TN: Seven wines from 1978 (CA and WA), and a few others...

SEVEN WINES FROM 1978 (CA AND WA), AND A FEW OTHERS… - (2/8/2020)

I fully intended to do birth year wines in the year of my 40th but, due to a combination of things, just didn’t get around to it. So, instead, we had a bunch of family over for good food (homemade Beef Wellington, mushroom farro, a lot of veggies…) and enjoying each other. The key: kids were all together with two sitters at my cousin’s house. Ahhh…ADULT conversation! The wines all showed spectacularly well, save the Zinfandel.

Warm-Up Wine A nice magnum with Dungeness crab as guests showed up…

  • 2004 Domaine Billaud-Simon Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre - France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru
    Served from magnum. Definitely no premox here! This was so young still and hand’t developed much in the way of aged complexity, amazingly. Lemon pith, minerals, some peach skin, all with great concentration, but on a light frame…delicious with dungeness crab. (92 pts.)

The 1978s

  • 1978 Chateau Ste. Michelle Merlot - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
    Slight bricking at the edges. Not decanted. Great nose…surprised this doesn’t smell dead. Quite the contrary: ripe cherry, coffee grounds, slight raspberry. I am amazed at how good this wine still is. Such vibrant fruit. (91 pts.)

  • 1978 Matanzas Creek Winery Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Sonoma County
    WOTN. Saturated cork, but it came out in one piece. Surprisingly dark appearance. Soaring nose of dark cherry, tack room, humidor, spicy plum skin, currant. I was floored at how much great fruit and life this had. Delicious, contemplative, and a real head-turner. What a wine. (95 pts.)

  • 1978 Clos du Bois Cabernet Sauvignon Briarcrest - USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley
    Cork was nearly perfect. Not decanted. Appearance was quite watery toward the edges, but not very bricked. Perhaps it was my eyes influencing my taste buds, but I don’t think so, as this was more dilute than the other wines at the tasting. Simple cherry fruit, slight earth and a moderate finish. Tasty, but it was overshadowed in the lineup. (85 pts.)

  • 1978 Kenwood Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Sonoma County
    Good cork. Thinning color at the edges. Red licorice, cherry, chickory(?) and damp earth. Starting its downhill slide. Drink up. Enjoyable, but not outstanding. (86 pts.)

A Late Addition and a Sticky

  • 2007 Betz Family Cabernet Sauvignon Père de Famille - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
    This is finally starting to enter its peak drinking window. Not decanted, served in Schott Zweisel Tritan stems. This came after a flight of 1978 Cabs, so it definitely stood out with its pronounced fruit. Black fruit, spice, licorice…still pretty youthful, but not so tightly clenched that one can’t enjoy it. Drink or hold for 10+. (94 pts.)
  • 2006 Château Raymond-Lafon - France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
    Served from large Bordeaux-style stems. Lighter honey color. The nose didn’t give up a whole lot. On the palate, though, this is sweet and tasty. Apricot, marzipan(?), pineapple, slight spice. Very nice. (89 pts.)

This was a lot of fun and i was so pleased with how nicely all of the wines showed. I was particularly happy with the two wines from Washington. For those of us born in Central Washington, how funny to see, “Benton County” printed proudly on the front label of the Ste. Michelle Cab! I will also tout the Durand…it saved my bacon and worked SO well for all of these corks. Expensive? Yes. Worth it? Yes!
Posted from CellarTracker

Crazy about the ‘78 CSM Merlot! I haven’t had any WA wines that old, but plenty of CA wines from the ‘50s-80s that were not top dollar have aged remarkably well. This sounds like such an interesting lineup.

Cool, not surprised on WA Merlot built to age better than most Cabs, I had some mags of 82/83 Cold Creek Cab maybe 12 years ago, gave away a bunch as gifts then drank one and instantly regretted gifting them.

I’m really surprised how Matanzas Creek Cab showed, great notes Brandon.

KP

Not nearly as old, but we had a 1987 CSM Merlot that had the same notes. We paid 34 on a list somewhere in NC and thought we were stealing. Excellent stuff.

Brandon, nice wines. I never got around to doing any 78’s in '18 either. You’ve inspired me - no reason I can’t do it this year!

Thanks, All. It was a great night. Jason - do it! I held back three more because it would’ve been too much wine for the crowd size: BV GdL, Beringer PR, and Montelena Estate. Based on this tasting, I’ll likely open them soon becuase they’re just so good right now.

What a great set of tasting notes – and sounds like it was a wonderful evening of good food, good wine, and good (adult) conversation. Happy belated 40th!

You have inspired me as I have several 78’s and my friends all have a few left. Have the Matanzas and 2 Freemark Abbeys and two Phelps.

Very cool and from one central Washingtonian to another, happy birthday!

Does Betz usually take 13 years to enter its “drinking window?”

Pretty cool tasting Brandon. I once pulled out a 1987 Columbia Crest and it blew away our Bordeaux. Some of those old WA wines are surprisingly great.

Brandon,

If you do '78s again and want some Bordeaux in the mix, just ask me.

Yes. While I think the, “It’s too young…” is often overdone by us wine geeks, I truly believe Betz is one of those labels that warrants that sentiment. Specifically, the Pere de Famille and even the Clos de Betz (to a lesser degree) in most years are really hard, dense, and unyielding for the first 7-10 years or so.

Awesome. Funny you say that, Peter, because I’m planning on doing an offline and contributing the three I have left: Beringer PR, BV Georges de Latour, and Motenlena Estate. Having some Bordeaux in there would really be fun!

I may have a California Cab or two also.

I recall tasting 1978 Charles Krug Cabernet and loving how good it was. Tasted twice, but that probably was 15 years ago. If you do another 1978 tasting and can find one, it could be fun to add into the mix.

Great tasting and notes. 1978 is sneaking up on 1974 as best of decade.

Hmmm, gives me some hope that perhaps this 79 Chateau St. Michelle, that I bought in 1995, is still alive…

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If you can source a well stored bottle, the 78 LMHB is a knockout and at peak. I noticed someone selling a 78 Ducru recently on CC. Not had it but no reason to think it won’t be fine as well.

You give me hope - I have a bottle of 1978 Villa Mt Eden Reserve Cab in the cellar that I figure is probably long over the hill. Guess I should give it a try. The only other 1978 Californian I have is the Ch. St. Jean Riesling TBA and that still drinks superbly.