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Default 1961 Bordeaux

Notes from a very memorable tasting dinner of 1961 Bordeaux, arranged
by the redoubtable Albert Givton. Albert tends to collect wines on
release and keep them in a very cool cellar (10 C, or 50 F.), which
means that they age imperceptibly, and wines from his cellar are very
likely to be in fine shape when 90% of the rest of the bottles in
existence, cellared at significantly higher temperatures, are dead
ducks.

The event was arranged at the Blue Water Café in Vancouver, and
although they feature fishy cuisine, there was not much of that in
evidence at this dinner – quite the contrary.

We had canapés of miso sablefish, Arctic Char rillettes, and Dungeness
crab sushi rolls with two different bottles of:

1983 J.F. Coche-Dury Meursault ‘Casse-Tete – light straw colour very
ripe fruit in the nose, with wax and citrus elements, palate coating,
almost thick mouth feel, excellent length and acidity. 2nd bottle –
less in the nose, far leaner on palate, a bit flat in finish, decent,
but a very different wine!

2005 Dom. Comte Senarde Corton Grand Cru – this wine is made from
Pinot Blanc (called locally Pinot Beurot or Burot), permitted
historically in Burgundy but utilized far more in Alsace. Lighter in
colour, a faint hint of grapefruit in the nose with up front acidity
that makes it a lively wine.

The first course was a foie gras terrine with peaches and honey white
balsamic reduction, served in a hollowed brioche.

1953 Ch. Roumieu Lacoste Barsac – amber colour, high toned sweet nose,
smooth, long in good shape and not too sweet to mate well with the FG.

With quail wrapped in ventreche, stuffed with pine nuts, sausage and
chard.

L’Arrosée – this St. Emilion has always been well known in Vancouver,
but much less so elsewhere for some reason. This one had a bricky
browning colour, a good earthy mature nose, was supple and ended with
quite a bit of acidity. High in cabernet.

La Gaffeliere Naudes – this chateau dropped the ‘Naudes’ sometime
after this vintage. The wine had a darker redder colour sweeter nose,
but an even more acidic finish, creamy texture, and very good length.

Clinet – this Pomerol was DOA, luckily the only wine of the event to
be that way.

With veal tenderloin and cheeks with sweetbreads with chanterelles
boulangere potatoes and Bordelaise sauce:

Pape Clement (Graves)– as we moved to the left bank things immediately
picked up in terms of colour. Sweet fruit and tobacco in the nose,
sweet entry, some savory notes on palate also finishing sweet, but
marred, for me, by a definite note of charred wood at the end. C’est
dommage!

Cantemerle (Haut Medoc) – musty hints at first, then the nose cleaned
up with a bit of time and became quite nice with old fruit and a
balanced wine. Best of flight for me. Had the Pape not been flawed by
the finish, this would have been second favourite.

Malescot St. Exupery (Margaux) – earth, a hint of wood and sweet fruit
in the nose, with nice hints of spice, good length, well structured
and classy.

Calon Segur (St. Estephe) - darker colour (this flight had pretty much
avoided the browning edges of the earlier wines) , and also showing
some nice spicy fruit in the nose, this had a whiff of volatile
acidity and slightly high terminal acidity, otherwise a good showing.

With saddle of lamb roasted on a bed of thyme:

St. Pierre (St. Julien) – good colour, a really lovely nose with good
fruit levels, and sweet fruit on palate, acting like it was 20 years
younger. Nice wine. Tasty.

Leoville Barton (St. Julien) – Lively wine with excellent fruit in the
nose, plumy and sweet, that carried through on palate. Delicious wine
with good length.

Gruaud Larose (St. Julien) - we had a St. Julien winner with this
one. Delightful mature nose with sweet fruit and cinnamon hints,
well structured and long.

Pontet Canet (Pauillac) – another classy wine with plenty of stuffing,
some nice cocoa in the nose and good length.

Grand Puy Lacoste (Pauillac) – the last two wines were also the best
of the night. Ripe nose of cedar and plum, sweet and delicious in the
mouth and very long.

Lynch Bages (Pauillac) – I got slight mint in this nose, allied with
mature fruit and wood notes, more sweet fruit, a thick mouth feel and
great length.

It sure doesn’t get much better than this, and there will probably
never be as small and high quality a vintage again. Wonderful
memorable Bordeaux!

For afters we had petits fours with:

Malaga Solera Scholtz Hermanos 1885 – a solera system wine with
components going back into the late 19th century, this brown alcoholic
wine was only fairly sweet with a hot raisiny nose and great
persistence in the mouth, seemingly lingering for minutes. Great way
to end the tasting.
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Default 1961 Bordeaux

On Sep 17, 3:43*pm, "Bill S." > wrote:
> Notes from a very memorable tasting dinner of 1961 Bordeaux, arranged
> by the redoubtable Albert Givton. Albert tends to collect wines on
> release and keep them in a very cool cellar (10 C, or 50 F.), which
> means that they age imperceptibly, and wines from his cellar are very
> likely to be in fine shape when 90% of the rest of the bottles in
> existence, cellared at significantly higher temperatures, are dead
> ducks..


> Pape Clement (Graves)– as we moved to the left bank things immediately
> picked up in terms of colour. Sweet fruit and tobacco in the nose,
> sweet entry, some savory notes on palate also finishing sweet, but
> marred, for me, by a definite note of charred wood at the end. C’est
> dommage!


I still have one bottle of 61 Pape Clement. It was holding well a few
years ago and decent. However I did not consider it a top 61.

> Malescot St. Exupery (Margaux) – earth, a hint of wood and sweet fruit
> in the nose, with nice hints of spice, good length, well structured
> and classy.


I still have a bottle of this, and it was very good a few years ago,
and likely still is. It perhaps lacks the complexity and class of the
top 61s.

> Leoville Barton (St. Julien) – Lively wine with excellent fruit in the
> nose, plumy and sweet, that carried through on palate. Delicious wine
> with good length.


I still have one bottle.It was very good a few years ago and likely
still is. It was very well balanced and had plenty of mixed fruit.

> Gruaud Larose (St. Julien) - we had a St. Julien winner with this
> one. *Delightful mature nose with sweet fruit *and cinnamon hints,
> well structured and long.


And then there are the 61 first growths, most of which are still in
top form if stored properly. However Ch. Latour stands out and is
likely the top red Bordeaux of the 1961 vintage, although some might
argue in favor of the 61 Petrus.

I had several bottles of this at one time and still have one. I have
not tasted it for several years, but I am glad to hear that it is
still in top form if well stored. Quite a few critics have liked this
wine.

> Pontet Canet (Pauillac) – another classy wine with plenty of stuffing,
> some nice cocoa in the nose and good length.


I tasted this about 15 years ago, and it was fairly classic and
intense then.
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Default 1961 Bordeaux

>2005 Dom. Comte Senarde Corton Grand Cru – this wine is made from
>Pinot Blanc (called locally Pinot Beurot or Burot), permitted
>historically in Burgundy but utilized far more in Alsace.


Bit of nit-picking - I do believe that Pinot Beurot normally refers to
Pinot Gris.
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