I'm seeking advice on any recent First Growth Bordeaux you may have enjoyed.

One of my tasting groups always taste blind, and the person that brings the bottle that places last for the night has the pleasure of buying dinner, after dinner drinks and cigars for the entire group, including our standard 30% tip for putting up with us.

Our pending theme is, First Growth Bordeaux 20 years old or older. I have an idea what I'm bringing, but thought I might open this up to the WS forum.

Thanks in advance!

w+a---

I haven't had a recent "First Growth" that I've enjoyed---especially considering the price of the wine.

My last two "F/G's" were:

1993 Chateau Margaux--surprisingly good, but nothing to take to a blind tasting of First Growths

1982 Haut Brion excellent year, but not at the top of my list, in fact, I preferred the 1985 Haut Brion.

'59 Latour

'59 Lafite

'66 Latour

Not super recent but within 6-8 months, and I would say all were fantastic. Be sure to post notes!

70 Latour - Gave it a low 90s score.

The 2000 Mouton is spectacular. If you mean first growth I have enjoyed recently that is 20 years old or older, the 89 Haut Brion was singing a pieno voce just a few months ago. If you want something else, the 88 Lafite is delicious.

We do the same, though not quite as high stakes. Last place pays for first place.

We, the wine guy weekend group, had an '82 Latour a year ago which blew our socks off.
Unanimously given 100 points, even by a well-known Italophile. I have enjoyed all the 82 first growths except the HB, and this was by a significant margin, the best of the lot.

quote:

Originally posted by wine+art:
I'm seeking advice on any recent First Growth Bordeaux you may have enjoyed.

One of my tasting groups always taste blind, and the person that brings the bottle that places last for the night has the pleasure of buying dinner, after dinner drinks and cigars for the entire group, including our standard 30% tip for putting up with us.

Our pending theme is, First Growth Bordeaux 20 years old or older. I have an idea what I'm bringing, but thought I might open this up to the WS forum.

Thanks in advance!

Can I join this group!

quote:

Originally posted by errestaurants:

quote:

Originally posted by wine+art:
I'm seeking advice on any recent First Growth Bordeaux you may have enjoyed.

One of my tasting groups always taste blind, and the person that brings the bottle that places last for the night has the pleasure of buying dinner, after dinner drinks and cigars for the entire group, including our standard 30% tip for putting up with us.

Our pending theme is, First Growth Bordeaux 20 years old or older. I have an idea what I'm bringing, but thought I might open this up to the WS forum.

Thanks in advance!

Can I join this group!

I wanted to join too, until i read the looser pays.. i guess its a great incentive to win (like you really need one)

Is the cost of dinner and tip more than a 20 year old first growth that could actually win?

Maybe it's time to find something really bad, really cheap, and laugh all the way to the bank while you pour yourself obscene amounts of other peoples expensive wine........

If you fool them, and somehow don't come in last....... it's actually free money!

86 Mouton and Lafite a couple of months ago. Both were excellent, but still very young. The Lafite was drinking better at this stage.

quote:

Originally posted by wine+art:
I'm seeking advice on any recent First Growth Bordeaux you may have enjoyed.

One of my tasting groups always taste blind, and the person that brings the bottle that places last for the night has the pleasure of buying dinner, after dinner drinks and cigars for the entire group, including our standard 30% tip for putting up with us.

Our pending theme is, First Growth Bordeaux 20 years old or older. I have an idea what I'm bringing, but thought I might open this up to the WS forum.

Thanks in advance!

Please clarify. Do you mean First Growths enjoyed recently that are 20 years old or older?
Or was there a typo and you mean recent First Growths that are 20 years old or younger?

For something on the fringes of either category, I just had 1990 Cheval Blanc, and it was stunning--drinking very well right now. My score 98. For a less expensive option, 1999 Margaux was also drinking nicely, for a younger wine. I give the wine 94 overall, but the nose was 96 for me. I just had 1990 L'Evangile last night, and I believe it is also in a good drinking window, but would put it behind the first two above in overall appreciation (I also give it 94, but the '99 Margaux's nose might make a bigger impact in your group).

Gigond Ass makes an interesting point, but I assume that whichever bottle you bring will come out of your cellar, which means you probably bought it years ago, at a cost lower than dinner for the group, plus drinks, cigars, and tip. So there is indeed an incentive to not place last.

What a great idea for a group wine tasting. A high-stakes, up-the-ante way to ensure some good wines. How ... Texan.

Is there a reward for the supplier of the top wine of the night?

Best that I have had recently are
1989 Haut Brion
1989 La Mission Haut Brion
1995 Chateau Margaux

Although I would make a plug for the 1990 Cos d'estournel......it was on par with the 1989 haut brion and la mission

while not first growths - I've had the 89 LLC and the 88 Cos in the last two months and both were drinking very nicely. You might want to look at both these vintages.

88 Mouton was in a very good place when I tried it a couple of years back. Still youthful, but very balanced. I am not sure how it would compete against an 82 or 61 in a high stakes poker match.

Thanks for all of the opinions so far!

A couple points of clarification and responses.

errestaurants... You are now on the wait list.

Calgarydetail, some of our off-lines are at our favorite pizza house, so fear not.

Gigond Ass, the cost has nothing to do with our off-lines, and I'm confident a poor wine would be noticed rather quickly.

Redhawk, as I said, First Growth, 20 years old or older.

Java, no high stakes really. Next month might be less than $50 Spanish wines at a Tapas bar.

On a side note, this group has been together for a very long time. There is always a touch of gamesmanship, and if the bill hits the four figures on rare occasions, I have seen the last two men standing decide to split the bill just to insure a less painful outcome. I have also seen when one of the last two men standing say now way to a split, and eat the entire bill.

Always a fun group, and keep those recommendations coming!

The most recent first growth Bordeauxs I've had have been the '59 Lafite and '59 Latour.

I preferred the Latour, but neither will place last!

1989 Chateau Lafite Rothschild- Superb wine and classic Lafite. Just starting a drinking window.

1989 Chateau Margaux. A great wine that still needs some time.

W+A,

What wines are you considering?

Best I've had recently is:

1990 Montrose
An easy 99-pointer, and it IS 20 years.... in a years time...

quote:

Originally posted by Apotheca:
Best I've had recently is:

1990 Montrose
An easy 99-pointer, and it IS 20 years.... in a years time...

... but not a First Growth.

quote:

Originally posted by wine+art:

quote:

Originally posted by Apotheca:
Best I've had recently is:

1990 Montrose
An easy 99-pointer, and it IS 20 years.... in a years time...

... but not a First Growth.

Whoops - my bad!
...however - that vintage is as good as a FG..

quote:

Originally posted by Apotheca:


Whoops - my bad!
...however - that vintage is as good as a FG..

No argument from me, and the '59 & '82 Montrose are very special also.

bring the 70 Latour. This wine is outstanding and it is the wine of the vintage.

IW