On Feb 20, 7:26*pm, Ronin > wrote:
> On 2010-02-20 13:45:27 -0800, DaleW > said:
>
> > *I opened the 1979 Ch. du Tertre
> > (Margaux). *This wine has been quite dependable for a long time- I had
> > in the mid-90s and quite liked, and then restocked a few years ago
> > when some friends described it as the surprise of a 79 horizontal. I
> > got several at auction, was quite pleased, then restocked on Winebid.
> > This was a WB bottle, good fill but cork looked pretty saturated - I
> > used an Ah So. Maybe a bit more advanced than pristine bottles, but
> > still a solid and classic claret. Smooth cassis fruit with mature
> > aromas of cigarbox and forest floor. My initial criticism was maybe
> > drying out a little on finish, but I no longer found that when I
> > revisited a while later
> > This bottle is certainly a drink up, but I've had others that had
> > plenty of life left. B+
>
> I am amazed at the longevety... *When the '79s came out they were
> billed as "the ones to drink while you are waiting for the '78s to
> mature." *I found that true - my '79 Ch. Cheval Blanc barely made it
> into the mid '90s when I felt it was drink up time.

I actually have a bottle of the 79 Cheval Blanc, keep meaning to open
it. It was part of a mixed lot a few years ago. I hope it has lasted a
bit better than yours (but I got enough satisfaction from other
bottles for what I paid for lot it won't upset me if it's past it).

I have liked several 1979s, long after many have predicted their
demise. Someone once told me it's the last Bordeaux vintage that
seemed to age more on its acids than its tannins. There are 3 factors
that seem to come to mind:

1) it's not a very consistent vintage. There are (to my tastes) good
wines, not so good wines, tired wines, and vibrant wines. The Lafite
seems a little tired, LLC so-so, and Mouton iffy. Pichon Lalande is
lovely, and Pichon Baron tired and dull. Yet lesser wines like du
Tertre, Giscours, and DDC still have life. Of course, at this point,
it's as much about particular bottles as wines.


2) it's a somewhat divisive vintage. Many discount it completely. On
a couple of threads on other fora I've noticed a pattern. The camp who
thinks 79 was a so-so vintage that is past it tend (and I'm only
noting based on a limited sample) other than the Lafleur* to be people
who tend to like big wines, love modern Pavie and Pontet Canet, etc.
Those that think 1979 is underrated tend to be people who don't care
so much for modern powerhouses, who use the word "claret" in a
positive sense, and like Burgundy.
I have friends whose taste I respect in both camps. I'm not trying to
put people into narrow camps, but I do think '79 is not going to
appeal to people who love 2003 for instance.


*Lafleur is often cited by those who don't like '79 as the exception.
It's an impressive wine, in a very extracted style. I like it, but
don't love it. and certainly would rather have a 10-20 mixed bottles
of DDC, du Tertre, Pichon Lalande, etc than 1 $1000+ bottle of
Lafleur!