1999 Chateau Margaux

I’m not going to post a formal tasting note because I am not qualified. Now that First Growths are out of my price range, the few I have left do not appeal to me, and I suspect it is because they no longer want anything to do with me. It’s kind of like what I suspect dating Scarlet Johanson would be like. Of course I would have had to have won a date with her: I couldn’t just phone her up and expect her to go out with me. I would be proud to be seen with her, of course, and I would brag to people that I went out with her; but I wouldn’t rate a second date; and as far as comfort goes, I would probably enjoy drinking with the girl next door more.

I popped a 1999 Margaux on New Year’s Eve. It was nice, if a little subtle, certainly ready to drink. Very classy fruit, but no funk, of course, and not much real interest. There is a pretty woman living next door who called over while I was grilling our prime rib outside. She asked if Lynn and I would like to come over after dinner and join her little, intimate party, with maybe four other couples.

Halfway through my half of the bottle (I always pour Lynn’s portion into a 375 ml bottle up front for her very own so we don’t have to measure pours), I said to Lynn that maybe I should take my bottle over for the lady, since I knew she wouldn’t be drinking any First Growths, and I could profile a little by doing it. Lynn said the lady wouldn’t know what it was and if I didn’t like it Lynn would drink it, and she did; and we didn’t go next door. The next morning, I ran into the lady outside. She asked what we drank for New Years Eve. I said a 1999 Chateau Margaux. She asked if it was a Champagne. Maybe in a few years I will have to think for half a second to remember what a Margaux is if somebody mentions one.

[Jenise]

Interesting. I wonder if it was actually a bit dormant. Not that I have any experience with 99 Margaux, but the 99 Palmer from the same commune is an exemplary piece of winemaking and one I am very very convinced you wouldn't, couldn't, be so ambivalent about. Enjoyed the Scarlett Johansson comparison, btw--the girl's got a great body but I've never seen her in anything that indicates much personality.

Interesting. I wonder if it was actually a bit dormant. Not that I have any experience with 99 Margaux, but the 99 Palmer from the same commune is an exemplary piece of winemaking and one I am very very convinced you wouldn't, couldn't, be so ambivalent about. Enjoyed the Scarlett Johansson comparison, btw--the girl's got a great body but I've never seen her in anything that indicates much personality.

Sorry, I didn’t see your note until now. I don’t think it was dormant because it had a fine nose, the best part. I really think that there is some sort of psychological operant, like I don’t feel I can responsibly buy any more at their multimillionaire price level. If I can’t have them, maybe I am convincing myself that I don’t want them. I have a 1998 Lafite that I feel is just too young, yet; but I am looking forward to it. I’ll finish off my 2001 Margaux at my next opportunity to impress somebody. That’s all I have left.

Super seconds, and the ilk, are another story. For example, Parker rates a number of 2006 Second Growth level bottles at 94 and 95 points. Some of these bottles sell for less than $100, and a few for slightly more. Speaking of Palmer, I have a couple of 2004’s rated at 95 points. Picked up a couple of 2006 Pape Clements, rated 95 points, for $70 something each. The Chinese just discovered Beychevelle and Leoville Poyferre (please excuse the omission of l’accent aigu) because Dionysus’s boat looks like a dragon and there is a dragon on the latter one. So I can forget anymore of those.

Speaking of the Chinese, I will be giving away Chungyu Bordeaux blend and Chard at my trade show booth this year. My idea, of course; and a good one, I think. I have yet to drink one, but from what I read they are pretty interesting. I know you know, but for anybody else reading this, I work for a Chinese pharmaceutical research company in China (the company, not me) and am the only Caucasian in the entire company. I get to look at America through Chinese eyes a little bit, which is quite interesting for me.

My last comment is about a wonderful discovery in Albany. You might have seen Empire Wine on Winesearcher. They have a great Bordeaux selection and some of the best prices in the country. The place looks like Zachys. It’s been here for two or three years. Can’t believe I didn’t check it out until last weekend. It’s less than a twenty minute drive away for me.

[Jenise]

Sorry, I didn’t see your note until now. I don’t think it was dormant because it had a fine nose, the best part. I really think that there is some sort of psychological operant, like I don’t feel I can responsibly buy any more at their multimillionaire price level. If I can’t have them, maybe I am convincing myself that I don’t want them. I have a 1998 Lafite that I feel is just too young, yet; but I am looking forward to it. I’ll finish off my 2001 Margaux at my next opportunity to impress somebody. That’s all I have left.

In my experience with Bordeaux--and most aged red wines--the nose tells you what's possible in the bottle, but the taste tells you how far along it's come. When the taste lags behind, I suspect a bottle that isn't entirely ready (by a year or three or even by just a few hours' worth of decanting). However I know you well enough to suspect the latter is possibly also in play. And yes your 98 Lafite is too young. So is my 88. And hey, I just found out that my 02 Lafites purchased for $122 each, are worth beaucoup bux. Such insanity--I'll probably sell them instead of drink them and my myself another Barcelona chair.

