Question:
1982 First Growth Bordeaux are commonly counterfeited wines. I get it.
But as someone cursed with this birth year, I would love to acquire and try a bottle. I’ve never done wine auctions. So I’m looking into big retailers, like Zachys and K&L. If I see they are expecting a new bottle, and I don’t mind paying the asking price, what else should I look into or inquire about to try and ensure my purchase is of a legit bottle? I know nothing is ever 100%, but I’m trying to rationalize the purchase. Thanks in advance!
Plenty of old collections where the wine was bought on release or soon after. A couple of people on this board have them. It might be worth checking with Commerce Corner.
Check the provenance carefully, retailers and auction houses should be able to give you information. As an aside, the US market bought a huge amount en primeur.
Yes, I would buy an '82 First Growth, but as I still own a few bottles I’m not in the market.
Must it be a 1st growth?
I see '82 Lanessan available in the high $100s. I have decided to hold my remaining bottles of 1975 Lanessan until 2025, to enjoy them at the half-century mark. I bought them a few years ago at auction, they are drinking very well, no fear about holding them another 2 - 3 years.
1982s like Calon-Segur, Leoville-las-Cases and Pichon-Lalande are all available in the low to high hundreds.
1982 Haut-Brion is available for under $1000 and with good fill, good provenance and good luck should be stunning. I’ll probably open my last bottle this year. 1982 Lafite costs double, is not necessarily better. My last few bottles of '82 Mouton were excellent, I have one left. This is priced closer to Haut-Brion than to Lafite. I’ve heard that it’s inconsistent.
To your original question: If you can find the right bottle of Haut-Brion, it should scratch your itch.
Good luck.
Dan Kravitz
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Yes, I’ve opened a bunch lately and they’ve been great. I’ve been a buyer at the right price.
1982 Lansessan is performing very well!
In my opinion, your big risk (like 99%) is historical storage, not if it was counterfeited. Your best bet might be to offer to bring a great bottle you have if someone brings a 1982 bdx to dinner. Assuming you live in a city with wine folks.
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Provenance and storage conditions are everything. These wines were traded and traded and shipped all over the world for many years in less than ideal conditions. Buying from a retailer is not going to guarantee anything. My best '82 purchases have been from individuals who purchased on release and stored in their cellar.
We just had the Mouton and Cheval Blanc this weekend in a birthday celebration. Both were purchased on release by the previous owner, so perfect provenance and they showed beautifully. Audouzed for 5 hours and then decanted for 2 hours and they were still on the way up throughout the evening.
Year off, but I bought a 1983 Chateau Margaux last year as a birth year wine, and it was spectacular. 1982 should be even better.
The best part might have been the somm who opened it, was surprised about the cork being fragile, who suggested I should store my bottles on their side to keep the cork wet. “ok thank you for the tip!” ![[cheers.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/0ff9bfcdb0964982cd3240b6159868fbdf215b1a.gif "cheers"){kind=small}
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83 Margaux and palmer give the 82 a run for their money
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This. Also look at Pichón Lalande. It is as good as any first growth with the exception of Latour but costs less than the first growths in many cases.
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I’m not sure that’s the value play. I’ve seen it offered lately at higher prices than most first growths. It did receive many 100 points after all.
1982 is such a great vintage that well stored bottles should still be in good shape. I drank my last bottle of Poujeaux last year, and it was the best of them all.
Latour should be the reach wine; for me still the greatest, wining three of our last 1982 tastings. But the wine which always impresses is Gruaud Larose; a fraction of the price and a seriously good wine.
And one would guess this wine is far less likely to be counterfeit than bigh profile 82s.
That could be. I haven’t looked at 82 pricing in a few years. I’m not buying and I’m not selling so no need to look.
Chateau Canon is drinking very, very well now. Great wine for the price.
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If the 1982 Latour is within your price range, I would definitely chase a good bottle. I was fortunate to have it at dinner alongside the 1982 Mouton, 1982 Cheval Blanc, 1982 Pichon Lalande & 1982 Talbot. The Latour was head and shoulders above all the other wines. It was one of my greatest wine experiences and although I never score wines, this was perfection in every way (so worthy of 100 points I guess)
Cheers Brodie
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That’s an awesome story. Maybe better than any of the ones in the current somm foibles thread.
83 Margaux>82 Margaux.
The poster asks about buying 82 First Growths and most responses are about buying other wines 
To the OP, if you can afford it, and the provenance is solid, why not? Lafite is not worth the money, but the other 4 are simply great wines.
I’ve thought of biting that particular bullet, but still feel 500-ish is a lot of dough in order to risk bottle variation of this magnitude.