My fiancee’s birthday is coming up and would love to source a special bottle for her birth year. She’s mostly into Cabs (US/BDX) but has a penchant for Brunello’s as well. I would love some recs on any wines that would still be drinking well in the south of $300ish price point. I assume Cali cab is probably not as a good as a candidate as old world, but all suggestions welcome.
TIA
Seo
1977 vintage port would be your best bet.
+1
I have had quite a few older Jordan’s including a 76 that was drinking really well. I have a 77 I’m saving for my 40th.
Yep
Mondavi Cab 77 was really good last week. Bought at Winebid.
Mayacamas Cabernet Sauvignon.
but the 77 ports are a safer bet, although they will certainly prove costly.
Port. Or a 1977 Armagnac.
He will find plenty WAY under the $300 threshold and could easily get two with money to spare. Ports are pretty available for decent prices on the secondary market.
1977 was the second of the drought years in the 1970’s in California. Decent wines, not as good as the 76 or 78’s. Many of the upper tier Cabernets should still be good.
Among Ports, it was a very good vintage; but a lot of bottle variation currently. Both Taylors and Fonseca range from good to outstanding. Dows is good, Grahams less so. Warres is a nice wine, but starting to fade. Smith Woodhouse and Gould Campbell are the sleepers. Both very young still.
Port +many
Montelena
Not Latour-very bad.
This or Port.
I would stay away from Italian or French wines in 1977. Your best bet would be California and that would be hit or miss, hot year, drying tannins but would go fine with a steak. Not sure you would want to go thru a bottle of port
Agreed. Be aware that most '77 Port has a vanilla characteristic to it.
(got an '87 Chateau Montelena in the queue for the upcoming holidays)
Not totally true.
While Port sure is the 1st choice - and Bordeaux and Burgundy is no real option - I´ve had several good Southern Rhones (CdP, Gigondas) that were really enjoyable (e.g. Beaurenard).
If available they shouldn´t be too expensive - I would not pay a fortune for a ´77 … but they have to be in good shape …
Mondavi Reserve
1977 was quite good in Chianti. Had some extraordinary wines from Montevertine and others
A 1977 Colheita could be a safe bet
Graham’s Vintage Port 1977 - good now, could still age longer