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Even better ‘wines of the century’?

17 Sep 2009 by Jancis Robinson

Recently I published tasting notes from late 1999 entitled The best wines of last century? but, amazingly, last Friday night I attended a fine wine dinner that yielded some major additional candidates for this title. If I tell you that I awarded three scores of 20 out of 20 in a row, that will give you some idea of the quality of the wines served. It was held on the outskirts of Copenhagen by Danish civil engineer turned telecommunications entrepreneur Rehne Thomsen and his wife Malene. He has been collecting top-quality wine for the last 10 years or so, having been introduced to the delights of really fine wine by an elderly mentor who, one weekend on a remote Danish island, opened such delights for him as Latour 1961, Mouton 1982 and Sassicaia 1985. We tasted the first two last weekend, plus another 27 quite remarkable wines, virtually all of which were in great condition.

I must confess that when I received an invitation to this event out of the blue, and read through the list of wines to be served, it looked like the price list of a keen wine counterfeiter, so famous were most of the names and vintages. But in the end I need not have worried, even though my fellow invitee Pekka Nuikki, Finnish editor in chief of Fine magazines, which specialise in top-quality wines, reports that nowadays he has serious doubts about the authenticity of almost one bottle in three of the famous wines that he tastes.

It was held at Sølyst, the handsome country house just outside Copenhagen that is the headquarters of the Royal Danish Shooting Company, effectively a club for the great and the good of Denmark. The walls of this atmospheric lodge are adorned with the round painted shields of each member (pictured here behind the first set of bottles), some clearly centuries old, with what look like bullet marks in them.

There was no gunfire last weekend, but we were certainly treated to a series of fireworks in a bottle, sometimes double magnum. A select few of us gathered at 4.30 for a tasting of some of the rarest bottles of all before the dinner itself. I was allowed to spit and take notes on my laptop for that part of the proceedings and got up from the tasting table reminded of the energising properties of truly great wine.

Then we moved to the handsome dining room, where chef Thomas Rode Andersen of Kong Hans cooked a superb 11-course meal for the 34 diners, who had paid 8,000 Danish krone a ticket. Without the usual nagging and hectoring, they got up throughout the evening to bid in the silent auction in one corner of the room and in all the evening raised about half a million Danish krone for our host's mother-in-law's charity dedicated to addressing the continuing plight of children in Romania. This was the second such event apparently. Last year's was attended by various American wine collectors. Robert Parker had to cancel at the last minute owing to ill health.

Even though I don't really have the stamina for six-hour meals, I did think the pacing of the event was excellent, allowing us just enough time to appreciate each wine, usually served in pairs, without overwhelming or hurrying us. Three, or occasionally four, bottles' worth of each wine were opened and served. Leading sommelier/restaurateur, the unusually tall Christian Aarø Mortensen, of the renamed restaurant a|o|c aarø & co, was miraculously affable and apparently enthusiastic and unflappable to the end. There were a couple of entertainment breaks with well-known Danish singers, as well as a chance to freshen up two-thirds of the way through with a stroll across the damp lawns down to the sea.

Notes are presented in the order of serving with guesses at ideal drinking dates.

APERITIF

Dom Pérignon 1976 Champagne 17 Drink 1986-99

(magnum) Not Oenothèque. Deep toasty gold with a hit of orange. Very toasty mandarin peel nose and only just sparkling with the merest hint of decay. Certainly very low acid. Quite burnt and toasty relative to most champagnes. Long and throat warming. Hint of mushrooms. It was a very interesting wine but tasted as though it was on the way down to me.

PRE-DINNER TASTING

These 1982s had been opened about two hours before.

Ch Cheval Blanc 1982 St-Émilion 17.5 Drink 1990-2010

Bright ruby with lots of development at the rim - really quite pale. Only lightly scented. Then very warm and rich on the front palate with a slight lack of focus. A bit smudgy and velvety. The finish is drying out a little. Definitely on the way down. Did it get a bit hot? Or was there a shortage of vat space? Clean minty finish. Fresh - it would be a lovely drink in isolation…. Pleasant without being a standout and certainly not robust.

Ch Lafite 1982 Pauillac 18.5 Drink 2012-30

Lookes much more crimson than the Cheval 1982. Colour almost out to the rim. Tight and focused with a little liquorice on the nose. Needs to be coaxed to open out. Very well balanced and sleek and just middle aged, I'd say. Complete. Refined. The opposite of flashy. Long and very clean and fresh. By far the most youthful. Very racy and very restrained. But a little tight and I wonder whether this is really a first-class bottle?

