Greetings from Timmy’s birthday party in Bordeaux.

[JimHow]

We are drinking some, um, pretty amazing wines. Epic.

[William P]

Happy Birthday to Tim.

Bill

[dstgolf]

Company and wines were epic. Just a few riches to be described later.
2003 DRC Montrachet
1928,53,58,78 Haut Brion a treat
45 Leoville La Case incredible
48 Rauzan Segla amazing early on then faded
Jereboam 1982 Ausone...wow
67, 76 Y'Quem Wow Wow
Many others but just the highlights. Tomorrows another day.

Slumming it in Bordeaux!!

[Nicklasss]

Shit!

[AKR]

Pretty crazy. Happy birthday!

[Blanquito]

No pics and it didn’t happen!

[JimHow]

1989 Haut Brion too.

[stefan]

Happy birthday, Tim. You drank well!

[Nicklasss]

Happy birthday Tim.

I begin to think that BWE is too (way tooooooooo) big for the little me.

Nic

[tim]

Thanks all! Celebrating 50 years, was an amazing night, great company from around the world!

Plus some truly epic wines

[DavidG]

Happy Birthday Tim!
Sounds like an epic celebration. Well done!

[JimHow]

...

[marcs]

ha ha ha HOLY SHIT

congrats

[Tom In DC]

Happy birthday, Tim. That looks like quite the fireball on top of the cake!

[sdr]

Happy 100th, Tim (judging by the cake).

Stu

[dstgolf]

Two days recuperating at a golf resort south of Bergerac in the Dordogne before heading back to Spain. The weekend at Tim's was simply amazing. People came in from all parts with many surprises that Tim held close to his chest. Jim H the BD showed up Friday night for dinner from Paris the Uber'd back to Bordeaux for the night before heading back to Paris. Francois was in for the night then back out in am. Ian and Maureen drove in from London and Alex/Christine were so helpful coming in for the weekend from Bordeaux. John and Ben flew in fro Seattle and Medi Tim's friend from Paris soon to return to Algiers added spark. Ed &Lisa in from San Fran and Maureen Downey was in for the weekend with many stories about skull duggery in the wine business. Hugo from Burgundy(Maureens associate arrived Sat). Full house with us from Ottawa. Perfect weather staying in a fairy tale castle with great food,friendship and amazing wine. The wines were unbelievable with hilights including the 2003 DRC Montrachet the was an extra special treat that most will never have tried. 1928,53,58,89 Haut Brion with round table discussions about their favourites. Francois was in heaven with the 28 that had turned to soya sauce and mushroom extract but to each their own. The 53 was amazingly youthful and a fan favourite with the 89 so youthful and classic wonderful Haut Brion.

Some shockers of the night sat was the 45 Leoville Las Cases was just amazing for the youthful fruit/balance and depth of flavours that it showed. No one would have guessed anything less than a bottle 40-50 yrs younger. The 48 Rausan Segla stunned early on but faded over an hour..

A 5 litre bottle of 82 Ausone was simply over the top brought in by Ian and it was hedonistic but so youthful showing glacial pace of aging in this large format.

67 and 76 Yquem were both incredible in their own right. 67 perfect balance with caramel notes that some love more than others and the 76 showed more classic fruit/acid and honeyed botrytis. The 53 Disy Daene the next night almost equalled if not exceeded the Yquem and the 2001 was superb in its youthfulness.

2001 Pontet Canet was showing nothing but grace and balance in a first growth kind of way...superb!

So many more wines to talk about but time to sleep and hopefully update later.

Needless to say this was a more than epic weekend and we feel truly blessed to have been part of Tim's celebration and spending the weekend with so many great fun people....until next time and thanks to everyone for making this such a special weekend that will never be forgotten.

A few photos if you wish to see the wines and some of the moments shared.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/HT9MpKfBtt45wweaA

[JimHow]

It's a pretty good Friday night wine dinner when Lafite is the weakest wine of the bunch.
But as a wise man from Quebec once said, paraphrasing: BWE is about the people.
I was experiencing a little 24 hour bug but caught my second wind once among the familiar friendly faces of BWE.

