Had an impromptu gathering of a few wine buddies last night. Onto the bar dropped a bottle of '82 PL. I have been privileged to have drunk all the top '82 BDX over the years. I would argue the PL was the wine of the vintage. The bottle on this night was in pristine form. Everything you could want in an aged lefty. Maybe a hint past apex as I do not see this ever getting better. How could it? But if I had any in my cellar, unfortunately I do not, but luckily have friends that do, I would drink them near term on special occasions (or not so special but always with good friends). For all you young whipper-snappers in the early BDX accumulation mode, this is how patience pays off.
The YK35 sake from magnum was pretty tastie too with bar snacks.
Just bought three bottles of this that haven’t travelled more than 150 km from Pauillac. Quite excited to see just how good it can be, as I have had brilliant examples but invariably bottles that have travelled many thousands of miles given this particular wine’s celebrity.
Wife had her 50th bday party last year. Along with lots of other fun stuff, I opened an imperial of '82 PL. Was just spectacular. Bought it in the early '90s for maybe $500.
As a reminder, should anyone wish to drink a beautiful '82 Bordeaux with a genuine human product of 1982 (you know, for symmetry’s sake), I offer my '82-ness Nationwide…
It was incredibly delicious. We took a private room at Carbone in NYC and had about 30 guests. About 1/3 the guests had not much interest in wine (but lots of interest in cocktails) so I brought some champagne in large format and white wine in large format, that took care of them. About 6 of us are ‘hard core’ wine guys, and we went at that bottle hard. It was very, very delicious!!! Was a little funny, for a group like that, they offer a ‘wine and cocktail package’ with the food. I took that, then told them that they can keep the wine and I’ll bring wine but I expect no corkage cost as they get to keep the wine that they sold me! After a little grumbling they agreed with the logic. Was cheaper than their normal corkage charge by about 50%. And the cocktails were delicious, they make a fantastic Manhattan!
This is the wine that 20 years ago got me on this crazy journey, shared by a generous friend at a party to celebrate NYE 1999. Thanks for the note and bringing back that memory.
It’s been years since I’ve had a 1982 Pichon Lalande. Incredible wine, up there with the first growths. Glad to hear there are still outstanding bottles.