I also bought the 04 Palmer--won't be sorry to own that. You've ventured way beyond me with your 06's though. I have a few 05's (maybe a dozen) but otherwise haven't been purchasing later Bordeauxs in favor of achieving more balance in my cellar with more Rhone. There are some great values out there, though, and I know I'm going to end up buying some 06's because I can't stand to be left behind. Did not realize that Beych and LP were now targets. Funny reason.

Good idea about giving away the Chinese wine, though you will have to convince a few people that your bottles aren't the ones made with solvent and food coloring.

My last comment is about a wonderful discovery in Albany. You might have seen Empire Wine on Winesearcher. They have a great Bordeaux selection and some of the best prices in the country. The place looks like Zachys. It’s been here for two or three years. Can’t believe I didn’t check it out until last weekend. It’s less than a twenty minute drive away for me.

How on earth did you avoid a place like that for "two or three years"? I know the answer to that--you're quite the creature of habit.

In my experience with Bordeaux--and most aged red wines--the nose tells you what's possible in the bottle, but the taste tells you how far along it's come. When the taste lags behind, I suspect a bottle that isn't entirely ready (by a year or three or even by just a few hours' worth of decanting). However I know you well enough to suspect the latter is possibly also in play. And yes your 98 Lafite is too young. So is my 88. And hey, I just found out that my 02 Lafites purchased for $122 each, are worth beaucoup bux. Such insanity--I'll probably sell them instead of drink them and my myself another Barcelona chair.

I also bought the 04 Palmer--won't be sorry to own that. You've ventured way beyond me with your 06's though. I have a few 05's (maybe a dozen) but otherwise haven't been purchasing later Bordeauxs in favor of achieving more balance in my cellar with more Rhone. There are some great values out there, though, and I know I'm going to end up buying some 06's because I can't stand to be left behind. Did not realize that Beych and LP were now targets. Funny reason.

Good idea about giving away the Chinese wine, though you will have to convince a few people that your bottles aren't the ones made with solvent and food coloring.

My last comment is about a wonderful discovery in Albany. You might have seen Empire Wine on Winesearcher. They have a great Bordeaux selection and some of the best prices in the country. The place looks like Zachys. It’s been here for two or three years. Can’t believe I didn’t check it out until last weekend. It’s less than a twenty minute drive away for me.

How on earth did you avoid a place like that for "two or three years"? I know the answer to that--you're quite the creature of habit.

Habit and loyalty. You know my good friend owns a wine store in my neighborhood and is the victim of the warehouse stores cropping up in the area. I don't mind sending to New York City for wine, but I feel disloyal doing it locally.

That same good friend, and his daughter, who runs Saratoga's Wine Bar, is sending Lynn and me to Boston later this month to taste the 2008 Bordeaux for them at the huge Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux tasting at the Boston Harbor Hotel. The enormous list of bottles to taste includes just about every property I ever heard of, and the property owners will be there for questions and discussions. When there are literally hundreds of glasses of claret to try, I try, although I sometimes get through only 60 or 70, because when they are good I drink rather than taste. This is well and good, but I have never done it with Lynn before. Don't know how she will view that much imbibing or the hamburgers and frites I like to eat after such an event. She'll see the real me.

Do you actually enjoy Rhones as much as Bordeaux? Or do you just like to mix things up like running occasionally when throwing the ball usually works best, so that the overall experience is fuller?

I have to open some of the 2006s soon, even though they are nowhere near ready, to see if I want to stock up on more. As soon as I get a sense of them, I will let you know. You know that I am honest because I had such high expectations that the 2007s would strike my fancy and freely admitted it when they bombed out, after the preliminarly tasting which held great promise. That's why I can't place too much equity on what I get from the young 2008s, but I am really looking forward to the event and will of course summarize it here.

[Jenise]

The 08 tasting should be great theater for you. Fun time--your friend will, I guess, be prepared to place some orders based on your reccomendations?

Re Rhones--I am enjoying them more than ever. They haven't replaced Bordeaux in my heart, but with certain foods I prefer them and unlike most Bordeaux, they can be so lovely as youngsters, say around five years old, where Bordeaux don't satisfy until at least ten.

Sorry, I didn’t see your note until now. I don’t think it was dormant because it had a fine nose, the best part.

Definitely agree. Even when I first tasted the 1999s during a blind tasting of the International Wine & Food Society Philippines Branch back in late 2005 or the first quarter of 2006, my ranking had the Margaux in 1st place mainly because of its nose, over Latour (2nd) and Lafite (3rd). I ranked Mouton 7th.