body, clean finish. Still lively even deep into its tertiary phase.
1961 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste 93 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
This beautifully well preserved bottle, sourced recently from WineBid, was quite stunning. Deep ruby color belies it's age. Remarkably concentrated in the best ways of the 1961 vintage with black fruit, charcoal and smoke. It's a bit burly, though, which is a GPL signature, but that is quibbling. Bottles like this still have plenty of life.
1959 Chateau Beychevelle 87 points
France, Bordeaux, Medoc, St. Julien
Obviously the weakest of the bunch from the decade of the '50s tasting. Not spoiled in any way but murky, sour and watery although a vestige of cranberry fruit remains. On its own it's drinkable, but surrounded by the other good to great wines, why bother?
1959 Château Margaux 91 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
The '59 Margaux does not have a great reputation among the First Growths of this fine vintage, but this bottle was really quite good but certainly not great. The color was reassuringly deep for age. The nose was the best part, as so often with old Margaux, wonderfully sweet in the way that only very old wine can be, with an intriguing note of eucalyptus. A little thin on the palate, though, and it tails off meekly on the finish. Still, it lasted and even improved in the glass over a couple of hours.
1959 Château Latour Grand Vin 98 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
From a well stored magnum of a local collector, the '59 Latour was the unanimous favorite of the group and myself in an extraordinary series of fine Bordeaux from the decade of the 1950's. Astonishingly dark ruby color, as if it were 20 years old instead of almost sixty. Immediately forthcoming and bold, almost as if boasting of its regal superiority. This is exactly the epiphany of old Bordeaux, masses of cassis, sweet tobacco, dried porcini, truffle and black licorice, smooth and decadently rich, the tannins melted into the savory juice. While young Latour can be impressive in its concentration, it takes decades to develop into something this complex, this compelling. A revelation, and proof that 1959 is the best vintage of this decade.
1959 Château Mouton Rothschild 94 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Fascinating in its tremendous complexity and warmth, vestiges of old red fruit, dried cherries, leather, smoke and dust. Living on the edge but compelling as it gradually opened in the glass. Perhaps more interesting in a cerebral way than delicious, though.
1959 Château Lafite Rothschild 90 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
I chose this bottle to be perhaps the apex of the wines I opened for my birthday, but alas, it did not perform. Less opaque than the surrounding wines from '59 or '61, but that is typical of Lafite. When this wine is on form, it has one of the most remarkable bouquets in all of the Gironde, but this particular bottle was somewhat mute. Both the nose and palate were muddled, indistinct and lacking the floral grace for which Lafite is famous. Still, the old wine elements of leather and spice were enjoyable enough for what they were, if not for what they could be.
1959 Château La Mission Haut-Brion Flawed
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
I brought the bottle to the restaurant but despite its seemingly excellent condition and dark color, there was simply too much VA for enjoyment. While the volatile part of the acidity gradually faded, the fixed component did not.
1955 Château Latour Grand Vin 88 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Mid-shoulder fill bottle, murky color, some brown. Mellow from age, thin on the palate and tastes every bit of its 62 years and then some. Yet despite its weaknesses, it tastes almost sweet and surprisingly elegant. Unsurprisingly though, it faded in the glass. Better bottles have been more sturdy but not great.
1955 Château Mouton Rothschild 88 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
From a bottle with mid shoulder ullage, the color was surprisingly deep for a standard size bottle. The nose was somewhat roasted, which had me thinking it might be the LMHB (blind tasting). Medium intensity of modest old Bordeaux flavors of pipe tobacco, cedar and ash. Repeat sampling revealed that it structurally wobbled and a note of acetone crept in. More interesting than delicious since the fruit had left the building.
1953 Château La Mission Haut-Brion 94 Points
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Stunning LMHB, from a magnum recorked in 1985, which may have contributed to its fine showing. A little muffled out of the gate despite a few hours decanting time, it gathered steam in the glass. Slightly light in the mid palate, high acids, but very stylish and distinctive. The more time passed, the more of that LMHB hickory barbecue smoke erupted from the glass like a vinous volcano. Wonderful combination of old and vigorous.
CLOSING
Most of these wines are not that great, although all are interesting in their own right. I've had other bottles not so long ago, either the same wines or similar, that did show better, especially the '59 Lafite. That said, I find I am enjoying my Bordeaux a little younger, say, 30 - 40 years old for the most part. Still when one of these ancient bottles is on form, there is nothing like it and I am grateful for the opportunity to taste them.
Stuart
1966 Chateau Lafite-Rothschild 92 points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Fascinating wine. Pale color, no browning. Incredibly complex if faint bouquet of primrose, then tobacco ash, old leather and much more I cannot describe. It's mostly tertiary but lifted by floral notes and supremely elegant. Changes by the minute in the glass, a contemplative wine. As Jeff Leve notes, the palate does not live up to the bouquet. Nevertheless, it's sound and well balanced and not too acidic. Light in body, yet still a trace of tannins, so finishes well. Maybe better ten or twenty years ago, but then again, maybe not. Lafite evolves in mysterious ways.
