I seldom take off for a wine lunch, but Mark offered up a 1982 Bordeaux tasting and I couldnt resist. Dave had my car, so Betsy dr0ive Craig and I up. Cheeses (Comte, a Delice soft cheese , and my new fave, Flory's truckle), charcuterie (lonza, bresaola, cecina, pasthourma, pate, head cheese, rillettes, smoked lard), Bucatini alla Amatriciana. Plus a taste of delicious Beluga to start.

NV David Leclapart €œLApotre€� Champagne
Believe this is non-dosage, but while crisp not the least bit austre. Fresh pear and apple, a little pie dough, smoke and chalk. Liked this a lot B+

1982 Ch. Prieure Lichine
Tart and a little mean, not very 82ish. One person thought corked, I didnt. But that doesnt mean I wanted more. B-/C+

1982 Ch La Lagune
More fruit, a little barnyard, surprisingly a little hard,.B

1982 Ch Sociando Mallet
Barnyard funk, no real Sociando green, a little tailing on finish. Ive had better bottles but this was just drinkable. B-

1982 Ch Batailley
I think only bottle this day Id never had before. I think I could count the Batailleys Ive had on one hand. Resolved tannin, cassis, pencil lead. I think I liked more than most, nice fully mature Pauillac. B+

1982 Ch Beychevelle
Finally, this is what I think "82 claret is supposed to taste like. Lush cassis and black cherry fruit, tobacco, and a little earth. Gets floral in glass, plush wine yet with a backbone. A-

1982 Ch Grand Puy Lacoste
Very Pauillac, black fruit with some cigarbox and pencil lead hovering in background. B+/B

1982 Ch Ducru Beaucaillou
Just lovely. Totally ready but with lots of life left. Black plum and currant, coffee, cigarbox. Long finish. Gets a earthy forest-floor meets truffle note. Very long. A/A-

1982 Ch Pichon Lalande
Lovely, powerful yet elegant, slightly high toned, herby notes over solid dark fruit, classic, A-

The 3 Leovilles were served blind, but others accurately guessed the non-corked wine (and the corked one by elimination):


1982 Ch Leoville Barton
Corked.

1982 Ch Leoville Las Cases
Lots of ripe plush fruit, not so much else going on. Tight? B/B+

1982 Ch Leoville Poyferre
Red and black fruits, saddle, cedar. Lovely showing. A-

Mark had a mystery wine, but I didnt guess on wine as foil slipped and I was pretty sure I knew. After others got wine I guessed "83 on vintage. It was the 1985 Jaboulet €œla Chapelle€� Hermitage. Dark berry fruit, mint, grilled meat, smoke. Lovely bottle. B+

Really fun afternoon! Thanks to Mark and Nancy for hosting

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C drinkable. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice.Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.