Birth Year Wine Options for 1978?

I’d like to grab a couple bottles to celebrate cracking 40 this year. I admit to not taking a deep dive but a cursory review of my options has returned much.

For reference I love old school Napa Cab (and LOVED ‘79 Mayacamas and ‘77 (I think it was ‘77 Clos du Val) and Paulliac. Like but don’t love Port and Madeira. Would consider all options, including Burgundy, German Reisling, etc. Any recommendations?

A bunch of 1978 Bordeaux showed up at K&L today. I would go for Ducru Beaucaillou.

If you can find a bottle of Monte Bello with good provenance, that’s a great vintage.

Right up my alley. Thanks gents.

La Tour Haut Brion
La Mission Haut Brion
Any of the Diamond Creeks

Plenty of Red Burgs but they will be pricey.

Also pricey, but '78 was very strong in Piedmont.

Was there a region in the world that didn’t succeed admirably in 1978? (Outside of Oporto?)

+1 on La Mission Haut Brion and the Montelena Estate.

Thanks,
Ed

Pichon Lalande also pretty damn good - better than Pichon Baron.

78s in Bordeaux are a little bit green - for the more traditional taster they are about perfect but if you prefer more vibrancy I’d go elsewhere.

1978 was a great year in California Cabernet and Burgundy and a good year in Bordeaux.

For California Cabernet, look for anything by Diamond Creek (these wines were great), Chateau Montelena, Heitz (you can look beyond Martha’s Vineyard to Bella Oaks and do very well, although it has been a long time since I had this) or Mondavi Reserve. I have recently had a very good Stag’s Leap 1978 Cab so this also is a possibility. I had the Clos du Val you asked about and liked it a lot, but I had it in the mid-1980s and don’t know how the wine has aged. I have not had any 1978s from Ridge, so cannot comment other than great estate. Mayacamas 1978 has a great reputation, but again I have not had it.

Burgundy is harder to recommend because the production is so small for most estates I have no idea what you can find. I know that Faiveley made outstanding wines in the vintage and you may be able to find them somewhere.

I have had very good 1978 Bordeaux, but I don’t remember ever having a great one. Ducru and Pichon Lalande seem to be good recommendations.

I don’t remember 1978 being a great or even good vintage in German wines. 1979 was good, but the great vintages of the era were 1971, 1975 and 1976, with 1971 at the top.

A few years ago, the 1978 Mondavi Reserve, from 1500ml magnum, drank like a chocolate milkshake [in a good way].

Right now there are some ultra-large formats available:
1978_mondavi-reserve_wine-searcher.png

My guess is that a legit 1978 Riserva from the likes of Bruno Giacosa or Giacomo Conterno would run you at least $5000, and maybe more like $7500.

Even labels like Marchesi or Produttori would probably run you $1000 or more.

Napa doubtless offers the greatest bang for the buck.

You might also look into Australia - Jancis & the gang seem to think that it was a pretty good year for the reds: [u]http://www.decanter.com/learn/vintage-guides/australia-vintage-guide/1978-vintage-guide-for-red-australia-117355/[/u].

It looks like the Wynn’s John Riddoch wasn’t first made until 1982, but the Michael dates back to 1955: [u]https://www.wynns.com.au/our-wines/icon[/u].

I think this is way off on Piedmont. I had a beautiful 1978 Marcarini Brunate @ EMP for $375 a few months ago, ordered off the list. I think if a 3 michelin star restaurant in NYC has an option for $375, you can probably find something at a reasonable price. And I don’t think any bottle of Produttori has or will ever sell for >$1000!!

Indeed. In fact, Wine Searcher indicates the 1978 Produttori Barbaresco can be purchased from Fine & Rare in London (an excellent merchant) for ~$130. I am sure more extended searching could come up with a number of good options in the US.

It was a vendor in Milan, but I bought 6 bottles of 1978 Produttori Rabaja in May of 2016 for the princely sum of $63 - including the 7.5% VAT you don’t get back in the airport. (They are drinking great, btw). Similarly a bottle of 1978 Cappellano Barolo bought from Chamber’s street in 2015 was $168. I agree Giacosa and Conterno are pricey, but among the rest there are some values to be had. If interested in Barolo, Chambers Street often has some great lesser-known wines

Among California wines, the best California Cab I’ve ever had was a 1978 Phelps Eisele Vineyard - although THAT would be pricey

Mondavi both the reserve and the regular bottlings are still going very strong. I"ve had multiples of both in 750 and mag over the past couple of years and they are amazing.

BV GdL is pretty good as is Guigal’s Hermitage both of which I’ve had over the past year.

None of those wines have ever sold near those prices.

Not sure if its in your wheelhouse but 78 was a great vintage for CDP. Vieux Telegraph and Mont Redon both come to mind.

Good call on the Vieux Telegraph- absolutely in my wheelhouse as are many others. Sounds like I’ve got plenty of options. Thanks everyone!!

Had a 1978 Jordan Cab about 10 years back that was holding up very nicely at 30.