most indelibly etched on your memory?

WINE TALK
41

It was a cold spring day, in maybe 1999 or 2000, and we were visiting R&V Dauvissat in their cellars. After tasting from barrel, our host (Rene, if memory serves) pulls aside a couple of half-full bottles with indecipherable chalk marks on them. He pours the first one, and it is clean and mineral, crisp with a long beautiful finish. Just a fantastic bottle of wine. My curiousity is piqued, so I ask in my poor French how long the bottle has been open. He looks off into the ceiling, trying to remember; then turns back to me, shrugs, and says “about three weeks.”

The wine was 1989 Sechet. It was just fantastic.

42

nearly forgot the 81 krug collection from magnum
the only champagne i’ve had that stayed with me all these years

43

I’ve posted on most of these before, but Mark Golodetz nailed something:

“A major birthday with a lunch at Ridge hosted by Paul Draper, drinking a vertical of Ridge wines going back to the late ‘60s, and all my close wine friends there.”

What he nails is that context can be almost everything.

So:

NV Gallo Zinfandel from gallon, in September 1963 - At a Monday night poker game, freshman year in college. I can still vaguely remember the aromas, nothing of the flavors. But it was the first time in my life I REALLY paid attention to a wine, and it was wonderful.

1961 Jaboulet Hermitage - At the end of the greatest wine dinner of my life, at Vivarois, then a Michelin *** in Paris, summer of 1982. I still remember the other wines:
1976 Batard Montrachet, Leflaive
1971 Chablis Grand Cru ‘Les Clos’, Long-Depaquit
1969 Vosne-Romanee 1er Cru ‘Grande Rue’ Lamarche
1964 Chateau Cheval Blanc
But I can still TASTE this one. After the four half bottles above, which came after a full bottle of an LH Gewurz, whose vintage and producer I cannot remember at all.

1976 Chateau Palmer - Multiple tastings. I didn’t particularly really close attention the first time, served in the late '80s at a lunch at the Chateau. But the next time, poured blind by Robert Parker at dinner at his home for me and David Schildknecht. David and I were going ‘hmmm’. Sally nailed it. My next sip implanted it. I’ve had it about half a dozen times since (last time about 10 years ago) and have known it every time.

1959 Pegau - I cooked a duck dinner at Pegau. Paul and Laurence Feraud, competitive with every breath, were up and down to the cellar “discussing” what would be served. Just before dinner, Laurence came up to me wide-eyed: “There were five bottles of '59 in the cellar, now there are four!!!” I can taste this wine as I write this.

to Mark Rudner: Thanks for the memories.

Dan Kravitz

44

1978 Giacosa SS Riserva…shared with a friend in 1998
1953 Margaux…shared with a couple of buddies along with a 1955 Figeac in 1990
1975 Yquem…multiple times…

45

I’ve forgotten [wink.gif]

joking aside, probably an old Chateau Chalon. Indelibly etched isn’t always a good thing.

46

La Chapelle 1961 and la Landonne 1978 from Guigal
Yquem 1869 and 1945 ; Coutet 1947 ; Filhot 1942
Bouchard Clos de Vougeot 1865
St Vivant 1952 Jadot
DRC 1959 Grand Echezeaux , La Tache 62 , 90 and 99
Henri Jayer 1980 Echezeaux and 1985 Richebourg
Lafite 1959
Petrus 1950
VCC 1948
Haut Brion 1929 from magnum
Chevalier Montrachet 1992 Leflaive
Corton Charlemagne 1989 , 1996 , 2010 Coche Dury

47

dan k
awesome note on the gallo zin [cheers.gif]

48

z-hart’s note brought back one I’d almost forgotten, and I am grateful:

1962 Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou - Sally and had this well over half a dozen times at Jean-Pierre Restaurant in Washington, DC, in the mid to late '70’s. On our first visit, the maitre 'd (also somm at the time; there were no somms back then), Jean-Michel Farret recommended it and it was simply stunning.

The restaurant was a partnership, named after the chef, Jean-Pierre Goyenvalle. I later worked under him at the restaurant he started after he left Jean-Pierre, Le Lion D’or.

Probably about the 4th or 5th time we had it, we sat down and ordered and I told Jean-Michel that maybe I would try another wine that evening. He looked a little perturbed. He said “I saw your name in the reservation book and decanted it an hour before you came”. And there on the side table was the decanter, with the cork around the neck, and the bottle. I can’t say it was the best bottle of this ever, but it certainly made in impression.

That evening was also the scene of one of the worst mistakes of my life: I casually knew an art dealer named Harry Lunn. He was also eating at Jean-Pierre that evening. We chatted, I offered him a glass of the '62 Ducru. He told me that he was selling Ansel Adams prints of the photo ‘Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico’. Because we were friends, I could have one for $750. I didn’t have $750.

Dan Kravitz

49

1949 Chambolle Musigny from Les Amis du Vin no producer info but it was excellent when I first started drinking wine. 1961 Chapoutier Hermitage.

50

1985 Haut Brion Blanc. A perfect wine, for me. It inspired a very long fall down the spiral of dry white Bordeaux, which some 6 maybe 8 years later, I’m only just emerging from and moving on. Alas, I don’t think that kind of wine will ever come out of BDX again.

51

86 and 96 Ramonet Montrachet
59 Haut Brion
90 Leroy Musigny
99 DRC RC and La Tâche
93 Coche-Dury Corton Charlemagne
29 and 45 Vogue Musigny

52

To julianseersmartin,

I’ve enjoyed ~half a dozen vintages of Haut Brion Blanc, now, alas, outside of my price comfort zone. But what makes you say “I don’t think that kind of wine will ever come out of BDX again.”? I think great white Bordeaux might be in a golden age. I sell some very minor ones… but they are consistently good to excellent. Yes, climate change is changing things. England is becoming the new Champagne and Norway may become the new Moselle. But IMO (what used to be) cold climate Bordeaux is a beneficiary here, with what used to be stern whites that had a hard time ripening reliably turning into opulent but balanced beauties.

Dan Kravitz

53

A Barolo, I believe from Fennochio, sampled on a lark at Salvatore Risorante in Seattle in 1998 or thereabouts. I took a sip, and knew the world had changed. Started the whole ball rolling.

Cheers,
Doug

54

Pierre Guillemot’s Savigny-les-Beaunes Aux Serpentieres 1978.

From a cheap mixed lot bought at auction. I opened it when my brother was up visiting a few years ago. I think I must have had a few because my note reads:

“Ethereally beautiful; fragile yet poised, like a high definition shadow skating across a barely frozen lake. Amazing sour cherry nose and perfect, box-knife acidity; layers upon layers of depth, spiralling down the turtles with the acidity as your guide, studiously accompanied by the spectres of stubbornly persistent tannins. Hanging on to its peak with beak and claw; Not Giving An Inch. Like an 87 year old man with the body of a 25 year old, doing push-ups in the middle of the road, shouting “what of it, you bastards”. Politely welcoming yet utterly profound. One of those devastatingly great Burgundy moments that you always dream about but rarely truly experience.”

Wines that also come to mind are Monfortino 1943 (I can still smell it) and a Veuve Grenier Extra First Quality Champagne (1940s base wine). Shared these with my parents a while ago (though on separate occasions) - both were simply unforgettable.