Wine Asylum

Once in a lifetime opportunity?

99.1.234.194

rlindsa

A

I have an opportunity to go to an "Old Magnum Bordeaux Wine Tasting" featuring magnums of:

1959 Cantemerle Medoc
1959 Ducru Beaucaillou St Julien
1959 Lynch Bages Pauillac
1970 Ducru Beaucaillou St Julien
1982 Ducru Beaucaillou St Julien
1988 Chateau Canon St. Emilion
1962 Domaine de Baumard Quarts de Chaume

plus some food

With only 10-12 people attending, I'd get about a half glass of each. It's expensive ($395 a person!).

Who here would do it? I know there are risks of disappointment, given the age of some of the offerings.

rlindsa

Follow Ups:

That's alot of wine. - jimbill 08:15:30 03/05/10 (4)
Seven magnums equates to 14 bottles of wine. Even with the loss to decanting there should be at least 13 bottles worth of wine to drink.
If you can afford it and you know/love what old Bordeaux taste like, then I'd go for it. You're right in the "once in a lifetime" part, because unless you run in a collectors circle you'll never get a chance at something like this.
I'd be interested to know how the Lynch Bages and the '82 Ducru come out.
It's like when I paid $480 to play Pebble Beach. Alot of money for a round of golf. I'd don't regret it one bit.

Edits: 03/05/10
- Thanks for the reply - rlindsa 08:58:25 03/05/10 (3)
  It IS a lot of wine - I figure I'd drink (cumulatively) a bottle or so. I don't have any experience with old Bordeauxs. Do you? I doubt I'd ever buy one (too expensive), so this may be my only chance. Still, I'd have to pay for 2 people to go, so it's an $800 decision.
  
  Tough decision.
  
  rlindsa
  - Old Bordeaux - jimbill 12:55:02 03/05/10 (2)
    I've had some in the 20-25 year range. Never anything like the 50 years these have on them. And no, I don't see myself laying out the money to ever get one, especially with the risk of spoilage. When they're right, they have levels of flavors you'll will never have known before. But you'll be having less of the ripe fruit that you get in younger wines. Expect more flavors of subtle fruit, leather, cedar, etc., and expect every taste to be different.
    
    Yes it would be a tough decision. My guess would be the Lynch Bages would be excellent. The Ducru would be chancy on the older vintages, as well as it being a really good Ch., not an exceptional one. The Cantemerle and the Canon, wouldn't know. The Quarts de Chaume is awfully old for its' kind, could be incredible, but could be toast.
    
    But keep in mind you're drinking from magnums, the preferred size for aging.
    
    Is this from someone's personal collection?
    - RE: Old Bordeaux - rlindsa 06:24:04 03/07/10 (1)
      I ultimately decided NOT to go - just too much money. There is another tasting in a few months that features:
      
      1989 Chateau Lynch Bages Pauillac
      1983 Leoville Las Cases St. Julien
      1975 Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou St. Julien
      1970 Langoa Barton St. Julien
      1999 Chateau Palmer Margaux
      1985 Chateau Mouton Rothschild Pauillac
      1995 Chateau La Mondotte St Emilion and
      1970 Rieussec Sauterne
      
      It's "only" $195, so I suspect I'll go to it.
      
      This is done by WineWatch in Ft. Lauderale (www.winewatch.com). They have several "events" per month, ranging from $35 to over $500 per person. I just moved here in August and only recently discovered them. I'm going there soon to check our their collection - it looks to be fantastic!
      
      rlindsa
      - Looks like a good one. - jimbill 11:30:27 03/07/10 (0)
        
        In Reply to: RE: Old Bordeaux posted by rlindsa on March 07, 2010 at 06:24:04
        
        Better spread of ages and wine styles. Not quite as good on vintages.
        
        Still betting on the Lynch Bages.
        
        Let us know how it goes.

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