How would we rate 1982 Bordeaux if they were released today?

WINE TALK
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Of course, you should like what you like. But how do you decide on a vintage’s greatness after tasting only a couple of bottles? Personally, I have been able to taste over 600 wines covering all the different price points and appellations. While our tastes probably vary, I think anyone needs to taste widely across a vintage before deciding on where it stands vis a vis other years.

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I was fairly young at the time and did not have a great deal of experience buying wine. I graduated law school and moved to the DC area in August 1980. My father owned a wine store Georgia until he sold it and retired in the fall of 1981. While he owned the store, he would give me wines to take back to DC and I did not pay much attention to wine prices, although after getting to DC I saw again a childhood friend who also had moved to DC after law school (now have not spoken with him since like a half hour ago). He had gotten into wine while in law school and we started going to wine stores on Saturday afternoons - when a lot of DC stores had free tastings. He bought a lot more than me at first (since I was getting my wine for free). But, I was seeing classified Bordeauxs then at $14-20 or so. I can remember buying 1979 LLC and Pichon Lalande for about $14 or so, for example. The 1978s were higher in price - the $ was weaker when they came out. The first futures I bought were 1981 Ducru, split a case with this friend for $140 a case.

In the spring of 1983, Parker reviewed the 1982 Bordeauxs for the first time and futures prices came out. In DC, there were two great stores for buying these wines - MacArthurs and a brand new store called Calvert-Woodley - there had been two stores Calvert on Wisconsin Ave. and Woodley in Cleveland Park and they merged and built a new store. Prices were great. Cheaper than the 1975s, 1978s and 1979s then available on store shelves but a bit more than the original prices for 1981 futures. The Bordeaux trade had raised prices for the 1982 but it did not show up in the US because the dollar had strengthened a lot. [I think the $ was worth around 4 francs around 1980 or 1981 or so and 8+ francs when my wife and I went to France in 1984.] The demand for 1982 Bordeaux prices at retail was huge and prices started going up after a couple of months or so. By the time the wines were released, many retail prices were 2-4 times the original futures prices. Prices for 1983 futures were a decent amount higher than original futures prices for 1982s, but well below then market prices for 1982s. Future prices then for 1985s and 1986s were even higher (I think the 85s were higher than the 1986s if I remember correctly), but all these prices would seem like absolute bargains today. As late as the 1990 vintage I could and did buy 1990 Leoville Barton on futures for $20 a bottle and I think the LLC was a bit under $30 a bottle. Those were great days to buy Bordeaux futures.

Note that Parker did a great job rating these wines all through this period. It is a big reason why wines were safer to buy than one would think today based on how many underperforming estates there were at the time. which Jeff really emphasizes. Did not buy any of these - did not really even taste any of these and so the real underperformers were not really even on my radar, although I knew they existed. The wines offered locally seemed to be the wines Parker rated highly and in those days he was pretty spot on. I might have liked a wine he rated 92 more than a wine he rated 95, but I would have rated most of the wines he rated 90 and above 90 and above. And, the British wine writers were not much different from Parker in the wines they liked making the wines even safer to buy.

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83

I have not had that many 2016s, but I thought the 2016 Pichon Lalande was absolutely fabulous a couple of years back or so. TN: Pichon Lalande dinner with Nicolas Glumineau - WINE TALK - WineBerserkers

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I agree with the 2010, around half of those I have tried have been so tannic I am not sure they will ever be pleasurable. With the 2016s though many critics including HRH Jancis really rate it as outstanding.

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And don’t forget, this is the vintage that put Robert Parker on the map. At the time, we were relegated to a majority of the British writers, and one Robert Finigan, who was probably the most prominent American wine writer with a highly read monthly newsletter at the time (Anthony Dias Blue was the other prominent US writer). Finnigan ripped the 1982 vintage, and the Brits were their usual ‘non committal’ selves. We started getting the Wine Advocate newsletter right before it’s name change (Baltimore/DC Wine Advocate I believe?) and bought heavy in the '81 futures because of his recommendations. When he went bonkers on the 1982 vintage, and the prices were just shockingly cheap, we invested heavy into them.

It was the combination of super cheap prices (especially considering that the 70s really only had 2-3 decent vintages - all expensive at the time), Parker’s press, and early fruit bomb samples that sold us. As it did with the wine buying public at the time. We became Robert Parker groupies after this -

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86

I am curious if you have drunk many? Im seriously not snipping, but, I am also curious as to why you think LLC is the top of the mountain here…

To answer your question, here are a few wines that I have drunk, some more than a few times, that would be worth buying and cellaring. I’ll add that they are some of the best Bordeaux in the last 60+/- years:

La Mission Haut Brion
Haut Brion
Figeac
LLC is definitely on the list
l’Evangile
Gruad Larose
Margaux
Mouton
Pichon Lalande
Cos


Hopefully this helps.

