1982

WINE TALK
1

It’s been well chronicled around here that 82 is my wife and my birth year. Naturally it’s an epic vintage for Bordeaux.

As we approach the 40th, I’m curious which selections you would choose for upcoming birthdays.

50th?
60th?
70th?
80th?!

What has the stuffing to last another 40 years?

2

Such a young pup you are.

My experience having drunk many’82s over the years and recently is that they are almost all at peak if not past prime. Your 40th is a great year to drink them.

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3

Having drunk several 1970 Bordeaux this year, when even minor chateaux like Ormes de Pez and Fourcas Dupree were drinking well, it is hard to say what will survive in the long term. The only secret, finding wines with great provenance from good cellar conditions.

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4

Leoville Las Cases always seems to need forever and a day, so with Mark’s provenance proviso, I’d pick that and the Latour as two wines with the rep and style to go the longest. I had an 82 Cheval Blanc in 2018 that seemed like it might go on happily for decades at a rarefied level.

But in general, I agree with Kelly - virtually all 82s I try (including some big guns like Pichon Lalande snd Gruaud Larose) are at or in some cases just past peak in my experience. If they hold at this level is another question.

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5

I opened a 82 Rinaldi Barolo the other month and it was drinking well but still had some room to grow, so put that on the list for your 50th

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6

Hi Andrew, you’re getting some really good advice and recommendations from some savvy Bordeaux drinkers above. Of course part of this exercise turns on where on the continuum of maturity you like your wines. I have had a handful 1982s this year that I thought were perfectly in the zone. The two that really stood out to me were Chateau Haut Brion and Chateau Magdelaine. I reloaded on more of that Magdelaine just last week at 250 per bottle, and would recommend seeking it out if you like elegant, classic St. Emilion. While I think once you are getting into the 50-year plus range, most Bordeaux are definitely well into the back slope, I can tell you I’ve had some beautiful Magdelaines with that much time on them, most recently a 1970 and a 1966. And I think the 1982 is better. So I would bet it would coast to 50 at least.

After that, you are on your own, buddy, unless you buy from Bern’s or the Chateau! :slight_smile:

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7

From some recent pulls
82 Margaux - at peak
82 Mouton- still could benefit from some time
82 Canon - perfect place
82 las cases - could use a little more age. Although I have never had the same 82 LLC twice
82 Lalande - at peak

8

I had the 82 Cheval Blanc recently and it was superb. Could go on for a couple more years. Whereas the 82 Pichon Baron was shot. Tossed it.

9

Anyone had 82 Latour recently?

10

Good advice so far.

For my part, I think the best candidates are Mouton, Lafite, Latour and Lynch-Bages. But many others will do as well. As a couple of people have noted, once you get past about 25-30 years, it really comes down to pristine provenance and even individual bottles. And with Bordeaux of that era, you also have to be aware that many wines were bottled barrel by barrel- ensuring a tremendous amount of variation over time as the wines aged.

With 1982 in particular, you have another big problem here in the United States. And that is the fact that the wine retail landscape of today is far different than it was 25+ years ago. When I got into wine in the mid-90s, high end Bordeaux was distributed far more widely than it is today. There were not only more wine shops than there are now, but many higher end liquor stores would also keep a stash of high end Bordeaux on hand for customers.

Inventory moved much slower back then, and with 1982s’ fame, the wines were still a common staple on store shelves in the mid 1990s. And so a great many 1982 Bordeaux sold in this country were sold after sitting on retail shelves- at room temperature- for YEARS. Provided the bottles were not exposed to excessive light, these can be some of the most difficult bottles for detecting possible heat damage before opening because they cooked very slowly- thus never leaking or developing protruding corks or other outward danger signs. And to this day such bottles come up for sale- seemingly in great condition- but in fact, while not roasted, performing well below par.

