In Praise of Trophy Wines
Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2017 7:22 pm
We all know what they are. Pétrus, Lafite, Mouton, Latour. La Tache, Rousseau Chambertin, Roumier Musigny, Coche-Dury Corton Charlemagne. Bonneau Celestin. Conterno Monfortino, Masseto. Screaming Eagle, Harlan, Schrader. Vega Sicilia. And numerous others, but not too many. And only in the best vintages, of course.
What makes them trophies?
Is it the price? Yes, of course, they are always among the most expensive wines in the world. But price alone does not do it. See: Armand de Brignac Rosé.
Is it rarity? None of them are available in mass quantities. But quite a few are made in multi-thousand case quantities, hardly a boutique production. And many can still be purchased in back vintages on the secondary market.
Is it the quality? Do they really taste that much better than everything else? Maybe sometimes, but more often than not, marginally disappointing, given the expectations. There are other wonderful wines that on any given night can compete with or best the Trophy if it is not performing up to its ultimate.
Is it snob appeal? Now we are getting closer. Some would call it cachet. Wealthy newbies quickly learn the names. They want them and they want them now. Maybe they intend eventually to drink them, maybe not. If not, they are dilettantes, not wine lovers. They like the label more than the contents. But even those with unlimited opportunities will find that they do not want to drink a Trophy every night. Too demanding on the palate and the mind. Sometimes you need to leave the Lamborghini in the garage. But even the most dispassionate will admit, if only to themselves, they are curious. They may never own one, but if presented with an opportunity to taste, they will not turn it down.
There are some, though, the anti-snobs, who will look for every reason to decry Trophies, whether or not they have actually tasted them. They cringe at the cost of entry and find it vulgar that anyone, regardless of wealth, would spend what they consider an obscene amount of money on grape juice.
Of course, ultimately wine is about pleasure. There is quite a bit of pleasure, even excitement, in the anticipation of opening a Trophy. That means that blind tasting eliminates this element of pleasure, just as it levels the playing field. Useful in a academic way but a bit numbing. Better to open a Trophy with the label visible, even though it doesn't make the wine taste any better.
I have been very fortunate and I am grateful. All of my lifetime top wine experiences have been Trophies such as '61 Pétrus, '47 Cheval Blanc, '59 Lafite and '71 Romanée-Conti. My life would be more barren if I had not had these majestic experiences. I feel like I know what 100 point perfection is in wine, at least for Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne. Yet some Trophies have also been my greatest disappointments, such as '45 Mouton and '61 Lafite. Not that they were mediocre, but I was expecting manna from heaven and they did not deliver. Screaming Eagle does not wow me either. Nevertheless, while I open a Trophy (with some trepidation), I have fun with the experience. I want to see the label.
I like Trophy wines.
What makes them trophies?
Is it the price? Yes, of course, they are always among the most expensive wines in the world. But price alone does not do it. See: Armand de Brignac Rosé.
Is it rarity? None of them are available in mass quantities. But quite a few are made in multi-thousand case quantities, hardly a boutique production. And many can still be purchased in back vintages on the secondary market.
Is it the quality? Do they really taste that much better than everything else? Maybe sometimes, but more often than not, marginally disappointing, given the expectations. There are other wonderful wines that on any given night can compete with or best the Trophy if it is not performing up to its ultimate.
Is it snob appeal? Now we are getting closer. Some would call it cachet. Wealthy newbies quickly learn the names. They want them and they want them now. Maybe they intend eventually to drink them, maybe not. If not, they are dilettantes, not wine lovers. They like the label more than the contents. But even those with unlimited opportunities will find that they do not want to drink a Trophy every night. Too demanding on the palate and the mind. Sometimes you need to leave the Lamborghini in the garage. But even the most dispassionate will admit, if only to themselves, they are curious. They may never own one, but if presented with an opportunity to taste, they will not turn it down.
There are some, though, the anti-snobs, who will look for every reason to decry Trophies, whether or not they have actually tasted them. They cringe at the cost of entry and find it vulgar that anyone, regardless of wealth, would spend what they consider an obscene amount of money on grape juice.
Of course, ultimately wine is about pleasure. There is quite a bit of pleasure, even excitement, in the anticipation of opening a Trophy. That means that blind tasting eliminates this element of pleasure, just as it levels the playing field. Useful in a academic way but a bit numbing. Better to open a Trophy with the label visible, even though it doesn't make the wine taste any better.
I have been very fortunate and I am grateful. All of my lifetime top wine experiences have been Trophies such as '61 Pétrus, '47 Cheval Blanc, '59 Lafite and '71 Romanée-Conti. My life would be more barren if I had not had these majestic experiences. I feel like I know what 100 point perfection is in wine, at least for Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne. Yet some Trophies have also been my greatest disappointments, such as '45 Mouton and '61 Lafite. Not that they were mediocre, but I was expecting manna from heaven and they did not deliver. Screaming Eagle does not wow me either. Nevertheless, while I open a Trophy (with some trepidation), I have fun with the experience. I want to see the label.
I like Trophy wines.