Lunch with jckba in Greenwich....

[JimHow]

It was great to catch up with JC today for lunch and fine northern Medocs at mouth-watering burger joint near the CT/NY border.... We uncorked the 1985 Leoville Barton and 1988 Lynch Bages, it was great fun. Will report back with more details....

[jckba]

Jim and I exchanged several emails to settle on a date and meeting spot for him to pick up a mixed case, mostly 2014 Montrose that I’d been cellaring for him since a Table & Vine purchase a couple of years back. As he was passing along the I95 corridor, I suggested a little hole in the wall burger joint, “Burger, Shakes and Fries”, just off the highway as you enter Connecticut; Jim liked the idea and said he’d bring a fine Northern Médoc. He ended up bringing two, the 1985 Léoville Barton and the 1988 Lynch Bages along with a more than suitable backup, a 1988 Pichon Lalande, just in case things went sideways.

We ordered our burgers, grabbed seats at the countertop seating, and Jim started by uncorking the Lynch, no Durand, just a waiter’s corkscrew and a steady hand. As we sipped on the Lynch while waiting for the food, he kept eyeing the Barton until we both agreed a second bottle would be just fine. Two hours and two bottles, both of which were popped and poured went by in a flash, and I kept flip flopping on which I preferred depending on what was in my glass. Conversation wandered from work, life, and travel to our wonderful orange-haired leader <insert rolling eyes emoji>, then inflation and healthcare, before settling into wine, global warming and its impact on fine wines, and finally BWE, where I got delightful updates on last year’s 25th-anniversary festivities in Maine.

Mid burger

In the end, my impressions were as follows, with a slight edge to the Barton, though I’d be very curious to hear how Jim ranked them on the day.

1985 Leoville Barton - dark aromas of blackcurrant, cedar with a leafy, stemmy earthiness that really started to gain in focus the longer it was open, and led to fresh, seamless blackberry and forest floor driven flavor profile that finished long and savory. 95

1988 Lynch Bages - undeniable Pauillac aromas of dried red fruits, pencil shavings and earthy cigar box which unfortunately a little muddled, led to a well rounded, layered, cassis, cedar and tobacco leaf flavors that kept bringing you back for another sip. 94

Though BSF does more takeout than dine-in, the few seats turn quickly amid the bustle; seated beside us was a mother who had taken the day off to meet her daughter visiting from Pittsburgh, and as they prepared to leave, Jim asked if they’d like to try a pair of fine Northern Médocs, two plastic cups appeared, he poured a pair of modest tastes which they received with genuine gratitude, ohh-ing and ahh-ing as they sipped, and before long Jim was giving an impromptu primer on Bordeaux, its wines, its landscape, and even the Bordeaux Wine Enthusiast brotherhood while they hung on every word, and inserting a couple of photos for some photo evidence.

[Nicklasss]

Classic!

Need to go down there one day to finally meet you jckba.

Two very nice Bordeaux you had there.

[JimHow]

That was a lot of fun! Bordeaux wine brings out the best in people. I'm in agreement with you, JC, both fine northern Medocs were very representative of their terroir, ah those 12-12.5% 1980s Bordeaux.... I think the 1985 Leoville Barton was just a notch more "interesting," gorgeous complexity, so 1985.... A vintage that has really turned out to be quite spectacular. I think Ian recently called the 1985 Barton the quintessential Bordeaux for drinking now..... The 1988 Lynch was again a gorgeous example of that estate, so Pauillac, from a time and place when it was at its apotheosis.

Nicola, we'll have to make a road trip to go see JC sometime in the next year....

[stefan]

Great BWE brotherhood story!

1988 Lynch Bages has long been one of my favorite LynBs, but I don't recall beeing impressed by the 1985 Leoville Barton. Maybe I never drank that vintage of LeoB, despite my love for 1985 Medocs.

[DavidG]

Love it, well done!