1 magnum per lot
Details
1950's: THE DECADE IN WINE
A period of recovery. In Bordeaux the châteaux proprietors struggled to renovate and replant, the merchants to restock. Négociants still ruled the roost and, with the cosy relationships resumed, British shippers (importers) and their wine merchant customers had a head start. A period when gentleman sold to gentleman who in turn sold to gentleman. (This all changed when I came into the trade in 1952!) Moreover, competition was limited. The Americans, despite the efforts of Alexis Lichine and Schoonmaker, were only starting to appreciate - and drink - good Bordeaux; and the Australasian market simply did not exist. It was in 1950 that some enterprising and far-sighted producers and négociants founded La Commaderie de Bordeaux which, after a half century, still flourished, with active "chapters" worldwide.
In Britain, virtually every town, certainly every county town, had at least one good wine merchant, usually family-owned, just as each used to have a tailor, shoemaker, saddler, and so forth. It was a period when brewers still brewed, and sold, beer, and retail licenses were hard to obtain. But it was also in the 1950s that things started to change. Shortage of working capital and the threat of death duties caused family wine merchants to sell out to the breweries who, in turn, developed off-license chains mainly selling less expensive wines. Yet Bordeaux dominated the wine merchants' lists, followed by Burgundy and German wines, plus, of course, sherry, port and champagne. Rarely anything else. For the comfortably off in Britain, it was the last period in which they could drink decent claret everyday, and first growths at the weekend. Perhaps at the expense of the producer: châteaux proprietors made very little money. But there were some lovely wines and more than the decade's fair share of really good vintages including my favourite, 1953, and the 1959, not only the most impressive of the decade, but one of the greatest of the century.
1953
One of my all-time favourite vintages, combining fragrance, finesse and charm, epitomizing claret at its best, the antithesis of some latter-day blockbusters. As so often with the Bordeaux maritime climate and changeable weather conditions, not an entirely perfect growing season. A hot, sunny summer and propitious ripening period was rudely interrupted by heavy rain mid-September. However, the subsequent late harvest produced wines which were easy, lovely to taste even in cask: beautiful babies, no problems at puberty, well-behaved teenagers, elegant, lively and charming in their prime, middle-aged without crises, ageing gracefully. Unless treated badly. MB
Château Pichon-Longueville, Lalande--Vintage 1953
Pauillac, 2me cru classé
Level: into neck; reconditioned, lightly water stained label
1 magnum per lot
A period of recovery. In Bordeaux the châteaux proprietors struggled to renovate and replant, the merchants to restock. Négociants still ruled the roost and, with the cosy relationships resumed, British shippers (importers) and their wine merchant customers had a head start. A period when gentleman sold to gentleman who in turn sold to gentleman. (This all changed when I came into the trade in 1952!) Moreover, competition was limited. The Americans, despite the efforts of Alexis Lichine and Schoonmaker, were only starting to appreciate - and drink - good Bordeaux; and the Australasian market simply did not exist. It was in 1950 that some enterprising and far-sighted producers and négociants founded La Commaderie de Bordeaux which, after a half century, still flourished, with active "chapters" worldwide.
In Britain, virtually every town, certainly every county town, had at least one good wine merchant, usually family-owned, just as each used to have a tailor, shoemaker, saddler, and so forth. It was a period when brewers still brewed, and sold, beer, and retail licenses were hard to obtain. But it was also in the 1950s that things started to change. Shortage of working capital and the threat of death duties caused family wine merchants to sell out to the breweries who, in turn, developed off-license chains mainly selling less expensive wines. Yet Bordeaux dominated the wine merchants' lists, followed by Burgundy and German wines, plus, of course, sherry, port and champagne. Rarely anything else. For the comfortably off in Britain, it was the last period in which they could drink decent claret everyday, and first growths at the weekend. Perhaps at the expense of the producer: châteaux proprietors made very little money. But there were some lovely wines and more than the decade's fair share of really good vintages including my favourite, 1953, and the 1959, not only the most impressive of the decade, but one of the greatest of the century.
1953
One of my all-time favourite vintages, combining fragrance, finesse and charm, epitomizing claret at its best, the antithesis of some latter-day blockbusters. As so often with the Bordeaux maritime climate and changeable weather conditions, not an entirely perfect growing season. A hot, sunny summer and propitious ripening period was rudely interrupted by heavy rain mid-September. However, the subsequent late harvest produced wines which were easy, lovely to taste even in cask: beautiful babies, no problems at puberty, well-behaved teenagers, elegant, lively and charming in their prime, middle-aged without crises, ageing gracefully. Unless treated badly. MB
Château Pichon-Longueville, Lalande--Vintage 1953
Pauillac, 2me cru classé
Level: into neck; reconditioned, lightly water stained label
1 magnum per lot