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I wasn’t saying LLC is top of the mountain. My post was in response to Howard’s and he said “some wines are still really good and a few (like LLC) are just getting mature”, so I was simply asking what else is worth continued cellaring. I haven’t had any 1982, but plan to try a few and want to know which are worth seeking out – that’s all.

Thanks for your list.

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Got it. I hope you get the chance to drink some good bottles of 1982. They can no so sublime.

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1982 was my first Bordeaux buying year of any significance. I bought La Lagune, Leoville Barton, Brane Cantenac, Grand Puy Lacoste, Latour A Pomerol, Leoville Las Cases, Lynch Pages and Pichon Lalande. I’ve since tasted ( guzzled, delighted in etc ) all the Firsts and famous Rights and many others along the way. I know this was a unique vintage in my time with a robe of finely flavoured richness balanced by gossamer tannins and lingering aftertaste. The mature wines often exhibit an exciting nose that speaks of what is to come. Its a great vintage.

However my initial selection speaks of some of the characteristics of the year : Lalande smashed it, the Margaux appellation was less exciting, La Lagune did something special, the St Juliens are rich and structured yet quite obturate in their ageing and the Pomerols were beautiful. I’ve yet to taste a Lalande that’s fully captured the 82 magic. Although the 16s are exciting I’m not yet convinced they are in the very top league of Nature’s bounty as opposed to Man’s winemaking. The 1982 Mouton, Latour and Haut Brion are particularly haunting and holding up extremely well.

Overall in my lifetime 1961, 1982 and 2005 are the great vintages ( I know 05 is still quite closed but across the board it is pure, balanced and beautifully flavoured ). 1990, 1996, 2000, 2009 and 2010 all have their high spots but none are as complete as the 3 I have nominated. 2015 and 2016 are very promising but it’s early days and I just don’t get the excitement of either 82 or 05. Perhaps its a palate 40 years on or just the memory of youth but 82 still stands out for its allure and its beauty. Or maybe its just the association with my wife at 25 !

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+1. I started w wine just after these were released so I missed futures but bought and drank many. Even Mouton was $60-80 a bottle. Delicious wines. Great vintage.

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I got first growths for $335 a case and several others including Lynch Bages at @110. Those were the days. Thankfully I have a few assorted cases left.

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I’m going to mortgage your home for 2019 red burgundy but I think i’ll only end up with two bottles of DRC. Real Estate in Florida is just so darn cheap or is DRC just too darn expensive? [snort.gif]

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You have said so many great things in this post!

I like this quote in particular…“I know this was a unique vintage in my time with a robe of finely flavoured richness balanced by gossamer tannins and lingering aftertaste.”

I just recently shared the Haut Brion with fellow Berserker, Robert Alfert on his birthday. THIS wine has woken up! It has always been great, but the nose has come too, and it was absolutely fantastic, beguiling!

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I likely paid the less for all of the '82 Bordeaux I bought than the cost of a current mixed pack from DRC (unadjusted for inflation)…

Taking on medium/long term debt to buy wine is foolish, but it worked out in this instance for the reasons that Howard mentions (best vintage in 20 years, historically strong USD v FF, etc) and I had access to true en primeur pricing through Chateau & Estate Wines and direct imports (my oldest childhood friend’s family was the California C&E distributor at the time).

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Interesting. Pretty good list. If you were born early enough maybe add 1959. Have not had many but the ones I have had are wonderful.

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I did not initially buy any Lynch Bages but when a friend and I saw prices of 1982 futures start to go up we split a case at $150.

Others I bought on futures either for myself or my father (who gave me some of his) were Gruaud Larose, Leoville Barton, Canon, Cos d’Estournal, la Lagune, Chasse Spleen, Gloria, Ormes de Pez and Latour du Pin Figeac. Most of these were cases split with someone.

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At current prices for futures, I kind of doubt that any current vintages or vintages in the near future in Bordeaux will appreciate anything like these wines did.

My guess is that if you want to find fabulous price appreciation today, you need to find a really small unknown producer that you love and later have the rest of the world discover the wine. For me, that was Truchot.

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Pretty true, Howard. I would say the same for 1955. It’s also probably the best Bordeaux/Burgundy vintage at least since. The 1955 Bordeaux I have drunk have all been amazing!!

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My birth year, but I have only had one of these - a Chateau Margaux.

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The 2016s are for me in this tier. I know it’s probably not allowed, but the 1998 Right Banks are also in this class.