Some wines, as we know, are all about the fireworks, inducing oohs and aahs. 76 trombones leading a big parade, 110 cornets right behind.
I thought about this while drinking a pitch-perfect 1983 Ch Margaux over lunch on Friday. I thought about what a mistake it would have been to bring this to a wine dinner, where it would have shared the table with another 14 great wines and been doled out a few ounces at a time and become part of a stack ranking debate.
This bottle was no parade. A contemplative, intriguing, labyrinthine wine. It was a wine to settle the spirit and spark the imagination.
It was not spectacular or splendid or extravagant. All it was was perfect.
Fabulous post. It got me seriously thinking about ordering my cellar around three categories: Wines for quiet/introspection; wines for sharing with wine geeks; crowd-pleasers for folks who are definitely not wine geeks.
I think there is room for both types of wine tasting, the contemplative dinner with one or two others and the occasional 16 bottles with 15 others. Advantages of each. The latter I do rarely—I don’t like crowds.
Too cool! When I share a bottle like this with my sister, she has this expression “Ooh, that’s too perfect”, faint praise and all. I get it, she wants fireworks. Different strokes.
You mention so much that is great about wine. A single great bottle, intimate setting, time to reflect and watch its evolution. It’s awesome to settle in and get to know a bottle!
Lovely post, lovely wine. Based on your description, however, (and my experience with this wine) I don’t think the word “splendid” should be discounted as it perhaps fits this wine and your experience perfectly.
Usually in any thread that the 1983 Margaux is mentioned, there is an inevitable conversation comparing it to the 1982. For me, in three side by side flights in the last five years, the 1983 has just edged the 1982, and while Neal in his original post mentions contemplation rather than comparison, the 1983 has the greater depth of the two, and is a little bit more showy.
You have captured the experience so well. Your notes are a treat. I had this wine four years ago with my wife. We just wanted to enjoyed the nose. We almost did not want to have this with our dinner to take away from the wine. Thanks Neal
Thanks for this Neal, just had a similar experience so I understand where you are coming from. Some more restrained wines require more focus to see all the details and nuances, and as a fan of this style sometimes the wines that I bring to the bigger tastings get overshadowed. Glad the 1983 Margaux was a banger and it remains one of my bucket list wines as well.