Ch Latour 1982 Pauillac 18.5 Drink 2000-2030

Ruby with a rusty rim - much more developed-looking than the Lafite 1982. Rich and velvety and quite evolved - rather unctuous, even slightly syrupy. A more evolved bottle than the last one I tried. Then a little dusty on the finish. As though this were well into its drinking window. Tannins on the finish but the fruit is more evolved than the tannins…? Rather atypical Latour in its fleshiness but a lovely wine.

Ch Mouton-Rothschild 1982 Pauillac 19 Drink 1996-2030

Very deep ruby but with lots of development on the rim. Lovely blend of richness with potential. Very throat warming and complex with definite Mouton lead-pencil character. Very rewarding. Very Mouton. Very good for current drinking in 2009.

All the wines in the flight below were particularly true to the châteaux' own characters.

Ch Latour 1961 Pauillac 20 Drink 1980-2050

Opened 40 minutes before. Amazingly deep crimson, with the merest hint of evolution at the rim - plus a great sheen. On the nose, immediately, what power and intensity!!! So manly and from another era. So confident. Luscious combination of intensity and ripeness with great structure and it seems in the prime of life. Just gorgeous balance. Wonderful caressing finish. Not sweet so much as ripe. Sweet and vigorous and dense. SO impressive both for now and the future. Tight knit and dense and very true to Latour.

Pekka Nuikki told the story of voting this the no 1 wine to drink today in his book. About 15 yrs ago he was travelling through the Sahara and reached the ancient walled town of Tamanrasset where 99% of the inhabitants were male, supplemented by a constant stream of travellers since this is virtually the only town in the Sahara (feel free to correct me). He is gluten allergic so can't drink beer. They had to spend some time there because war broke out at the next stop on their journey. The town had two bars which served only beer. He asked at the first if they had any wine and was laughed off the premises.The second seemed to have run out even of beer, but the owner said he did have some wine in the cellar. He took Pekka down there and showed him two wooden cases of Latour ‘61, one already opened.Seeing Pekka’s enthusiasm, he raised the price to $5 a bottle! Poor Pekka had to spend the next two weeks there drinking 21 bottles of Latour ‘61. Five months previously apparently a truck going through broke down. The driver ran up such debts that he offered to settle them with the wine he was driving to some Central African dictator.The Pétrus ’61 had already been drunk but he got there in time to finish up the Latour, although he did say he feared for the life of the truck driver when he eventually arrived without the dictator's wine.

Ch Lafite 1953 Pauillac 20 Drink 1966-2026

Opened 10 minutes before. Mid to light ruby with a hint of brown. Light but certainly refined on the nose with strong lead pencils. Even rather Cabernet Franc-like in its aromatic nature. Sweet start then rather firm and even slightly metallic on the palate. Great energy there. Flattering and ethereal. I could imagine some people finding it too light. Super refreshing. Difficult to imagine this sort of wine being made today. More transparent. Then it opens out in the glass and seems to gain depth. Only very, very slightly dry finish. But it blossoms beautifully in the glass. Putty, fragrance, sweet juiciness. So fluid. Freshness. Ethereal and the nose grew and grew - such fabulous lift… The most elegant wine by far here.

Ch Mouton-Rothschild 1945 Pauillac 20 Drink 1980-2030

High shoulder. Opened just before. Great sheen and lightening now but great shaded ruby. Chocolate and rich rum toffees on the nose - halfway to a Vin Doux Naturel - almost rancio! Cleans up in the glass. Really sweet and intense and you can really see the relation with 1961 - a great hot concentrated vintage. With amazing depth. Made at the end of the war with Philippe in his prime. Very clean but amazingly rich and intense. Life and zest and lilies and treacle but great energy. So long and rich and peacock's tail. So different form the elegance of the 1953 Lafite and much richer than the Latour 1961.

Ch Margaux 1900 Margaux 18 Drink 1940-2030

Barton & Guestier bottling with an Alexandria, VA, back label. Recorked in 1999. Rather muddy nose. Dark and rusty. Nose a little muted. This is a powerful relic and a little chewy on the finish. Robust - amazing concentration. Polished and some Margaux satin texture. Dry finish. Marks for longevity rather than the transports of delight it inspired. A little dusty.The bottle had apparently come from a cellar in England via importers Schneider of Capitol Hill.

Pekka had another amazing tale of trying to taste this wine but missing it via a series of accidents involving, variously, Hardy Rodenstock, a London mugging, a Paris airbag, and a 1951 fake.

