In 1976, DRC started using the designated vineyard capsules, as Don Cornwell also stated in the Rudy-Thread (post 7802).
That fact, made Me suspicious, when I saw this bottle for sale here in Copenhagen.
La Tache 1975 with “La Tache” on the capsule.
I checked on Google, (Yes… -many phony pics. there !) and I found a little family of 1974’s also w. names on the capsules !
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Note the missing ser.numbers on the RC and LT.
Are these bottles the results of later releases, then I can understand the mix-up… If not…
The Rudy-Capsulings are a different story, but hey, they look nice…
I don’t have any experience with those vintages (and weren’t they significantly “lesser” ones?). I did have the good fortune to have a ‘73 Romanee Conti that was sublime though! That was about 20 years ago though…! I can look in one of Coates’ older books to see if he has a review of any of those if you want. I would be VERY sure to see a review before investing in those years…
Sorry, I can’t recall from the original threads on the Rudy issue, but isn’t there something to say about the color of the glass used in the bottles? Did DRC really use different colored glass bottles for the same vintage? Some light green and some dark? Some medium green? I don’t remember these much from my Wine House days in the eighties, but I always thought DRC used light green bottles?
Hey Fred.
As I remember, Rudy produced a full (12) case of RC 1966 w. running ser. numbers, with great bottle variation in both size and colors…Don spotted it immediately.
The photos (1975 DRC) I collected from the web, also shows color variations from almost no colors, to light greenish, and some appear real green !
These photos are made under very different circumstances. Some in a studio, some in a cellar, etc.
I must admit the two La Taches look like colorless glass… but again, extreme ligth settings, maybe flash ? Could do this.
A major change in DRC bottle colour/shape seems to occur around 1988 or 1989, where the bottles became heavier, and the color goes from a lighter green, to darker green-brown.
I keep the emty DRC bottles I drink from My cellar. They bring good memories, and knowledge when I check on them !
I have just taken these photos.
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A 1991 RSV, and a 1999 VR 1’er cru. They look alike but from 1993, and on, DRC started using an even heavier bottle. I just had the 1991,1992 and 1993 RSV empties on a digi.scale.
The weight goes from 805 gr-1992 to 945 gr-1993 and the 1999 VR-bottle also in at 945 gr. That is one heavy bottle !
It’s a completely different lighter 1987-bottle on this web-photo I found.
I assume the lowest ranked DRC, from 1987 is not the counterfeiters first choice, so I believe this one is real…
As a collector, these things actually matters to Me, as with My stamps, and lighters… No one want to buy/posses dodgy stuff…
I hope someone can help with the 1975 bottle and capsule, as it seems there is some confusion about what years they changed.
Soren, yes the 86 (my pic) and 87 are similar, narrower, paler glass at that time - like my 78 also, though that 78 has no vineyard designation on the capsule.
Just a few rescued empties sitting on my glasses case:
Wow…thanks for the great photos. I’ve always associated the light green or brownish green bottles with DRC, but when I see the Christmas Evergreen bottles it reminds me of the old Avery negociant bottlings which I noticed had a striking green glass. These deep green DRCs look strange to my eye. Wonder if the domaine has any comment?
Two bottles from My cellar, photographed in same light (sun), and same angle.
Clearly different glass colors.
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Many changes in the early 70’s in DRC, reg. administration, and choice of materials (bottles, labels and capsules) !
An aside Soren, as I look for older burgs at auction, I have always been worried not only about the “signs of past seepage” but also “lightly elevated cork”. Would love to hear about your thoughts and experiences on that since the two bottles you posted from your cellar here would look to me to have some elevation of cork and doming of the foil. Am I worrying too much?
I don’t have the experience (as M. Adouze has), to answer that properly.
But I remember a recent Christmas dinner with family, and three fine burgs from 90’s. One bottle, a Lafon 1993 Volnay Santenots du Milieu , had an elevated slightly domed capsule. And the cork was moist/wet, on top. Soft wet cork came out easy, in one piece…and funky smells too. We drank the two other burgs, and some other wines.
4-5 hours later (after midnight, and some whisky), My English brother in law, and I, “found” the untouched, only opened Volnay… It was singing christmas-operas ! All mature flavors were present, like dried dades, prunes, raisins, and sweet cherry. Easily the best wine of them all. We even drank the sediments. It was so good !
Maybe the bottle needed this failure in seal, to obtain these flavors ? And when did the air get in (and wine out) ?
A 1970 Latour, 10 years ago, with the wettest, crumbliest cork (scooped out). -The best Latour I ever had !
Other times (I forget them fast) these symptoms ends with an acidic harsh taste of nailpolish remover and rusty steel… I hate when it happens, but it’s a part of the old burg game.
Oh, and sometimes the soundest looking cork, has a terrible ruined wine underneath. -Harder to explain, or spot.
I have checked the empty LT that I have prior to 1976. After 1976 every is the the wording “La Tâche” on the black ring.
LT 43 2 times “MDD”, 1 black ring, 1 nothing
LT 55 3 times MDD
LT 57 2 times nothing (Leroy)
LT 60 2 times MDD
LT 61 1 time MDD
LT 62 1 time LT and 1 time MDD
LT 64 1 time MDD
LT 66 nothing (Leroy)
LT 69 2 times MDD
LT 71 1 time LT
LT 74 nothing (Leroy)
LT 74 magnum 1 time LT
for LT 1943 I have seen three possibilities, and my memory is that the wines are not questionable.
What is curious is 1962 but it is possible that one bottle was coated by the domaine.
the 1971 has the wording LT
Isn’t it quite possible that in 1977 or 1978 when the new capsules were made for the 76 vintage that the domaine had inventory from pre-76 vintages stored without labels or capsules and simply used the newer capsules when it was time to label the bottles and put the capsules on? Bottles sold earlier might have had the older capsules. I’m just speculating, but it seems like a plausible, innocent explanation.
Thank You again, M. Adouze, for bringing information.
The 1962 LT, with designated vineyard name on capsule, must be a later capsuling, as I can’t imagine DRC already had produced the name-caps in the early sixties, and first started officially using them in the mid. 70’s
The 1974 mag must be the same story (A later capsuling).
Found this pic. LT 1971 mag. w. Mise-capsule, from Sothebys June 21, 2014 auction (sold $14,700) :
In My quest to get wiser on DRC 1970’s, I’ve found many, especially 1971 and 1974, with the new name-capsules.
It could be indicative of later releases from the Domaine. -But I don’t know.
But this I know : that DRC didn’t run out of Named capusles in 1979, and then used the old Mise du Dom. caps.