My favorites of the night included:

1967 d'Yquem... I thought this wine was in smoking form, it was like drinking a creme brulee. If I had to pick a wine of the night, this was it.
And the 1976 d'Yquem was very differently styled, more classic, elegant, but brilliant in its own, different, way.
1982 Ausone: This wine was stunning, Ian had decanted it but it still evolved majestically as we had multiple pours from his 5L, evolving into this gorgeous tobacco stunner. Black as night. Wow.
1945 LLC: Holy mackerel. Alex and I were in awe just looking at its youthfulness in the glass.
1953 Haut Brion was my favorite of the HBs, it seemed at a plateau that will last for a while longer.
I was very touched by Timmy's bringing along the 1958 Haut Brion from my birth year, which still had a lot to offer but, like me, was fading by the end.

2003 Montrachet: Impeccable. Perfection. Sheer class.
1964 and 1967 Gaja: Served at the end, my palate and the rest of my body was fatigued by then but I had an opportunity to experience the greatness.
1948 Rausan Segla... Like the '45 LLC, so youthful.

I was honored to be there to honor Timmy McCracken, one of the most generous, interesting, unique, and loyal friends anyone could ever have.
It was a great night, I knew Alex, Ian/Maureen and Danny/Danielle were going to be there, I was pleasantly surprised to see Maureen, Francois, and Ed/Lisa as I arrived, and to meet Timmy's other friends for the first time.

The meal and setting were story book, a little reminiscent of our dinner at Pichon Baron in 2015.
Got back to Paris the next day for one more afternoon/evening of sightseeing and dinner, then we were off on Sunday, back to New England, where I will be seeing some more BWEers here in Maine during peak foliage season....

A once in a lifetime dinner!
Vivre BWE!

[AlexR]

Hi,

I have been privileged to taste a number of remarkable wines in the past 10 days. In fact, I have never before tasted as many great aged wines in such a short period of time in my entire life. It was not possible to take detailed notes on these, since they were served at table, but here are a few brief impressions.
I would like to acknowledge the outrageous generosity of Tim Mc Cracken who contributed most of the wines, as well as Ian Amstad and others.
Tim had rented a château in the Entre-Deux-Mers to celebrate his 50th birthday and invited friends from seven different countries, all wine lovers, to come and spend a memorable weekend.
The wines at the first dinner were shared with Danny and Danielle Tenaschuk in Bordeaux.
We were all happy to see Jim How, even if for just a short while. He made sure to be there for the high point on Friday!

Dinner on 22/09/18

2002 Savennières Roche aux Moines, Cuvée des Nonnes, mœlleux
This was looking very old and had a bouquet that was clearly quite evolved. There was some discussion as to whether the wine was corked, or if was more a question of balsamic aromas. In any event, it was only medium sweet and more of an oddity than good.

2014 Bourgogne Aligoté, bottled by Anne Buisson in Meursault
This barrel-aged unfiltered Aligoté was served blind and stumped all of us. I was thinking Germany and others were also thinking of a more northern clime. The wine was elegant and precise, if lacking in depth. Several of us thought this was one of the better Aligotés we had ever had.

2008 Château Grillet
This was the sixth time I have had Ch. Grillet. All the previous ones had left me nonplussed (no wonder that pre-Pinault vintages are not mentioned at all on their website) and left me wondering if the wine’s rareness and price tag had not clouded the judgement of other tasters. However, this 2008 was subtle and refined, with complex aromas and a lovely long, cool aftertaste. Very classy. Could even improve with age (as opposed to the other Grillets I have had, which had nothing to gain by long ageing).

1998 Ch. Petit Village
Served blind, this had us guessing a much younger Left Bank wine. An elegant wine with a silky texture. Fine indeed. Not yet at peak.

2010 Ch. Belles-Graves, Lalande de Pomerol, cuvée "Calypso"
This was correctly guessed as a fine Right Bank Bordeaux. It was a notch down from the Petit Village, but received praise from everyone. I have one more bottle and will sit on it (so to speak). A great wine to serve blind as it punches seriously above its weight. If it is said that a good Lalande is the equal of a lesser Pomerol, this is more like a middling one, at the very least.

