1978 Ducru Beaucaillou

I have always enjoyed Ducru.

I had this wine 10+- years ago and it was a little thin and fading.

Glad your bottle was showing so well.

w+a

quote:

Originally posted by wine+art:
I have always enjoyed Ducru.

I had this wine 10+- years ago and it was a little thin and fading.

Glad your bottle was showing so well.

w+a

w+a, like you, Ducru is one of my favorite and always drink well even for off vintages.
Sorry to hear the bottle you had was not that great.
Like the one you had, this one was also showing just a little thin but the finish was really great and flavors still there.
But I tend to think that in 3 or 4 years, the wine will be pretty much dead.

I think you were lucky, french. The 1978 Bordeaux are pretty much all tiring.

quote:

Originally posted by Board-O:
I think you were lucky, french. The 1978 Bordeaux are pretty much all tiring.

Yep, that's what I read pretty much everywhere and I was a little bit worried before opening it. I guess that's why this one was very good but not great. Hope to try another '78 to be able to make a comparison.

In the future, if you are looking for a great wine from a great vintage from your wife's birthyear of 1978, go with a Northern Rhone like a Cote Rotie or Hermitage. I think you will be very happy. I had one from that year at Bern's Steakhouse in Tampa and it still rocked.

Thanks for the tip Vinole.
It's funny cause no later than Monday some friends (producers from Bordeaux who were here for the UGCB) were telling me to try some '78 Rhone.
Looks like I will have to give it a try!
What did you get?

The Chave Hermitage and Vieux Telegraphe are drinking very well now and both are impressive outstanding wines.

It is also a legendary vintage for Red Burgundy. The good bottles are expensive. Try and find a well stored bottle of Clos Vougeot from a good producer.

IW

Like Remoissenet?

Even better than last bottle with much more weight and much younger. Darker core with still brickish rim. Took 30mn to open and hold very good. At first light nose with green pepper and oak then full blossomed with tons of dark fruits, cedar, sweet violet and green pepper.
Med body, slightly grainy, great balance with an awesome weight on the palate. Cassis, violet, cedar, green pepper..this is classic Bordeaux to me. Finish is long with still so much fruit mixed with cedar.
94 pts.

french,

Nice.

Glad to see a '78 showing so well.

I sold off most of my '78 Bordeaux years ago. I was worried they would never turn out to be special. Perhaps I should have held.

You did the right thing. 1978 is an over-rated vintage and not long-lived. Even the reputed WOTV, the Margaux, never lived up to to the early praise.