2 bottles per lot
Details
Château Lafite-Rothschild 1959
Pauillac, 1er cru classé
Re-corked in 2010. New capsules and labels. Levels: into-neck
Tasting note: One of the best-ever Lafites, quite different from the more delicately fragrant ‘53s, and keeping well. I did not have the opportunity to taste it in its youth; indeed, I see with some surprise that my first note was made at a Heublein pre-auction tasting in May 1975 when it was already well developed yet, clearly, with many years of life. I have since been fortunate to catch up, with just short of three dozen neatly spread notes. Ignoring an occasionally poorly kept bottle, admirable. It has always had an impressively deep colour, though now, of course, showing some mahogany-edged maturity; always a magnificent mouthful too. One of the most interesting and salutary tastings was organised in 1994 by Weinart at Aschau, south of Munich, to compare the top 1959s and 1961s (blind). Though the ’61 Lafite was very fragrant, I observed that the ’59 had a deeper, mulberry colour, a rich, harmonious nose and was sweeter, fuller, more complete. Though I say it myself, I managed to produce a perfect bottle at my Bordeaux Club dinner in 1996, drawing the cork (having stood the bottle up for 24 hours) at 5.45pm, decanting an hour later, and pouring at 8.20pm to give it plenty of time to open up in the glass – which it did. Then, in 1998, an excellent magnum, among other magnificent wines, from N K Yong’s cellar, dining at his home in Singapore. It had everything in abundance except, perhaps, charm. Well, what has it got? The extraordinary ability to exude not only an immediate cedary perfume but, very much a Lafite speciality, the way it opens up further avenues of fragrance and subtle by-paths, lingering in the mouth. Each time you pick up your glass you notice another facet of scent and taste. Two recent notes, first in Nov 2003: richly coloured; rich, ripe bouquet and flavour (superior to a scented but slightly astringent ’61). Most recently, a magnum: very deep, with dark cherry core; nose at first holding back, unreleased fragrance, touch of iron; sweet, glorious mouthfilling flavour, great length, spicy, with teeth-gripping tannins. For Lafite, mammoth. And superb. Last tasted Nov 2005 ***** And more to come. M.B.
2 bottles per lot
Pauillac, 1er cru classé
Re-corked in 2010. New capsules and labels. Levels: into-neck
Tasting note: One of the best-ever Lafites, quite different from the more delicately fragrant ‘53s, and keeping well. I did not have the opportunity to taste it in its youth; indeed, I see with some surprise that my first note was made at a Heublein pre-auction tasting in May 1975 when it was already well developed yet, clearly, with many years of life. I have since been fortunate to catch up, with just short of three dozen neatly spread notes. Ignoring an occasionally poorly kept bottle, admirable. It has always had an impressively deep colour, though now, of course, showing some mahogany-edged maturity; always a magnificent mouthful too. One of the most interesting and salutary tastings was organised in 1994 by Weinart at Aschau, south of Munich, to compare the top 1959s and 1961s (blind). Though the ’61 Lafite was very fragrant, I observed that the ’59 had a deeper, mulberry colour, a rich, harmonious nose and was sweeter, fuller, more complete. Though I say it myself, I managed to produce a perfect bottle at my Bordeaux Club dinner in 1996, drawing the cork (having stood the bottle up for 24 hours) at 5.45pm, decanting an hour later, and pouring at 8.20pm to give it plenty of time to open up in the glass – which it did. Then, in 1998, an excellent magnum, among other magnificent wines, from N K Yong’s cellar, dining at his home in Singapore. It had everything in abundance except, perhaps, charm. Well, what has it got? The extraordinary ability to exude not only an immediate cedary perfume but, very much a Lafite speciality, the way it opens up further avenues of fragrance and subtle by-paths, lingering in the mouth. Each time you pick up your glass you notice another facet of scent and taste. Two recent notes, first in Nov 2003: richly coloured; rich, ripe bouquet and flavour (superior to a scented but slightly astringent ’61). Most recently, a magnum: very deep, with dark cherry core; nose at first holding back, unreleased fragrance, touch of iron; sweet, glorious mouthfilling flavour, great length, spicy, with teeth-gripping tannins. For Lafite, mammoth. And superb. Last tasted Nov 2005 ***** And more to come. M.B.
2 bottles per lot
Brought to you by
Chris Munro