1996 Ch. Léoville Barton
As to be expected, a classic Saint-Julien, but one of my friends kept insisting that there was a greenness there. It did perhaps lack some body and focus. I have two more bottles and wait to open the next one. The overall verdict was that we are slightly disappointed.

2013 Two Sisters Riesling Icewine, VQA Niagara Peninsula
A 20 cl. bottle was enough for the 6 of us to have a small glass of this bracing, crystalline wine whose high sugar content was countered by sufficient acidity. Not overly aromatic, but delicious. I wonder how a wine like this will age?

Dinner on 28/09 (16 wines for 15 people, including one jeroboam).

Champagne Drappier Brut
OK, but a little sharp.

1995 Hospices de Beaune, Meursault, Cuvée Jehan Humblot (maison Bichot)
In fine form with some tertiary hazelnut and cherry-vanilla nuances on the nose.
Good development on the palate and length. A point.

2003 Montrachet, DRC
Bright medium pale golden color. Beguiling, subtle nose with the oak very much under control.
Pure and mineral on the palate with restrained power, yet ethereal. Well-muscled, needs time, but quite the treat now. An experience.

2005 Bahans Haut Brion, Pessac-Léognan
This second wine no longer exists, replaced by Le Clarence.
Lovely deep color with a bouquet of coffee, vanilla, and cedar.
Big, strong, and youthful on the palate, but some medicinal notes there. Good rather than great.

1978 Haut Brion
Thinnish purplish rim. Lovely earthy bouquet with a strong Graves signature. Showing age on the palate and more interesting than vital with some rubbery overtones. As the Italians say “a wine of mediation”.

1958 Haut Brion
This was served in honor of Jim How's birth year. The color was light, but looked much younger than its years. The nose was smoky and unmistakably Haut Brion. In light of the vintage reputation, the wine should have been dead on arrival, but it was still alive. Although light, it was worthy of the château’s reputation. Most other Bordeaux in this vintage have turned to dust.

1989 Haut Brion
Deep vibrant color. Sleek, youthful nose that is still relatively closed at the present time. Splendiferous and polished on the palate, with lovely fruit, tannin, and acidity. Not a baby but, an adolescent. Tremendous velvety texture. All the majesty of the finest Bordeaux. Far from peak.

1953 Haut Brion
My birth year wine was, in my opinion, the best of an unforgettable series. The color was a bit diffuse, but no one would have guessed its age. The bouquet was redolent of truffles and oozed elegance, the sort of wine you could “nose” forever. It was resonant, long, and simply wonderful on the palate. Were I to give notes, this would be at the very top end of the scale. There are wines to equal this, but I cannot imagine any better.

1928 Haut Brion
One of the great vintages of the 20th century, back-to-back with 1929. The wine’s color would have thrown anyone for a loop, appearing at least two or three decades younger! The nose was exotic with mint, eucalyptus, plummy aromas, as well as some fortified wine (Madeira) notes. The wine was incredibly smooth and complex on the palate, but had – unsurprisingly! – lost much of its vigor. Drinking such a wine is like contemplating a Rembrandt or a Da Vinci painting, a work of art from another time period that demands respect. A hush came over the table and we were all delighted.

1948 Rauzan Ségla
The color was deep, beautiful, and almost disturbingly youthful (I’d have said a wine from the 1960s).
The ethereal and balsamic bouquet showed hints of gentle oxidation paradoxically well integrated with the fruit, along with slight raisiny quality and an “old library” smell. The nose needed to be appreciated in the third… or fourth degree.
The wine showed graphite overtones and was very silky on the palate and a little dry, but still vital. It also showed hints of leather. Seemed more butch than most Margaux.

1945 Léoville Las Cases
Although a little diffuse and having a somewhat watery rim, the color once again would have fooled (just about) anyone as to this wine’s age. The exuberant, sexy nose showed lovely cherry aromas, and there was something almost Burgundian about its sensuality. This was served alongside the Rauzan and the table was split as to which they preferred. I opted for the Léoville.

