How are the 1975 La Lagune's holding up. I found some at $39 each two years
ago, but finished the last one earlier this year. They are still selling for
more than I'd like to pay. Any idea where I can buy more 1975's at $39 or
less?

Have one 1982 on shelf, which we are planning to drink this Saturday (our
5th Anniversary, and La Lagune was our first Bordeaux together). Did you
need to decant the '82? We'll be taking it along to a restaurant, and I
wonder how much decanting it may need to open up.

tia

\/

(will drink my last 1982 this Saturday, and I have a half case of 1990 and
another half case of 1995)
"Bill Spohn" > wrote in message
...
> While on my annual trek to assess and buy BC wines recently, I had the
> opportunity to sample a couple of lovely French wines of the same vintage,
both
> drinking beautifully now.
>
> 1982 Ch. La Lagune - the nose on this is no longer quite as sweet as it
was a
> few years ago, but it has picked up some complexity and now exhibits some
> earthy, leathery tones, backed up by nutty vanilla and some spice. Smooth
and
> mellow, the wine is now seamless and has reached a plateau from which it
should
> not descend for quite a few years. I will now consider opening the case I
have
> so patiently squirreled away since release. Should have bought two,
> particularly at the prices back then!
>
> 1982 Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle - this wine has also reached a plateau
of
> drinkability. The nose had similarities with the Bordeaux, oddly enough,
in
> that it also showed leather and earth, but with a slightly harder edge
with a
> hint of soy and anise, and a bit more heat, the fruit being riper and the
nose
> a touch hotter. Where the La Lagune tended toward a hint of cocoa, this
wine
> substituted coffee. It had excellent length. I can't help thinking that
when
> this wine was young, it did show a lot of sweetness, just as the recent
> vintages do, yet it also showed a harder backbone. I wonder if the more
forward
> vintages of the late 90s will mature as gracefully as has this wine.
>
> Not often you have the chance to taste two wines, both so well integrated
and
> perfectly mature, that you have waiting in your cellar. So similar and yet
so
> different!
>
> To the people who have little patience with cellaring wines (you know who
you
> are - the ones posting notes on current release 'big boys'), I say - you
really
> cannot have any idea what you are missing when you drink wines young!
This is
> what it is all about!
>
> Can you get an impression of the music by listening to an MP3 file? Sure -
you
> can even fool yourself into thinking that you are getting all that
matters. But
> you are depriving yourself of listening to the whole orchestra, in a great
> hall. Wine can be a lot like that, too.