2 bottles per lot
Details
Château Lafite-Rothschild 1961
Pauillac, 1er cru classé
Re-corked in 2013. New capsules and labels. Levels: into-neck
Tasting note: I first tasted Lafite ’61 in June 1975: ‘fine, dry, lovely, refined, long’. Through the 1980s I noted the typical Lafite understatement and its ability, indeed, need, to open up in the glass, lacking the immediate impact of Mouton or Latour, or for that matter, a top California Cabernet. Nevertheless many 5-star notes – gentle, spicy, silky tannins, a certain delicacy and always great length. By the early 1990s, though still richly coloured, showing some maturity. At Wolf’s Aschau tasting in 1994 its bouquet, initially fragrant, rich and cedary, opened up in the glass, providing extra dimensions, half a point ahead of the ’59 though the latter was sweeter and more complete. The first tasting I conducted for La Reserve was a horizontal of ‘61s in March 1999, and my most recent detailed note was made there. The level was excellent, into the neck. An attractive, rich, convincing colour with perfect gradation from the bowl of the glass to its rim. It was poured and tasted at 8pm, ripeness and bottle age noted. Exactly 30 minutes later it had gained complexity and a rich, spicy ‘biscuity’ bouquet. It had the sweetness of fully ripe grapes and alcohol, a mouthfilling flavour, very good tannins and acidity. Complete. It is a food wine, and needed food. My wife, who always takes my notes whenever I conduct a tasting usually chips in her own remarks, this time ‘slight Fernet Branca taste’. Whatever next! Two recent notes. In 2003: glorious scent, very rich, ‘singed’ and after 3 hours fragrant though fading. Dry, firm, a touch of astringency. Most recently, a magnum: medium depth, fully mature; sweet, rich, lovely bouquet; much sweeter on the palate from start to finish. Delicious flavour. Perfect balance. Last tasted November 2005 ***** M.B.
2 bottles per lot
Pauillac, 1er cru classé
Re-corked in 2013. New capsules and labels. Levels: into-neck
Tasting note: I first tasted Lafite ’61 in June 1975: ‘fine, dry, lovely, refined, long’. Through the 1980s I noted the typical Lafite understatement and its ability, indeed, need, to open up in the glass, lacking the immediate impact of Mouton or Latour, or for that matter, a top California Cabernet. Nevertheless many 5-star notes – gentle, spicy, silky tannins, a certain delicacy and always great length. By the early 1990s, though still richly coloured, showing some maturity. At Wolf’s Aschau tasting in 1994 its bouquet, initially fragrant, rich and cedary, opened up in the glass, providing extra dimensions, half a point ahead of the ’59 though the latter was sweeter and more complete. The first tasting I conducted for La Reserve was a horizontal of ‘61s in March 1999, and my most recent detailed note was made there. The level was excellent, into the neck. An attractive, rich, convincing colour with perfect gradation from the bowl of the glass to its rim. It was poured and tasted at 8pm, ripeness and bottle age noted. Exactly 30 minutes later it had gained complexity and a rich, spicy ‘biscuity’ bouquet. It had the sweetness of fully ripe grapes and alcohol, a mouthfilling flavour, very good tannins and acidity. Complete. It is a food wine, and needed food. My wife, who always takes my notes whenever I conduct a tasting usually chips in her own remarks, this time ‘slight Fernet Branca taste’. Whatever next! Two recent notes. In 2003: glorious scent, very rich, ‘singed’ and after 3 hours fragrant though fading. Dry, firm, a touch of astringency. Most recently, a magnum: medium depth, fully mature; sweet, rich, lovely bouquet; much sweeter on the palate from start to finish. Delicious flavour. Perfect balance. Last tasted November 2005 ***** M.B.
2 bottles per lot
Brought to you by
Chris Munro