1982 Ausone
How many people you know would bring a 5-liter bottle of an 82 first growth to a dinner party? Well, this is exactly what Ian Amstadt of London did. And his gift to us all was very much appreciated. The color was quite fine, looking perhaps a tad older than its age. The nose was subdued at first, with some rose petal aromas, but came out over time to reveal sweet autumnal nuances. The wine spread out beautifully on the palate and shows that, as opposed to what some say, Ausone never went through an off-period when Pascal Delbeck was winemaker. When tasted the next day, the wine was even better. While approachable now, it has a long way to go, and was even better the next day. One of the guests with far more experience than me said that, although magnums are justifiably reputed to age more slowly than 75 cl. bottles, once you move up the scale, this is not true due to the rare outsize custom corks which, he said, don’t work as well.

1961 Gaja Barbaresco
1967 Gaja Barbaresco
These were very much of a pair, with similar qualities. I preferred the 67. The color of both the wines was fairly pale and the nose very subtle and ethereal (rose petal). I thought both wines fell down somewhat on the palate where the acid edge took over, and I would have preferred them much younger.

1976 Yquem
Color was light amber. The bouquet was light, wafting, soft and understated. The wine was medium-bodied with lovely white fruit, yellow fruit, and vanilla flavors. Not overly sweet or rich. Exquisite. Fine now and will be just as good, although in a different way, for decades to come. Very successful.

1967 Yquem
There are only two Bordeaux wines I “covet”, i.e. I would like to taste before I go to the great wine cellar in the sky. One is 61 Palmer. The other was 67 Yquem. I was therefore delighted beyond words with the opportunity to taste this wine which thankfully wholly lived up to its reputation. The nose of barley sugar and botrytis was followed by the most exquisite flavor. The expression “iron fist in a velvet glove” is most often used to describe red wines, and yet I couldn’t help thinking of it for this Yquem. The flavour was both tangy and creamy with that tell-tale vanilla element. The aftertaste was of marathon length. Superb. I am well-known for giving low scores by other people’s standards. But if I were to rate this, it would be at the extreme end of the quality spectrum.

Dinner on 29/08/18 (17 wines for 14 people)

2011 Chablis grand cru Les Clos, Domaine Pinson
The color was normal for its age and the nose was lovely, with lemony overtones. The oak was well-integrated and the wine was mercifully not as sharp as some Chablis. I felt that it was firmly within its drinking window.

2002 Morey Saint Denis premier cru Les Buissières, Domaine Georges Roumier
Brownish rim with deep smoky Pinot leather bouquet. The wine was sleek, but too old on the palate with a shortish aftertaste. Disappointing in Iight of the producer’s reputation, and the vintage.

2008 Clos de Tart, grand cru
Good medium-deep color. Bewitching, pure, flawless bouquet. Very fresh on the palate with great tannin. Big, regal, well-made, and with a velvety texture. The structure I so often find missing in Burgundy is here. Great long aftertaste. We had two bottles. Some people said they detected a little acetic acid in the first (not me), but the second was marginally better.

2008 Littorai (Sonoma, California), Haven Vineyard
Color as expected for a wine of this age. Bouquet of buttery oak, slightly smoky, and with a herbaceous element. Fine varietal character with a caramel, almost sweet quality on the palate. Very good, but a little simplistic.

2007 Vosne Romanée Les Beaumonts (please forgive me for not noting the producer, will fill in later)
Medium-thin purplish rim. Nose a bit one-dimensional. Harsh and, to my mind, flawed on the palate.

1990 Le Chambertin, Domaine Rossignol-Trapet
Looking old and a bit turbid. Slightly porty on the nose, but better on the palate. Virile, strong, but lacking focus. Would have been better younger.

2001 Sociando Mallet, Cuvée Jean Gautreau, Haut-Médoc
This was served double blind. I guessed Saint-Julien and my better half guessed Saint-Estèphe. She was closer since Saint-Seurin-de-Cadourne is just a stone’s throw from Saint-Estèphe… Given a choice of four vintages, I was on the money though. The color showed some age, but with a very deep core. The nose was smoky, deep, and perfumed. This tasted quite fine.

