TN: dead Gloria, live Talbot, and St Bart's Massacre pink

Last night I waited for Betsy to get home from rehearsal before we took the dog to walk to vote. While waiting I opened a bottle of Provencal rose that some generous guests had brought over from France Sunday. The (I think NV) Vignerons de la Cadierenne "Charles IX " (VdP Mont Caume) is a rather peculiar wine. Big, fairly low acid,, a bit herby but with a kind of quinine meets grass aftertaste that I really can't wrap my head around. Generous for them to bring their local wine, but this isn't my preferred style of rose. C+
(I think I got name right. Isn't Charles the 9th the one who massacred the Huguenots? Strange marketing choice, guess not much export!)

So dinner was a hodgepodge of leftovers- steak salad, some cassoulet, a piece of chicken, along with some broccoli/shiitake stirfry. I decided to open a Bordeaux, and went with a recent acquisition, the 1971 Ch. Gloria. I have sentimental reasons for liking Gloria, it was cheap, fill was good, I've found some surprising nice drinking midlevel '71s, and there was a good recent CT review. Well, too bad. This wasn't dead from a fruitless point of view, there was some cassis and black raspberry with just an edge of pruniness, but there was an overwhelming taste of cigarette ashes. I've had wines that seemed fruitless show some life after a few hours, but my experience is the ashtray thing usually means "doornail." What the hell, I took a sip later. Yep, even worse. Still, nothing ventured nothing gained. D

Backup was a half bottle of 1996 Ch. Talbot (least I stayed in appellation). I'm getting to the end of 12 halves (split a case with a friend, cost us $12/bottle). I've noticed a bit of variation in the 375s, previous one was quite young, this one was for me fully mature. Fruit seems to have lost just a little of its freshness, but it's still a nice midweight claret, with blackcurrant, blackberry, and cedar. I'm sure 750s have more life, but I'll probably drink my last half with next 2 years. B

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.  

[David M. Bueker]

Tough stretch, but thanks for the insights.

Dale,

I'm impressed. I don't think many French people would have made the relationship between the name of the rosé wine and the Saint Bartholomew's Day Massacre. But someone in New York caught the link immediately...

Alex

I've had some killer 1971s, but they are largely over the hill now and even the ones that aren't should be treated cautiously and decanted just prior to serving. Pity about the Gloria. The 70 is a fave of mine too.

Alex,
I had just read an article about the Huguenots a couple years ago, otherwise wouldn't have noticed. But it still strikes me as peculiar, to decide to use your label to honor someone best known for killing Protestants.

Bill.
In last few years, I've had several bottles of 71 Haut Brion that ranged from good to very very good. I've also quite enjoyed "lesser" status wines like Canon and DDC. I've also had quite a few wines that were past it. But I'm an experimenter, so took a (cheap) shot at the Gloria (old style Gloria can really surprise- as you note, the 70 is still hanging on). Not much ventured, so not a big deal nothing gained. But if I knew someone looking for 71 birthyear wines or something I'd say Piedmont.