THE DINNER

Chapoutier, Ermitage Cuvée de l'Orée 2006 Hermitage Blanc 17.5 Drink 2008-10 and then perhaps 2016-23

The way this wine stood up in the glass over many hours really impressed me. Initially it seemed a little bit fat and flabby but in fact it kept what nerve it had right til the end of dinner. I tried to sip it after rather than before the Montrachet, which was much drier and slightly leaner (these are relative terms). Bright gold with a lightly sulphidey nose. Strong honey and honeysuckle flavours. Low acid but great riches on the palate. Full body with Marsanne fat undertow but, just, enough energy and vitality. Very rich and a great partner for cod and sweet onions.

Dom de la Romanée-Conti 2004 Montrachet 17.5 Drink 2008-13

(double magnum number 00005). Our host had bought this extraordinary large format of this classic straight from the domaine expressly for this event, on condition that it was definitely served at the event and the empty bottle and cork returned to Vosne, such is the new, strict regime at Dom de la Romanée-Conti in their efforts to minimise the risk of counterfeit bottles. Of course it was an amazing treat to be able to even sip this wine but I was quite surprised by how drinkable it was already. Bright greenish gold with enormous weight (though slightly more slimline than the white Hermitage served with it. A lightly vegetal note and I found that this stunning classic didn't hold up in the glass quite as well as the Chapoutier, Cuvée de l'Orée 2006.

Ch Beauséjour Lagarrosse 1990 St-Émilion 18 Drink 1998-2018

Very dark crimson. Sweet, gamey and rich on the nose with far more concentration than many 1990s yet with sufficient refreshment too. This tasted a bit like a souped up Graves. Racy. Perhaps this wine communicates winemaking a little bit more than terroir but it's a great, compact, dense wine with lift and more than a hint of soy sauce. Umami, anyone?

Ch Montrose 1990 St-Estèphe 17.5 Drink 1998-2015

This is a famous wine, though not all bottles seem in perfect condition. At first, the nose was not utterly pure and precise, but it seemed to clean itself up in the glass. It was definitely sweeter and richer than any Montrose I can think of and was pleasing, flattering and easy to drink with some very fine tannins and just a little dustiness on the finish.

Paul Jaboulet Ainé, La Chapelle 1978 Hermitage Rouge 19 Drink 1988-15

And, with fish and seaweed-inspired vegetables, came an even more famous wine, La Chapelle in a great vintage made when Gérard Jaboulet was in his prime and his family company also, arguably. We had one magnum and one bottle to go around, and everyone seemed besotted by whichever size they were served, which is surely a good thing. I was served the magnum and found it a little more complex than the bottle. It reminded me of polished leather and the sinews you see in a thoroughbred horse, yet it was wonderfully pure and fresh - probably the most impressive example of this wine I have come across. There was a very faintly medicinal note to it but it was also breezy and confident. I couldn't help being reminded of the sailboats I had been able to see on the sea from my seat before darkness fell. It was remarkable to think that this immensely nuanced wine was made without any barrique influence.

Dom de la Romanée-Conti Grand Cru 1990 La Tâche 18 Drink 2000-15

This of course is yet another classic wine that was drooled over by most tasters although I must say that I was even more bowled over by the particular bottle of 2005 La Tâche I was served than my bottle of 1990. Very rich, complex nose with a certain gaminess and hint of mushrooms and spice. This particular bottle was very, very slightly dry on the finish with a hint of something peppery and green and didn't strike me as quite as vibrant and pure as the 2005 but I think there must have been some bottle variation as other tasters raved more over it. These two wines were a great match for a foie gras mousse with red fruits.

Dom de la Romanée-Conti Cru 2005 La Tâche 19 Drink now and 2015-30

This was already drinking absolutely beautifully, even though presumably it will gain layers and even greater complexity. But what a stunning amount of pleasure it is giving even at this early stage! My verbatim notes: Gorgeous, complete, wonderful pure cherry juice flavours even though it will presumably close down. Already dense and layered but with beautiful freshness. ‘Parp. Parp,’ it seems to be saying, so eager is it to broadcast its charms.

Ch Clinet 1989 Pomerol 18 Drink 1998-2012

(double magnum) This powerful wine was served with a surprise course: a little bowl of intensely flavoured, creamy essence studded with slivers of chestnuts, mushrooms and, I think, kidneys. Very clever, though not light.The wine was extremely rich and fleshy and seemed to have calmed down quite a bit since I last tasted it. Even in double magnum it seemed to lack just a slight vital spark that would convert it into an absolute marvel - but it was certainly not short of hedonistic pleasure. Just 12.5% alcohol according to the label.