2001 Pontet Canet, Pauillac
Colour was good and youthful. The bouquet was beautifully ripe, uplifting, and elegant. Some spiciness on the palate (cinnamon) and a graceful, smooth tannic structure. One of the stars of the evening. Pontet Canet has risen greatly in recent years but, even so, I didn’t expect this wine to be quite as good as it was.

2001 Latour à Pomerol
Fine color and a slightly odd nose with coffee and celery overtones. Very typical of its appellation on the palate. Big, almost massive and definitely rich. Probably a good time to drink this.

1959 Léoville Poyferré, Saint-Julien
Good color for its age with still some purplish highlights. What I call a very graham cracker bouquet with cosmetic and graphite components. Very interesting balance on the palate with rich tannin, but a fine backbone as well. The aromatics on the nose very much in evidence on the aftertaste.

1983 Château Latour, Pauillac
The wine appeared a little turbid and looked just about its age. The nose displayed sweet cedar and graphite nuances. The wine was big, round, and monumental on the palate. Cabernet Sauvignon at its very best. Long, imperious, and impressive. I see it as fine to drink now.

1982 Sociando Mallet, Haut-Médoc
Lovely vibrant color. Marked coffee-vanilla notes on the nose with some green pepper, but not too much. This mercaptan factor has been toned down over the years – it was overwhelming when the wine was young. This 82 Sociando is big and assertive on the palate and still has good ageing potential.

1982 Ausone, Saint Emilion
Retasted from the previous night, this wine had not lost one iota of its qualities and had, in fact, blossomed. Subtle, sophisticated, and seductive with a velvety texture, puckery aftertaste and refined sweetness. Tremendous.

1998 Léoville Barton, Saint Julien
Looking younger than its years, this had an attractive, but overly discreet nose. The taste was very much in keeping with the château profile – smooth and soft, but in this vintage the tannin is too unyielding, and not in a way that time will cure. Fine with food but on its own too tough. Best enjoyed sooner rather than later to take advantage of the fruit.

1988 Montrose, Saint Estèphe
Color OK for its 30 years. Ethereal, wonderful nose with touch of graphite. Proved to be a great Médoc on the palate, but lacks a bit of freshness and panache.

2001 Doisy Daënes, Barsac
Medium-deep amber-gold color. Very youthful bouquet with some tropical fruit (pineapple) overtones. Good acidity on the palate with lovely follow through. Very fine wine with sweetness well under control. The mineral touch on the aftertaste is still there and helps to make the wine so delicious.

1953 Doisy Daënes, Barsac
Deep amber color and a wonderful nose with hints of vanilla. The first impression on the palate is of a seemingly “fat” and sumptuous wine. However, the wine’s acid backbone kicks in and helps carry this wine into a super-long controlled aftertaste of sheer beauty.

The one wine not noted was from Tim's birth year, a 1968 Lafite Rothschild. I knew it as a very light rosé in the 1970s and time had not done it any good since. But it is indicative of the extremely high level of all the other wines that it attracted little attention. Come to think of it, the percentage of off or corked bottles was very low, thank goodness.

An altogether phenomenal time!!!

Best regards,
Alex R.

[JCNorthway]

What an incredible collection of wines to celebrate Tim's (and JIm's) birthday, and to enjoy the company of friends from around the world. It's a privilege just to experience it vicariously through everyone's comments and pictures.

[Jay Winton]

Wow! Nobody does it like BWE, nobody.

[SF Ed]

That was the most amazing wine weekend I have ever experienced. I won't post detailed notes as others already have, but this was a truly insane weekend, almost completely courtesy of Tim.

My WOTN was the 1953 Haut Brion, certainly the best wine I've had this year. The 1928 HB wasn't shabby either, and the 1989 HB might be the best of the bunch in 20 years.

The greatest wine I have ever tasted was a 1967 Yquem with Francois in Paris in 2002. I didn't think this was a great example, with more caramel and less spine that a perfect 1967 would have. Still, not too shabby.

I'd also comment on the 1964 Gaja. That wine deserved its own evening and spotlight, not fitting in well with all the Bordeaux. Light, nimble, still tannic, and very complex.

All in all, a great weekend with a great group of people. Who could ask for anything more?