And so if you want a great 1982 to enjoy for your 40th and a few milestones beyond, I would suggest you watch the auctions, talk to a few brokers and very patiently await a full original OWC to come up for sale. Better still, go to one of the reliable London brokers and seek out a case that is original owner and has never left home. And actually going this route you can trust single bottles much more than here. But in the end I think it is best to get at least 10 bottles- plan to have on average 2 to open for each of your 10 year landmarks and that way you have very good odds of having a fine experience at every event with at least one of the bottles.

Be prepared to pay up to 50% over current auction (including buyer’s premium) for such pristine bottles. There is a reason they sell for that kind of price. Even at auction in the US, when a really perfectly documented and reliable cellar comes to market, that kind of premium over usual auction rates is not uncommon.

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11

So my wife and I are 1958 babies and we had the 1958 Latour in our 60th year. 1958 is not a great Bdx year and was rated as no more than a “good” year. The wine was magical, almost Burgundian with red fruits and fine boned structure and great length. It was an auction purchase of unknown provenance. Now I am pretty sure that 1982 is a much better vintage than 1958, so the 1982 Latour is a very strong candidate for you.

So if you follow Tom Reddick’s excellent advice and buy 1982 Latour with great provenance, I firmly believe it will see your 60th in fine form (may be even you 70th). I have had the 1982 Latour twice and each time it was a perfect wine for me. Expensive but worth it for these occasions

brodie

12

This.

I would opt for Haut-Brion and Magdelaine. I’ve also had some excellent bottles of BAMA, La Mission, and Leoville Barton that I think will last the distance.

13

Andrew,
I realize you directly referenced Bordeaux in your OP, but would you also consider Barolo? 1982 is pretty special year there too, and it seems like an even longer-lasting vintage than in Bordeaux. The '82 premium is quite high, but probably less than it is for top Bordeaux. If you’re planning to be around together for another 40 years, you might want to mix it up a little. [wow.gif]

My wife and I are a couple of decades ahead of you, and I’m excited about '62 barolo next year, using similar reasoning (and '82 is an even stronger/broader year). [cheers.gif]
Regards,
Peter

14

Was the 82 Pichon Baron ever all that great?

I’m surprised no one has mentioned La Mission HB. I had a bottle last year that was still very very young and among the best Bordeaux I’ve tasted to date. I think the comments above regarding provenance are so important. Some of these wines if stored in a cold dark cellar have a long, long way to go. I’m sure folks will still be talking about the 1982s decades from now…

15

Cool to hear about the La Mish. I have a bottle and I intend to pop it in October during a guys trip in the mountains. We may be doing a mini-1982 flight.

16

Good luck Robert! I’ve only had it once but what a fabulous bottle!

17

I went very long on 82 Bordeaux and, in my opinion, these have the best chance of continuing to drink well into the future: Las Cases, Latour, Mouton, La Tour Haut Brion, La Mission Haut Brion, and Lafleur (which would be immortal if they hadn’t filtered it…). Gruaud Larose, too, but be wary of brett in bottles that have not been stored cold. I’ve had uneven experience with Lafite and have never been a fan of Margaux in the vintage. To my taste, Pichon Lalande, Cheval Blanc, Haut Brion all drank incredibly well since release and, while at plateau, will be best consumed over the next 10 years. The other right bankers I’ve tasted are at/past their prime (they are all still delicious, but are at/past plateau). As you can tell by reading above, YMMV.

18

Storing/provenance is the key. 1982 Latour is comparable to the 1961. And that wine is still superb when well stored. In fact you will not believe that the wine is 60 years old if tasted blind. But 1982 Latour is expensive if you can find a good bottle.

19

I would consider buying some magnums too (or even larger formats).

Haven’t had much 82s in magnums recently but the Mouton/Lynch/Lalande I’ve had last year were all not near the peak. Especially the otherwise peakish Lalande is definitely was young like a daisy.

20

Almost all 1982 are at peak (or even slightly past), except
LLCases
Mouton
Ausone
Lafleur
Le Gay
and maybe Latour, but this is damned good now.

That doesn’t mean many won t hold another 10 to 20 years, but those won t improve, getting “more mature still” …
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