Last night our Bordeaux group was doing 1966 (and a couple '64s) at Riverpark. I was slightly delayed (nutcase on Metro-North, train got held for a bit), so I was last to arrive. I was greeted by the 2009 Ledru "Cuvee Goulte" Blanc de Noirs. What a lovely bottle of bubbly- full but bright, pit fruits, floral notes, flint. Minerally, long. A-

We had the Farm (family style) dinner. Started with a charcuterie platter - great veal tongue, couple pates, duck prosciutto, etc

1964 Figeac
This was pretty musty at first, but cleans up and fllls out. B
(I retasted at end of night and thought it had improved a lot, probably at least a B+)

1964 Lynch-Bages
I thought this was corked from start and nothing changed my mine (others thought it metallic but not corked I think) NR

Next we had 4 big bowls- a green salad, smoked lamb ribs with yogurt sauce, sugar pea panzanella with white anchovies (said ramps as well but if there quite subtle), baby octopus with fava.

1966 Pichon Baron
Weird nose ("scorched earth " was a descriptor, a bit more mainstream on palate, but tacky tannin remaining and fruit is fleeting. B-

1966 Giscours
Sweet fruit, black cherry, floral, leathery. Quite nice B+/A-

Next were the pasta course - bigoli w/ramps, and cavatelli w/merguez

1996 Beychevelle
Medium bodied, seemed thin at first, slightly lifted nose, definitely puts on weight. B+

1966 Ducru-Beaucaillou
Sweet, cigarbox and leather, full, nice length. A-/B+

1966 Leoville Poyferre
Black fruit, cedar, quite full, rich. A-/B+

Main courses were smoked Berkshire pork, whole red snapper with farro, plus asparagus, roasted radishes, and charred spring onions

1966 La Mission Haut Brion
A little herby (though Josh who has had several times says a bit less green than some bottles), but nice redder fruit, sandalwood. A touch exotic. B+/A-

1966 Haut Brion
Damn, maderized (it had to be the HB?)

Rhubarb Custard pie w ginger Ice cream and lemon sorbet

Overall I thought the wines showed well, but all were opened at restaurant after travel. I'd prefer my 50 year old wines at a dinner table near cellar..

Voting for WOTN.
Ducru-Beaucaillou 15 pts
LMHB 13 pts
Poyferre 11 pts
Figeac 5 pts
Giscours 3 pts

Diane order a bottle off the list, NV Savart L'Overture. Good, creamy, nice.. B/B+

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.

I recently had the 1966 HB and it was perfect. Hint of brick, cassis and a bit of smoke on the nose. Complex, mature note of currants, leather, tobacco.


On Wednesday, April 27, 2016 at 2:46:22 PM UTC-4, DaleW wrote:
> Last night our Bordeaux group was doing 1966 (and a couple '64s) at Riverpark. I was slightly delayed (nutcase on Metro-North, train got held for a bit), so I was last to arrive. I was greeted by the 2009 Ledru "Cuvee Goulte" Blanc de Noirs. What a lovely bottle of bubbly- full but bright, pit fruits, floral notes, flint. Minerally, long. A-
>
> We had the Farm (family style) dinner. Started with a charcuterie platter - great veal tongue, couple pates, duck prosciutto, etc
>
> 1964 Figeac
> This was pretty musty at first, but cleans up and fllls out. B
> (I retasted at end of night and thought it had improved a lot, probably at least a B+)
>
> 1964 Lynch-Bages
> I thought this was corked from start and nothing changed my mine (others thought it metallic but not corked I think) NR
>
> Next we had 4 big bowls- a green salad, smoked lamb ribs with yogurt sauce, sugar pea panzanella with white anchovies (said ramps as well but if there quite subtle), baby octopus with fava.
>
> 1966 Pichon Baron
> Weird nose ("scorched earth " was a descriptor, a bit more mainstream on palate, but tacky tannin remaining and fruit is fleeting. B-
>
> 1966 Giscours
> Sweet fruit, black cherry, floral, leathery. Quite nice B+/A-
>
> Next were the pasta course - bigoli w/ramps, and cavatelli w/merguez
>
> 1996 Beychevelle
> Medium bodied, seemed thin at first, slightly lifted nose, definitely puts on weight. B+
>
> 1966 Ducru-Beaucaillou
> Sweet, cigarbox and leather, full, nice length. A-/B+
>
> 1966 Leoville Poyferre
> Black fruit, cedar, quite full, rich. A-/B+
>
> Main courses were smoked Berkshire pork, whole red snapper with farro, plus asparagus, roasted radishes, and charred spring onions
>
> 1966 La Mission Haut Brion
> A little herby (though Josh who has had several times says a bit less green than some bottles), but nice redder fruit, sandalwood. A touch exotic. B+/A-
>
> 1966 Haut Brion
> Damn, maderized (it had to be the HB?)
>
> Rhubarb Custard pie w ginger Ice cream and lemon sorbet
>
> Overall I thought the wines showed well, but all were opened at restaurant after travel. I'd prefer my 50 year old wines at a dinner table near cellar.
>
> Voting for WOTN.
> Ducru-Beaucaillou 15 pts
> LMHB 13 pts
> Poyferre 11 pts
> Figeac 5 pts
> Giscours 3 pts
>
> Diane order a bottle off the list, NV Savart L'Overture. Good, creamy, nice. B/B+
>
> 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.

On Thursday, April 28, 2016 at 10:56:15 AM UTC-4, Bi!! wrote:
> I recently had the 1966 HB and it was perfect. Hint of brick, cassis and a bit of smoke on the nose. Complex, mature note of currants, leather, tobacco.
>
>
Yes, that was a disappointment. I had once maybe 10 years ago and loved it. The guy across from me had brought a bottle to a dinner 2 years ago and it was corked, so he was 0 for 2.
No one in our group was buying Bordeaux before 80s so all secondary market, 1 cooked and 1 corked out of 9 wasn't too bad I guess. But I'd have rather had something other than the HB be the bad one!

On 29/04/2016 7:28 AM, DaleW wrote:
> On Thursday, April 28, 2016 at 10:56:15 AM UTC-4, Bi!! wrote:
>> I recently had the 1966 HB and it was perfect. Hint of brick, cassis and a bit of smoke on the nose. Complex, mature note of currants, leather, tobacco.
>>
>>
> Yes, that was a disappointment. I had once maybe 10 years ago and loved it. The guy across from me had brought a bottle to a dinner 2 years ago and it was corked, so he was 0 for 2.
> No one in our group was buying Bordeaux before 80s so all secondary market, 1 cooked and 1 corked out of 9 wasn't too bad I guess. But I'd have rather had something other than the HB be the bad one!
>
It can also happen with much lesser wines from reputable sources. I had
6 bottles of 04 Ch. d'Angludet that were cooked.
Graham