SF Ed

[dstgolf]

Alex,

Great notes. The Gaja FYI were 64 & 67 and not 61. The Vosne-Romanée Mag courtesy of Ian was Domaine Daniel Rion & Fils which like many over the weekend were first timers. The Burgundies for me even though good reinforced why I am a devoted Bordeaux Wine Enthusiast The reds just fall short of what you would expect based on cost. Mind you I'm still a fan of white Burgs but don't trust the premox. The 2003 Montrachet was simply fabulous and another that has not been mentioned was the Raveneau 1er Cru Chablis Butteaux another first was fantastic.

Can't say enough about Tim's generosity as well as Ian and others who brought along many priceless treasures to share and truly an epic moment in all of our lives for sure building on friendships from afar. Nothing could be better.

[Comte Flaneur]

Sorry for the late addition, I have been flat out but here is my first shot.

First a huge thanks to Tim for his extraordinary, now legendary, generosity. And it was such a thrill to see all our BWE friends - Alex, Christine, Danny and Danielle, and of course Jim our Dear Leader, and such a pleasant surprise to see Ed and Lisa, and have HRH Francois Audouze join us, plus Maureen D now ‘Mo’ John, Ben and Modi.

This is part one, the Friday night. Chateau Casenove is roughly mid-way between the city of Bordeaux and the town of St-Emilion. Virtually all of the wines were supplied by Tim’s extraordinary generosity. The weather was perfect (25C and sunny) and it provided for a perfect 40 mile ride through wine country. I will try to find notes for the second night, but Alex’s notes are an excellent template.,

I am going to give these wines points for lack of any better comparator.

1995 Hospices de Beaune, Meursault, Cuvée Jehan Humblot (Maison Bichot)

In good shape, buttery, still vibrant, mature resolved, not over the hill or oxidised. 90

2003 Montrachet, DRC

A dream come true in two respects. The first is that there are three wines I realistically hoped to - dreamt I could - taste in my life time before last weekend. Fifty three Lafite, sixty one Palmer and a DRC Montrachet from any vintage. Well Tim delivered the 2003 and It didn’t disappoint. Ripe, rich, creamy, pure, power, concentration, focus, impeccable poise; already majestic promises even greater rewards. 97-99.

2005 Bahans Haut Brion, Pessac-Léognan

Remarkably backward for a second wine aged 13. Has the component structures to deliver. But is not there yet. 90

1978 Haut Brion

Elegant and ethereal Haut-Brion approaching the end of its tether. Elegantly (translucently) faded ...(as opposed to ‘wasted’)...with wonderfully lingering gravesy, tobacco, gravelly smokey notes ... 92

1958 Haut Brion

A revelation. The fifty-eights are either zombies ... or dead? Well this was alive and highly pleasurable. In the same stage of the evolutionary cycle as its twenty year younger sibling, but better. In the context of this vintage, a (wait...) brilliant. 94

1989 Haut Brion

It’s reputation tarnished, its price undiminished, we walked into this encounter with an electric sense of anticipation. This bottle, taken from President Chirac’s cellar, really delivered, really restored the faith. Simply magnificent, but in my estimation a good 10-20 years from its apogee, but boy this is shaping up. 97 ++

1953 Haut Brion

This I think may provide a destination for the 1989. Some would say this is the 1985 in three decade’s time. I asked Francois (Audouze, who joined us) and he said that ‘this is the DNA of Haut-Brion’. I see what he meant. It was a wine so perfect, and resolved, in every way that you would never forget. I cannot begin to describe it beyond the initial nuance of piped tobacco. Needless to say there is the greatest Haut-Brion I have ever experienced. Bordeaux and red wine doesn’t get any better than this. Maybe this is the ultimate destination of the 1989. It will take decades to find out. A contender for my red wine of the year.

1928 Haut Brion

I was out of my depth here. Francois exclaimed ‘this is a miracle’ ... but I initially got Madeira. Underneath the M notes was an incredibly taut, concentrated powerful and immortal wine with an impossibly dark hue and viscous texture. It had mint, fruits and other complex nuances in an incredibly compact, even clenched, delivery. As someone noted this is a (vintage) Bugatti, whereas the 1953 is a Ferrari. Not a perfect comparison, but a helpful one.

