6 of us gathered last night at Morton’s for a look at some lower end 1982s at age 30. We did mid-tier Medoc a few months back, and are planning on mid-tier Right Bank in fall, this was an opportunity to look at some cheapies, a category I always thought did well in ‘82.
We had Morton’s summer special menu- I enjoyed a chopped spinach salad with bacon dressing and a small filet, though I wasn’t wild about the crab cake. Service was good and attentive (we handled our own bottles).
NV Godme Blanc de Noirs Champagne
Nice full-bodied BdN, toasty and long. I think I liked a bit more than some others did. B+
2003 Raveneau “Montee de Tonnerre” Chablis 1er Cru
This is remarkably well-balanced for a 2003, round but not at all flabby. Big, a little more fruit-centric and less minerally than most vintages, not a great Raveneau but in context a hell of a success. B+
1982 Ch. Cos Labory (St. Estephe)
Not a property I really have any experience with, but a very nice showing. Black fruits, cigarbox, earth. Resolved tannins, ready to go. B+
1982 Ch. Malartic-Lagraviere (Graves)
Light for 1982, but quite a pleasant mature claret. Rounder, redder fruit than most this night, with a nice touch of tobacco. B
1982 Ch. La Louviere (Graves)
I had done a very quick double decant on my wines before train, didn’t get TCA here, but it was apparent by serving time. Too bad, as I’ve had good experiences with this before.
1982 Ch. Pape Clement (Graves)
somewhat tired and a bit thin, but with some nice tertiary flavors of underbrush and leather. This had worst cork (dried-crumbly) and fill (but still VHS) of the several I brought, so it’s possible other bottles could show better. B-
1982 Ch. Rouget (Pomerol)
One of my favorites of the night. A lushness that reminds me of more expensive Pomerols, good dark fruit with a cocoa edge and a little cedar. B+
1982 Ch. Gloria (St Julien)
Thanks Josh for bringing, a sentimental wine for me, it was my “epiphany wine” 20+ years ago. This was probably better 10 years ago, but holding on, plummy fruit with a caramelly edge, this was fun to try again. B
1982 Ch. Talbot (St Julien)
Lots of structure here, this is the one wine that I’d say would easily hold another 10+ years.
A little Cordier funk, brawny cassis fruit, B+
(OK, I have to confess I am not totally sure I have the following 2 correctly, I might have mixed up stems)
1982 Ch. de Sales (Pomerol)
Kirschy, full, fat texture, good. B
1982 Ch. Feytit- Clinet (Pomerol)
Candied, a tad volatile, with a shorter finish than most wines this night. B-/C+
1982 Ch. Nenin (Pomerol)
My neighbor didn’t care for this one, calling it “medicinal”, but his medicine is my herb and I quite liked. The herbs are on top of some good fresh fruit., B
1982 La Croix Pomerol (Pomerol)
Coffee, leather and cigarbox , midbodied, elegant, quite enjoyable. . B+/B
1982 Suduiraut (Sauternes)
Coconut, tropical fruit, a bitter note, not very lively. B-
So none of the 1982 reds were stunners, but some awfully pleasant wines that I’d be happy to have on dinner table. All are ready to go, some fading, but a pretty good showing considering none of these (except Talbot) are wines one normally considers for 3 decade cellaringl.
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.
