Last night, to accompany a dinner of quarter pounders with cheese and
fries, we opened our last bottle of the 1947 Ch. Cheval Blanc. The fill
was good (mid neck) and the cork was in excellent condition given the
age of the wine. And how was it? Well, it was astonishingly youthful,
seemingly 25 years old rather than 67. A huge blast of very sweet
blueberry essence burst out of the decanter as soon as I started to pour
it. The port analogy was obvious. But once in the glass, it settled down
a bit and was merely intensely fruity but without the sweetness. The
harmony was incredible with the tannin, acidity, violet, rose and
raspberry all swirling about the glass. Relatively light weight but
excellent length, long and unwavering to the whisper of a finish. Yet
the youthfulness was astonishing, although it began its gentle descent
after about an hour, yet still wonderful after 3 hours. Unforgettable.
My one question was the meaning of the importer's label on the back that
said "Cuvée Rudy"

Mark Lipton
--
alt.food.wine FAQ: http://winefaq.cwdjr.net

Ah - Professor Lipton
1947 - my birth year and my fantasy wine!
And just like the '47CB I myself am "astonishingly youthful" oft acting
closer to 25 rather than my 67 years!
May I respectfully suggest that you look closer to the importers label - you
may well have seen a date inscribed.
It is my understanding that the "Cuvée Rudy" was bottled on 04/01/1949
Of course, your post appeared on my newsreader, timed and dated, 5:54am on
the 2 April - ah the advantages of living in a very advanced little nation

And how was the burger, pray tell?
Yours
Champagne Socialist


"Mark Lipton" wrote ............

Last night, to accompany a dinner of quarter pounders with cheese and
fries, we opened our last bottle of the 1947 Ch. Cheval Blanc. The fill
was good (mid neck) and the cork was in excellent condition given the
age of the wine. And how was it? Well, it was astonishingly youthful,
seemingly 25 years old rather than 67. A huge blast of very sweet
blueberry essence burst out of the decanter as soon as I started to pour
it. The port analogy was obvious. But once in the glass, it settled down
a bit and was merely intensely fruity but without the sweetness. The
harmony was incredible with the tannin, acidity, violet, rose and
raspberry all swirling about the glass. Relatively light weight but
excellent length, long and unwavering to the whisper of a finish. Yet
the youthfulness was astonishing, although it began its gentle descent
after about an hour, yet still wonderful after 3 hours. Unforgettable.
My one question was the meaning of the importer's label on the back that
said "Cuvée Rudy"

Mark Lipton
--
alt.food.wine FAQ: http://winefaq.cwdjr.net

On 4/1/2014 12:54 PM, Mark Lipton wrote:
> Last night, to accompany a dinner of quarter pounders with cheese and
> fries, we opened our last bottle of the 1947 Ch. Cheval Blanc. The fill
> was good (mid neck) and the cork was in excellent condition given the
> age of the wine. And how was it? Well, it was astonishingly youthful,
> seemingly 25 years old rather than 67. A huge blast of very sweet
> blueberry essence burst out of the decanter as soon as I started to pour
> it. The port analogy was obvious. But once in the glass, it settled down
> a bit and was merely intensely fruity but without the sweetness. The
> harmony was incredible with the tannin, acidity, violet, rose and
> raspberry all swirling about the glass. Relatively light weight but
> excellent length, long and unwavering to the whisper of a finish. Yet
> the youthfulness was astonishing, although it began its gentle descent
> after about an hour, yet still wonderful after 3 hours. Unforgettable.
> My one question was the meaning of the importer's label on the back that
> said "Cuvée Rudy"
>
> Mark Lipton
>
Sounds a bit like a "Sideways" experience


--
Joseph Coulter

On 4/1/2014 12:54 PM, Mark Lipton wrote:

.. Unforgettable.
> My one question was the meaning of the importer's label on the back that
> said "Cuvée Rudy"
>
> Mark Lipton
>
It means you buy your wines from reputable though sometimes less than
reliable sources. Mr. Kuriawan, by the way, says thank you for your support.