1948 Rauzan Ségla

Youthful with a thrilling mineral and minty quality, resolved, tertiary and ripe, but still vivacious. Just a great bottle. 94

1945 Léoville Las Cases

My third encounter with this immortal wine. The first two decades ago it was charmless and bulletproof, the second a decade ago, it had shown little evolution. It’s evolution has accelerated gently in the last decade but it still has a primordial imprimatur. While cerebral, even pleasurable, it will never deliver the pleasure of, say the 1953 H-B. 92-94. Estimated plateau 2025-2150?

1968 Chateau Lafite

Translucent pale, fragile, but ethereal Lafite signature. So delicate, and sure not a great Lafite but highly pleasurable. 91

1982 Ausone

I bought this over 20 years ago from Farrs, for a few hundred quid. For a long time, this, ‘my precious’ has been a millstone around my neck, stored in less than ideal (slightly warmer) than ideal conditions. Over its life it had been stored at an average of 19 degrees C. As Francois noted, these super-sized formats sometimes suffer from having less than ideal corks. We needed his super-sized corkscrew to open it, and the cork was soaked; but the wine was good. It was young and so seamless, and enveloping, with wave upon wave of nuanced under-stated brilliance. Even under these storage conditions it would continue to improve I suspect over 20 or more years. A wine that kept on giving into day two. I have had this out of halves and bottles, and it has always been a thrilling somewhat understated 1982. At Howard Ridley’s 1982 dinner in 2016 1982 dinner the bottle was nigh on perfect. This carried on this seamless theme. 96-98

1964 Gaja Barbaresco & 1967 Gaja Barbaresco

Both delightful complex and oh so nuanced, and resolved Nebbiolo. I thought these were equally matched.

1976 Yquem

A magical wine, fourth time I have tried this. So uplifting and light on its feet. Just sublime. Just heavenly.

1967 Yquem

Somehow, this trumped the 1976. A little richer, more decadent and even more magical than the 1976, with a tad more punch. Two majestic Yquem, this was the sheer pinnacle.

Wines of the night?

First equal: 1953 Haut-Brion and 1967 d’Yquem
Runner up: DRC Montrachet 2003

[JimHow]

Great stuff, Ian.
Tremendous seeing you and Maureen again.
Thank you for the birthday card!

[JimHow]

Ian, you empowered me to write this about the 1958 Haut Brion:

Damn it, you are right!
As I was drinking that wine from my birthyear, the grapes harvested the week I was born in late Sept 1958, I was saying to myself:
Jesus, this wine is really good! What's all this nonsense about 1958 being a weak vintage?
Sure, it was "lighter" styled, but it was quintessential Haut Brion. In some ways to me it was the ultimate expression of Haut Brion: tobacco, gravel, earth, etc.
Okay, I'll put the '53 aside, which I agree was out of this universe.
But the '58 Haut Brion was spectacular. Still youthful in color, very aromatic, and light but profound, light on its feet.
Immense thank you, Timmy, for bringing that wine. What a once in a lifetime treat.

I have another 1958 Bordeaux that I plan on uncorking tomorrow night with a couple of BWE visitors to the Great State of Maine....

[Comte Flaneur]

Looking forward to your report Jim.

Talking of birth year wines I managed to secure a bottle of 1963 d’Yquem at auction this week. I got it for well below the estimate.

Regarding last weekend, my notes from Saturday night range from incomplete to nonexistent.

But from what I recall, among the burgundies I was impressed by the 2008 Clos Du Tart which I would t dream of opening but was showing ever so well. I also enjoyed the 1990 Chambertin but less so the 2002 Roumier, which seemed a bit tired?

Of the Bordeaux the wine which really surprised me was the 2001 Pontet Canet. Magnificent, and before Alfred went all modern and trendy. I loved the Jean Gautreau too, so it was a good night for 2001s.

But the stand out was 1983 Latour. Atypically resolved and relaxed for a Latour. A very complete and delicious claret.

[Comte Flaneur]

I just managed to extract a last glass from the 1982 Ausone 5L, from the bottle we brought back. I got prunes, tree bark and truffles. Very rich dense and seamless. Just fabulous.