Ch Pichon Lalande 1982 Pauillac 18.5 Drink 1993-2010

This was an extremely good bottle of this wine that blossomed unusually early and was one of the great charmers of this famous vintage right from the start. The nose was a little simple and cassis at first and then mellowed into a wonderfully pretty, flattering wine that was much more forward and charming than the Las Cases 1982 served alongside it. (It made me remember May-Eliane de Lencquesaing of Pichon Lalande telling me how Michel Delon of Las Cases used to pull her hair at school.)

Ch Léoville Las Cases 1982 St-Julien 18+ Drink 2008-30

This is a wine that seems at last to be emerging from its shell. Very firm and minerally on the nose with tannins at last in retreat. Minty, pure and very long. A dry very slightly austere take on 1982 but some bouquet is at last developing.

Shafer, Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 Napa Valley 16 Drink 2011-14

This wine was outclassed, alas. Very dark crimson with a sweet, porty, over the top nose and uncomfortably drying tannins on the finish. I'm sure it would have looked better in a flight of California Cabernets.Glasses seemed to be left unusually full.

Dom du Pegau, Cuvée da Capo 2000 Châteauneuf du Pape 18 Drink 2006-13

(double magnum) The special cuvée of this popular Châteauneuf producer had been opened four hours in advance and by the time it was served it was wonderfully rich and sweet with fine tea-like aromas and a certain meatiness on the mid palate with some slightly dry tannins still there on the finish. There was a hint of chocolate malt but lovely freshness too. Great stuff!.

Ch Pétrus 1961 Pomerol 17.5 Drink 1978-2018

This example of a legendary wine was served in the most extraordinary circumstances. We all filed out of the dining room to the salon to be serenaded, and found a series of glasses of this wine on the piano to which we helped ourselves! Apparently our host had been instructed by the Moueixes to check out his Pétrus 1961s with what they call ‘the Pétrus police’, UK agents Corney & Barrow. I have been lucky enough to taste this wine before and am not sure whether one, two or three bottles had been opened. What I tasted was not quite as rich, throatily exuberant and vibrant as I remember this wine, but, as I say, it was served with a sing song so perhaps did not quite receive the attention it deserves.

Ch Margaux 2000 Margaux 18- Drink 2009-22

Polished, meaty, sparkling fresh. Lively, easy and very energetic. Certainly more ethereal than dense. Lovely for current drinking.

Ch Pavie 2000 St-Émilion 17 Drink 2006-12

This provided quite a contrast to the Margaux, being so much heavier and darker purple, though without much bouquet. The palate was very sweet, verging on porty, with rather drying tannins on the finish - playing the concentration rather than finesse card.

Ch Lafite 2003 Pauillac 17.5 Drink 2007-17

Racy yet much richer than most vintages of Lafite but with a certain transparency - certainly in comparison with the Pavie 2000 that preceded it. This was the third vintage of Lafite served at this Danish marathon and it was easy, even in this heatwave vintage, to see a common thread of sheen and ethereal characteristics with the 1952 and 1982 served previously. More biscuity and sweeter than the Latour 2003 served alongside. Really quite rangy and athletic.

Ch Latour 2003 Pauillac 18++ Drink 2009-24

Very dark, brooding and mineral-scented. Deep and sturdy but with much more finesse than most 2003s - especially in terms of the fluidity and quality of the tannins. Some sweetness with great length - a sort of claret-style port, or do I mean a port-style claret? Certainly very different from most Latours. But not over the top and not baked.

Taylor's 1992 Port 19 Drink 2006-30

This was stunning. Very fine and svelte for a vintage port, but beautifully balanced. Full and scented yet with a firm peppery undertow. Very fine wine indeed. (It was great to see a vintage port alongside other, less alcoholic wine classics and to see it shine so.)

Ch Tirecul Lagravière, Cuvée Madame Vendange Tardive 1995 Monbazillac 16 Drink 1999-2005

The bottle I tasted was unfortunately a bit dusty and flabby with a deep marmalade colour. Perhaps this was a bad bottle. It certainly had very high sugar content. Possibly the most famous Muscadelle in the world?

Ch d'Yquem 2001 Sauternes 19 Drink 2007-40

Light gold, very fresh and gorgeous and complete. Just washed over the palate - so clean and vital and reverberating, not to mention revitalising even a palate that had been treated to all the wines above already. What a feat! What a wine! Wonderful satiny texture and great balance and charm.

I left before anyone had a chance to mention akvavit.

Udo Göebel

Robèrt Koopman

Peter Z.