A slightly different take on the question, my wife and I have been to Napa/ Sonoma 3-4 times since getting married, and we always try to taste the “legendary big Napa cabs” that us mere mortals can get into for a tasting (IE, no connections and limited funds). We’ve been to Phelps for Insignia, Shafer Hillside Select, Caymus Special Selection, Stag’s Leap Cask 23, Ridge for Monte Bello, Heitz Martha’s, and Mondavi To Kalon. The only one we’ve tasted at that was a literal knee buckling experience was Chateau Montelena 2010 Estate Cab. Even after a long day of tasting and damaged pallet, it blew us both away. All the others have been good, and I know there are more out there, but there was a special connection with Montelena Estate cab.
Maybe a bad bottle but everything checked out visually. However, it was nice complex old Bordeaux but nothing that commanded the price tag. A '85 LLC blew it out of the water that same night and it was purchased for at least 30% less. I’ll have to give the '82 GL another shot if I can find another good bottle.
Value and the worth of every wine is in the eye of the beholder. 85 LLC is also a very good wine. For me, not quite as complex, concentrated or age-worthy as the Gruaud Larose, but stylistically it is much cleaner, fresher and more red fruit in character. But it’s a very good bottle in the prime of its life. They are very different terroirs and styles of wine and there is no reason you should not prefer one over the other.
Soldera, regardless of vintage, especially when you consider the quality you get with Montevertine IGT/LPT for fractions of the cost.
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I’ve had 83 & 86 Gruaud and 86 Talbot in the last few years and they’ve all had funk to my palate.
That’s cool. If you are newish to wine, my unsolicited advice would be to avoid the big names mentioned here, at least at this point. The law of diminishing returns applies as aggressively in this space as it does anywhere else (if not more so). If you want to be disappointed, the surest way to do it is to pay an enormous sum for a bottle.
I’d note the wines that have made you happy and either look for wines like that at your local wine shop or post them hear and ask folks with deep experience for similar recommendations. Folks here LOVE to spend other folk’s money
There is a huge space between bad wine and great wine. Unlike 20 years ago, I encounter very little bad wine these days. So while all the components that go into making a wine great may be rarer than we would desire, there is a tremendous amount of wine that is eminently satisfying.
We had a Bdx lunch a decade or so ago with a bunch of the top '82s. All superb, but only Gruaud Larose and Pichon Laland got first place votes, tied. I liked that they’re much more affordable than the wines they bested. The '86 Gruaud we had was great, but too young. I popped the first of mine at a Berserker OL last year. Quite enjoyable.
i know i will be in the minority but if i had to buy some hypebeast burgs, rousseau is the last place i would be dropping coin. i can’t say i have had a bad one, but it is just not as singular of a wine as a leroy. in fact, i have had some wines from groffier that seemed very rousseau-esque.
Jeepers creepers, we actually agree on something!
I had a bottle of this last night to celebrate my birthday: it was splendid. In fact, it was one of the best bottles I’ve ever had. Difficult to see how any wine could be better. I bought my first batch in 1988 after reading RMP’s review and I have enjoyed it on an irregular basis ever since. Last night’s was the first for about ten years and I was surprised at how youthful it still is. A bit of Cordier funk, but not much, and it still has that incredible middle section, full of persistent dark cherry and blackberry. The balance is perfect too, without the excessive alcohol, oak etc that one can encounter in other wines today. I suppose for that reason it was a slightly bittersweet experience, in that it’s hard to find the same qualities anymore. Anyway, we raised a glass to Robert Parker, because he certainly got GL 82 right.
Stopped watch syndrome. More seriously, I don’t think there was ever much debate except on release that he called 82 Bordeaux right.
On whether (see up-thread) 82 or 86 Gruaud is “better” is a matter of opinion. I think I’d lean to ‘86 given where that wine has gone in the last few years and its structure but it doesn’t matter. Both live up to hype.
A more controversial one maybe: 1995 Ducru. I think it’s fabulous and lives up to the significant hype it received on release.
Agreed +1. Goes for Talbot too
Both you and Alfret are learning! You’re both coming along nicely. I have high hopes for you both! 
I can see why you’d like the 95, if you prefer the 86 over the 82. For me, 86 and 95 are two of my least favorite Bordeaux vintages.
This. The '86 GL.
As for the Ducru, I’d lean more towards the 1996, with the 1995 a split-hair 2nd.
To spice it up further, 1995 Cos d’Estournel over the 1996.
Ha - Just for fun one day, I’d love to pour you a glass of a really good Loire red…and watch… Actually, it might be better to start with a Bel Air Marquis d’Aligre…
When they make one, let me know…
Only a 73 so no rebuy.
Dude you so know these Cordier wines from the 1980s are in the Alfert Wheelhouse! I just let you in as a guest! And no liquid sex!
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86 left banks are some of my favorite wines, especially in St. Julien. The Gruaud, Leoville Barton continue to be wonderful (and wonderful values). The 86 Ducru is also a magical wine, if you can get it without the cellar taint (i.e. recorked at the Chateau).