1966 Chateau Latour 94 points
France, Bordeaux, Medoc, Pauilliac
Another splendid bottle of '66 Latour, which is proving to be the most reliable of the old Latours, even if not quite reaching the profundity of the very best bottles of '59 and '61. Excellent deep ruby color almost to the rim. Deeply Pauillac aromas of black earth, gravel, porcini and truffle. Medium full body, clean finish. Still lively even deep into its tertiary phase.
1961 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste 93 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
This beautifully well preserved bottle, sourced recently from WineBid, was quite stunning. Deep ruby color belies it's age. Remarkably concentrated in the best ways of the 1961 vintage with black fruit, charcoal and smoke. It's a bit burly, though, which is a GPL signature, but that is quibbling. Bottles like this still have plenty of life.
1959 Chateau Beychevelle 87 points
France, Bordeaux, Medoc, St. Julien
Obviously the weakest of the bunch from the decade of the '50s tasting. Not spoiled in any way but murky, sour and watery although a vestige of cranberry fruit remains. On its own it's drinkable, but surrounded by the other good to great wines, why bother?
1959 Château Margaux 91 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
The '59 Margaux does not have a great reputation among the First Growths of this fine vintage, but this bottle was really quite good but certainly not great. The color was reassuringly deep for age. The nose was the best part, as so often with old Margaux, wonderfully sweet in the way that only very old wine can be, with an intriguing note of eucalyptus. A little thin on the palate, though, and it tails off meekly on the finish. Still, it lasted and even improved in the glass over a couple of hours.
1959 Château Latour Grand Vin 98 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
From a well stored magnum of a local collector, the '59 Latour was the unanimous favorite of the group and myself in an extraordinary series of fine Bordeaux from the decade of the 1950's. Astonishingly dark ruby color, as if it were 20 years old instead of almost sixty. Immediately forthcoming and bold, almost as if boasting of its regal superiority. This is exactly the epiphany of old Bordeaux, masses of cassis, sweet tobacco, dried porcini, truffle and black licorice, smooth and decadently rich, the tannins melted into the savory juice. While young Latour can be impressive in its concentration, it takes decades to develop into something this complex, this compelling. A revelation, and proof that 1959 is the best vintage of this decade.
1959 Château Mouton Rothschild 94 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Fascinating in its tremendous complexity and warmth, vestiges of old red fruit, dried cherries, leather, smoke and dust. Living on the edge but compelling as it gradually opened in the glass. Perhaps more interesting in a cerebral way than delicious, though.
1959 Château Lafite Rothschild 90 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
I chose this bottle to be perhaps the apex of the wines I opened for my birthday, but alas, it did not perform. Less opaque than the surrounding wines from '59 or '61, but that is typical of Lafite. When this wine is on form, it has one of the most remarkable bouquets in all of the Gironde, but this particular bottle was somewhat mute. Both the nose and palate were muddled, indistinct and lacking the floral grace for which Lafite is famous. Still, the old wine elements of leather and spice were enjoyable enough for what they were, if not for what they could be.
1959 Château La Mission Haut-Brion Flawed
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
I brought the bottle to the restaurant but despite its seemingly excellent condition and dark color, there was simply too much VA for enjoyment. While the volatile part of the acidity gradually faded, the fixed component did not.
1955 Château Latour Grand Vin 88 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Mid-shoulder fill bottle, murky color, some brown. Mellow from age, thin on the palate and tastes every bit of its 62 years and then some. Yet despite its weaknesses, it tastes almost sweet and surprisingly elegant. Unsurprisingly though, it faded in the glass. Better bottles have been more sturdy but not great.
1955 Château Mouton Rothschild 88 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
From a bottle with mid shoulder ullage, the color was surprisingly deep for a standard size bottle. The nose was somewhat roasted, which had me thinking it might be the LMHB (blind tasting). Medium intensity of modest old Bordeaux flavors of pipe tobacco, cedar and ash. Repeat sampling revealed that it structurally wobbled and a note of acetone crept in. More interesting than delicious since the fruit had left the building.
1953 Château La Mission Haut-Brion 94 Points
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Stunning LMHB, from a magnum recorked in 1985, which may have contributed to its fine showing. A little muffled out of the gate despite a few hours decanting time, it gathered steam in the glass. Slightly light in the mid palate, high acids, but very stylish and distinctive. The more time passed, the more of that LMHB hickory barbecue smoke erupted from the glass like a vinous volcano. Wonderful combination of old and vigorous.
CLOSING
Most of these wines are not that great, although all are interesting in their own right. I've had other bottles not so long ago, either the same wines or similar, that did show better, especially the '59 Lafite. That said, I find I am enjoying my Bordeaux a little younger, say, 30 - 40 years old for the most part. Still when one of these ancient bottles is on form, there is nothing like it and I am grateful for the opportunity to taste them.
Stuart