WTN: Dinner at Ned’s place

Still saving old TNs typed on my mobile phone:

8 November 2014

Foucault Clos Rougeard Saumur-Champigny Le Bourg 1996
Garnet with a minor orange rim. Another extremely complex, deep and minerally bottle. Meaty-smoky, complex tobacco, graphite and minerals. Still tannic, extremely long finish. Drier and fractionally more evolved than the best of the best bottles (as one would expect, the cases I bought early - on subscription/at release - are best). But still another awesome bottle. dp 96

Fonseca-Guimaraens Vintage Port 1987
Surprisingly youthful! Opaque purple-ruby almost to the rim. Much sweeter and rounder than expected, quite lovely. Harmonious, nice body and length. dp 91-?

Greetings from Switzerland, David.
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„J'ai gâché vingt ans de mes plus belles années au billard. Si c'était à refaire, je recommencerais.“ – Roger Conti

[David M. Bueker]

Ah yes, vintages from when Rougeard was cheap!

Ah yes, vintages from when Rougeard was cheap!

The Le Bourg was almost twice the price of the the Les Poyeux, and the only Loire Cabernet Franc anywhere near that was the Joguet's Clos de la Dioterie - in context, it did in fact seem quite expensive at the time. I've rarely bought more of a single wine and vintage than the 1996 Le Bourg, however, because it did seem like a bargain in fine wine. I have no idea what modern vintages cost, though.

Greetings from Switzerland, David.
_________________

„J'ai gâché vingt ans de mes plus belles années au billard. Si c'était à refaire, je recommencerais.“ – Roger Conti

[Jenise]

FWIW, Wine-Searcher shows the 09 at identically $275 at three sources in Hong Kong, the U.K and France.

Wine-Searcher shows the 09 at identically $275 at three sources in Hong Kong, the U.K and France.

I see. The 1996 cost just under $50 per bottle, which I thought, well, not inexpensive but clearly worth it given it is the greatest Loire red I've ever had. I mean, we used it in a Château Margaux lineup as pirate, and it was the consensus favorite wine of the night - that's how great the good bottles are (I've had different lots, though). At any rate, I happen to find QPR discussions problematic, as to me, fine wine is an expensive hobby - wine can always only be "worth it" in the eye of the beholder, so to speak. Easier to discuss what's in the glass and whether it's any good.

Greetings from Switzerland, David.
_________________

„J'ai gâché vingt ans de mes plus belles années au billard. Si c'était à refaire, je recommencerais.“ – Roger Conti

Wine-Searcher shows the 09 at identically $275 at three sources in Hong Kong, the U.K and France.

Can't really say I'm surprised, but I've had this hobby for decades now, and it all seems relative to me - people sometimes get mad at me when they serve e.g. a bottle of 1990 Montrose and I smile and remember it cost between $20 and $25 on subscription, incidentally the same a 1970 Pétrus cost over the wine shop counter, I'm told. It just seems to go on in cycles. What really pains me is the fact that all the great Old World wines, those that have been closest to my heart since I first tasted anything made of fermented grape juice, are out of reach (apart from the fact that many have seen stylistic changes that make them, effectively, different wines that have little to do with what I once fell in love with, but I'm digressing…).

Greetings from Switzerland, David.
_________________

„J'ai gâché vingt ans de mes plus belles années au billard. Si c'était à refaire, je recommencerais.“ – Roger Conti