Thread: 1966 Bordeaux
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cwdjrxyz cwdjrxyz is offline
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Default 1966 Bordeaux


Bill S. wrote:
> Notes from a very enlightening tasting of the 1966 Bordeaux vintage
> arranged by Albert Givton.


> La Lagune - I have tasted this wine before (I once did an extensive
> vertical event that included it) but had given up on ever again finding
> a bottle in good shape and had consigned it to fond memory, so it was a
> delight to taste it in fine form one last time. Last tasted by Parker
> in 1978 and marked in his 3rd edition of "Bordeaux" in 1998 as
> "probably in serious decline" this shows how unreliable the usual
> sources can be for older wines. If the reviewer had a small sample size
> (tasted once or twice) and had the bad luck to get poor bottles, that
> will forever damn a possibly good wine to oblivion. This bottle was
> superb. The oak in the elegant nose was well balanced by mature fruit
> notes - a truly attractive quintessentially Bordeaux nose. Medium
> weight with a nice hit of spice coming in anear the end of the lengthy
> finish, this was a delight.


> Haut Brion - a slightly floral vanilla nose, medium colour, medium
> weight, supple and smooth with well integrated tannins and very good
> length. I finally decided that it was the best of this flight, but the
> fact that the humble La Lagune made me stop and really think about it
> was remarkable.


The above 2 wines are the only matches between what you had and what I
have. I am glad to learn that you still find them in good form.

> A final interesting experience was a liqueur, made in the 1890s and
> presented in the original hand blown bottle, brought to BC by rail car
> in the 1904 time frame:
>
> Crème de Violettes - the colour did show some violet but it had
> faded to add a bit of orange tinge to it as well. It was viscous syrup
> in the glass and extremely sweet, with a floral perfume. This was
> apparently just the thing for the ladies when they retired to allow the
> men to indulge in cigars and Port, but to me it seemed sweet enough to
> gag a hummingbird. Different times, I guess.


Creme de Violettes is still made, as well as Creme de Rose, and Parfait
Amour - or at least they were many years ago by Garnier and others. I
do not have to replenish my stock of these very often :-). They are all
extremely sweet and have a fairly strong smell of flowers. They likely
also contain several spices, herbs, etc. Some cocktails call for a bit
of these in the mix. I do not picture many modern men or women drinking
these straight very often, but likely a few do. If you can name it,
there likely is someone in this world that not only does it, but also
enjoys it.

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