--
Joseph Coulter

On Tuesday, April 1, 2014 12:54:21 PM UTC-4, Mark Lipton wrote:
> Last night, to accompany a dinner of quarter pounders with cheese and
>
> fries, we opened our last bottle of the 1947 Ch. Cheval Blanc. The fill
>
> was good (mid neck) and the cork was in excellent condition given the
>
> age of the wine. And how was it? Well, it was astonishingly youthful,
>
> seemingly 25 years old rather than 67. A huge blast of very sweet
>
> blueberry essence burst out of the decanter as soon as I started to pour
>
> it. The port analogy was obvious. But once in the glass, it settled down
>
> a bit and was merely intensely fruity but without the sweetness. The
>
> harmony was incredible with the tannin, acidity, violet, rose and
>
> raspberry all swirling about the glass. Relatively light weight but
>
> excellent length, long and unwavering to the whisper of a finish. Yet
>
> the youthfulness was astonishing, although it began its gentle descent
>
> after about an hour, yet still wonderful after 3 hours. Unforgettable.
>
> My one question was the meaning of the importer's label on the back that
>
> said "Cuvée Rudy"
>
>
>
> Mark Lipton
>
> --
>
> alt.food.wine FAQ: http://winefaq.cwdjr.net

I read this on the wrong day!
Good one

On Tuesday, April 1, 2014 11:54:21 AM UTC-5, Mark Lipton wrote:
> Last night, to accompany a dinner of quarter pounders with cheese and
>
> fries, we opened our last bottle of the 1947 Ch. Cheval Blanc. The fill
>
> was good (mid neck) and the cork was in excellent condition given the
>
> age of the wine. And how was it? Well, it was astonishingly youthful,
>
> seemingly 25 years old rather than 67. A huge blast of very sweet
>
> blueberry essence burst out of the decanter as soon as I started to pour
>
> it. The port analogy was obvious. But once in the glass, it settled down
>
> a bit and was merely intensely fruity but without the sweetness. The
>
> harmony was incredible with the tannin, acidity, violet, rose and
>
> raspberry all swirling about the glass. Relatively light weight but
>
> excellent length, long and unwavering to the whisper of a finish. Yet
>
> the youthfulness was astonishing, although it began its gentle descent
>
> after about an hour, yet still wonderful after 3 hours. Unforgettable.
>
> My one question was the meaning of the importer's label on the back that
>
> said "Cuvée Rudy"
>
>
>
> Mark Lipton
>
> --
>
> alt.food.wine FAQ: http://winefaq.cwdjr.net



On Tuesday, April 1, 2014 11:54:21 AM UTC-5, Mark Lipton wrote:
> Last night, to accompany a dinner of quarter pounders with cheese and
>
> fries, we opened our last bottle of the 1947 Ch. Cheval Blanc. The fill
>
> was good (mid neck) and the cork was in excellent condition given the
>
> age of the wine. And how was it? Well, it was astonishingly youthful,
>
> seemingly 25 years old rather than 67. A huge blast of very sweet
>
> blueberry essence burst out of the decanter as soon as I started to pour
>
> it. The port analogy was obvious.
>
> alt.food.wine FAQ: http://winefaq.cwdjr.net


I have only one bottle of Cheval Blanc 1947 and bought it at a Chicago Wine Company a few decades ago. Although expensive then and difficult to find, it was not as great a status symbol then as it is now. It has been stored correctly since I bought it. The cork still appears in good condition, and the fill is low neck.It requires a very intense flashlight in a darkened room to see a red color through the dark green bottle.The real color in a clear glass might be brick rather than red. Anyway, whatever the color, th wine is still very deep in color. The wine was bottled at the chateau.The label text is what one would expect. A small secondary label reveals the wine was shipped by Compass Wine, Ltd., U.K.It was imported by Direct Import Wine Co., Niles, IL. Niles is in the Chicago area. There was no mention of "Cuvée Rudy" anywhere on the labels :-).

On 4/7/14 10:53 PM, cwdjrxyz wrote:

> I have only one bottle of Cheval Blanc 1947 and bought it at a
> Chicago Wine Company a few decades ago. Although expensive then and
> difficult to find, it was not as great a status symbol then as it is
> now. It has been stored correctly since I bought it. The cork still
> appears in good condition, and the fill is low neck.It requires a
> very intense flashlight in a darkened room to see a red color through
> the dark green bottle.The real color in a clear glass might be brick
> rather than red. Anyway, whatever the color, th wine is still very
> deep in color. The wine was bottled at the chateau.The label text is
> what one would expect. A small secondary label reveals the wine was
> shipped by Compass Wine, Ltd., U.K.It was imported by Direct Import
> Wine Co., Niles, IL. Niles is in the Chicago area. There was no
> mention of "Cuvée Rudy" anywhere on the labels :-).
>

You are indeed fortunate to have such a bottle, and to have no qualms as
to its provenance. The note I posted is taken verbatim from a
CellarTracker note on the wine, from someone who likewise purchased his
bottle long ago, before the worries of the current age.

Mark Lipton

--
alt.food.wine FAQ: http://winefaq.cwdjr.net