TN: 1982 Bordeaux at 40, Capital Grill

Our Bordeaux group likes to hit the anniversaries, so we had to do 1982 at 40. A couple of folks had to cancel, but we wrangled a good guy to fill in,and had a full table at Capital Grille near Rock Center . A slow train made John and I a little late, but when we arrived were greeted by 2002 Piper-Heidsieck “Rare” Champagne, which makes up for late train.
Full rich style but with excellent acids, pear and lemon with brioche. Perfect wine for a private room (bottle is too gaudy for public) A-

I had a wedge salad and porterhouse, table shared bacon, truffle fries, spinach,asparagus,and lobster mac and cheese.
Wines were not blind, I think all double-decanted in afternoon.

1982 Gruaud Larose
An old favorite, but lotsof variability out there, but this bottle showed at very top of range, Rich and dark cassis fruit, coffee, cedar and just the slightest hint of Cordier funk (a barnyard in the distance). Plenty of gas left in the tank. A-

1982 Grand Puy Lacoste
Again cassis, this time accented with bell pepper and herbs.Again no hurry, medium framed but with power. B+

1982 Canon
Red and black plums, green tobacco, cedar. Good showing B+

1982 Magdelaine
Some divided opinions on this, but I was heavily on the “uh huh”side of debate, Black cherries, mocha, minty herbs. Not powerful but elegant, excellent length. A-

1982 Figeac
I ended up loving this, but it was a strange journey, Smelled fine in a herby Figeac style style when double-decanted in afternoon, and when first poured. Then the herbiness seemed to transform into something musty, and I began to wonder if corked. And then the mustiness just faded away completely. Black plums, herbs, pine needles, and graphite. B+

1982 Cos d’Estournel
There was nothing wrong with this, but I found it stolid and easily the least interesting wine of the night. Dark liqueur, vanilla, some tannic structure, lower acids. I’ve heard people refer to ‘82s as roasted, not my experience, but maybe a little here. I’d certainly drink but not search. B-/B

1982 L'Evangile
Black cherry and plum,cocoa, cigarbox, rich and long. A-/A

1982 La Conseillante
Paul said first bottle seemed a little wan, so he had very generously opened a second one. This one was spectacular. Exotic but classic at same time, with rick black plum, mocha, leather, and earth. Very long. And the night goes to the Pomerols (for me) A-/A

Great fun, Food was good, wine and company great. We did our usual 6 pt voting

Final Votes
1982 Gruaud-Larose 11 pts
1982 Grand Puy Lacoste 4 pts
1982 Canon 3 pts
1982 Magdelaine6 pts
1982 Figeac 1 pt
1982 Cos d’Estournel 0
1982 L'Evangile 11 pts
1982 Conseillante 13 pts



Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C drinkable. 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]

Fabulous line up. I have had lots of great Bordeaux drinking opportunities, but 1982 has largely escaped me. The older guys in my tasting group did not buy, and I never did the auction search to grab some for myself before prices exploded. It’s funny to listen to the two older guys still in the group downplay the vintage while they open ‘83s.

Great lineup, love nearly all those wines (never had the 82 Conseillante). I had another brilliant bottle of the 82 Canon in March.

I’ve been the lucky beneficiary of many an 82 opened by wine buddies and I ended buying a goodly amount of 82s from auction as well.

I, as many do, consider the 82s the best Bordeaux vintage I’ve been fortunate to taste with some regularity. But some/many have been at peak for maybe 20 years now and can be on the on a slow decline.

Love the vintage, though I have only a case and a half or so left now. Always referred it in general to the 83s although in some properties the 83 was better. Thanks for the memories.

I liked the 1982 Cos when it was first released, but I never bought any. I bought a half case of 1982 Mouton (I could only find 6 bottles) and some Pichon-Lalande--still have a few bottles of the latter left. I opened one of the Mouton in 1993 and was very disappointed in it--it had none of the flair I enjoyed at a tasting when it was first released. I sold off the remaining five bottles at auction. Time, perhaps, to revisit the 1982 Pichon-Lalande. I'll have to invent an occasion for that.

-Paul W.

I like '83 a lot, and there was certainly wines that did better in 83 than 82 (including most of the Margaux appellation). 83 DDC is better than 82, and I'll take the minority opinion that I prefer '83 Cheval Blanc to '82 (though now tasting latter is probably never going to happen again).
I've heard for 20 years that '82s were past it, but certainly not for better wines (though I agree with Patrick true for things like Meyney and Gloria, though they can still be fun).

Sorry, what's DDC?

-Paul W.

[David M. Bueker]

Sorry, what's DDC?

-Paul W.

Domaine de Chevalier