Just opened. The cork came out in two pieces, but I managed not to get any particles into the wine. As I open more and more of these older bottles, I am getting better at getting the corks out.
The wine initially opened with a gush of red fruit. That is the first sign of oxidation, and is a bad sign. However, as I have often seen, this aroma comes from the wine from the neck/cork and is unrelated to the wine in the bottle. The wine itself is not oxidized at all.
The color is browning/rust. The nose has some spice and mineral. Fairly austere and not very complex as most wines of this vintage are. However, it has held up nicely, and is worth a score in the 80’s easily right now. It has a nice, crisp palate presence. Still some tannins on the palate remarkably (or maybe not remarkably when you compare it with other wines from 1966). I will see how it progresses as the night wears on.
Well, I had the wine over a 4 hour period yesterday. Wow! I cannot believe that an unclassified, unheralded (although I have always liked them) estate could make a wine that is so good, and hold up so well for 43 years. Awesome!
After one hour, the wine was peak. An hour later, the wine went into the ‘dark phase’, which is my description for the stereotypical profile of a mature Bordeaux. Dark fruit, dark spice, dark oak. it maintained this for 2 hours! At least! Incredible. This wine is fully mature, but it is holding up so well, and still has so many tannins, that I don’t think it is yet in decline. If you have one and are saving it for an anniversery, it just may hang in there.
Bottom line: This wine is excellent, and a treat for anyone looking for a mature Bordeaux. It is better than its commune-mate Guarad Larose. 88 points.
The last I had was the pair of 95 and 96, and both were very good. But…
I would be strongly skeptical that those wines have the staying and aging power of that 1966.
Funny how those crazt inside politics keeps this wine from getting classified and therefore recognized.
Bob,
thanks for the note. I’m really impressed how well these wines age. Had 59 and 70 in 2007, both still alive and drinking well with the caveat that the 59 was going down the hill after 30 minutes while the 70 held very well and got better over 2 hours.
Still own the 82 - bought eP - and have no doubt that it will be a lovely mature Bordeaux for another 5-10 years if properly cellared.
Cheers
Rainer
I bought and thoroughly enjoyed the 82 Gloria. It was actually my go to house wine in the 80’s. It cost about $10 a bottle back then. They began to lose steam by the mid nineties. I would be interested to try one today based upon your comment Rainer. The 05 is showing nicely as well.
Jack,
if you come over you are invited to try some. It’s no blockbuster, it’s colour shows some garnet at the edge, the smell is ripe with earthy and red berry aromas, medium bodied, no morbid acidity just ripeness, in half bottles living perhaps a little bit dangerously but full bottles are still fine while mags are simply perfect for a wine which cost me eP 3 € per half, 5.50 € per 0,75 l and 10 € per Mag. Bought the wine heavily as I did with 82 Clos du Marquis, Potensac, Maucaillou & Caronne St. Gemme. One of the best wine buying decisions of my life and the reason fo cellaring even smaller wines. Going great with grilled lamb chops and Gratin Dauphinois ( with no cheese ).
Cheers
Rainer