In Praise of Trophy Wines

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sdr
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In Praise of Trophy Wines

Post by sdr »

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.
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AKR
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Re: In Praise of Trophy Wines

Post by AKR »

Many years ago, a group I was in used to have an annual cellar gems dinner, where members were encouraged to bring that concept* of wine.

And I remember how some people really disliked doing this blind.

One guy said he wasn't bringing his Harlan, if he had to cover it up.

Oh, the long email chains of outrage that would create!

I remember one year how a young Feudi di San Gregorio 'Serpico' swept the field when blinded.

And how some groused that it could not even be counted as a trophy.

That's even leaving out its unsavory lineage: It's Italian, and from a ignoble grape

Still, I like Trophy Wives (so does this guy)
Image

* there were no 61 Latour a Pomerols in our collective circle
Last edited by AKR on Fri Apr 07, 2017 11:59 pm, edited 4 times in total.
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JimHow
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Re: In Praise of Trophy Wines

Post by JimHow »

I remember reading an article, I believe it was in the Wall Street Journal, about Peter Gelb, the schmuck who is running the Metropolitan Opera into the ground. I think it was an article about wine. As I recall, he was being interviewed by the reporter at the restaurant across Broadway and he was drinking a high end Chateauneuf du Pape, probably about a $150 bottle, and he shared hardly any of it with the writer. And he makes like $1.8 million per year while the Met falls deeper into the red.

And I remember that shithead who made tons of money in the finance industry in Manhattan who used to come to our dinners and brought his $15 bottles of wine.
Your spirit of generosity surpasses your love of trophy wines, Stuart, you have been a great friend over the years. You have given many of us an opportunity to tastes these legendary wines without blinking an eye. It was great to see you and Kathy again in SF, we've got to go invade south Florida sometime in the next year!
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Comte Flaneur
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Re: In Praise of Trophy Wines

Post by Comte Flaneur »

I'm in your camp Stuart. My experiences with DRC, Petrus and the FGs have mostly been thrilling. And certainly unforgettable, like the 1964 Petrus I coincidentally drank on the day Princess Diana died, and the 1980 Romanee Conti I drank on my 50th. You will never forget those encounters. I have been lucky because the sense of occasion has often been counterbalanced by modest expectations. Win-win.
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Re: In Praise of Trophy Wines

Post by JimHow »

We coincidentally drank a beautiful 1990 d'Armailhac on Campobello Island the day that Princess Diana died.
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DavidG
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Re: In Praise of Trophy Wines

Post by DavidG »

Well said, Stuart.
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Nicklasss
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Re: In Praise of Trophy Wines

Post by Nicklasss »

I don't own any trophy wines. These I can't afford. But of course when you see, or even taste one, it is a very special moment. And of course, you sdr likes those wines and you are generous enough to not keep them only for yourself. This I will always remember and thank you for that. I tried my best in SF to bring a, let say, "special wines" in your honor and in the honor of 3 others BWEers.

And personnally, I like even more trophy persons, like many BWEers are. That makes me cry.

Nic
Last edited by Nicklasss on Sat Apr 08, 2017 3:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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stefan
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Re: In Praise of Trophy Wines

Post by stefan »

I agree that there is pleasure to be gained from opening trophy wines just because they ARE trophy wines. Wasn't popping a Lafite more fun when the market valued it twice as high as other first growths?

Another factor is that trophy wines often are the best wines of their kind, and to appreciate fully an appellation it is good to experience the best that it has to offer. Two that Stuart offered at BWE-15 were of that ilk--1967 Yquem and 1982 L'Evangile. The latter I have had several times (twice due to Stuart's generosity) and I think it is an example of a perfect Pomerol. The '67 Yquem was equally outstanding.
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brodway
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Re: In Praise of Trophy Wines

Post by brodway »

Very nice Stuart.....

You are right...life is a culmination of these special moments as we spend more time reminiscing about them than actually experiencing them.

If the trophy wine brings years of pleasure, even after you've consumed these wines long ago, its worth every dollar spent.
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sdr
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Re: In Praise of Trophy Wines

Post by sdr »

So last night I finally got to try a Trophy I've had my eye on for a while - my first DRC Montrachet, and presumably my last (vintage 2007). It actually lived up to its star billing and was unique and stunning in every way. It will live in my memory forever. I think brodway is right.
Last edited by sdr on Sun Apr 09, 2017 9:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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stefan
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Re: In Praise of Trophy Wines

Post by stefan »

Wasn't the old (1961?) Montrachet we drank at Margaux in 2005 from DRC?
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sdr
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Re: In Praise of Trophy Wines

Post by sdr »

stefan wrote:Wasn't the old (1961?) Montrachet we drank at Margaux in 2005 from DRC?
From the 2005 trip, I remember tasting the '61 Montrachet at Bouchard; of course it was their version.

At Margaux, the white was a young Pavillon Blanc, I believe.

Stu
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DavidG
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Re: In Praise of Trophy Wines

Post by DavidG »

My recollection matches Stu's.
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dstgolf
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Re: In Praise of Trophy Wines

Post by dstgolf »

I don't remember a 61 Montrachet from 2005 and must have been enjoyed on the side trip to Beaune that some went on. Pavillion Blanc at Margaux I believe was 2000. Good but I wouldn't imaging coming close to the 61 Montrachet which I've never had the pleasure.
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stefan
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Re: In Praise of Trophy Wines

Post by stefan »

Oh, yes. My bad.
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