no prem-ox here. . . .

[robert ames]

i just had my only bottle of 1996 joseph drouhin les clos grand cru chablis (purchased on release), and of course as the years have gone by with all horror stories of premature oxidation, i was concerned that i had held my card too long.

come to find out, it was just the opposite (supporting the truism that if you have only one bottle of something that you want to age, you will inevitably open it at the wrong time). upon opening, the wine was tight and primary, with mainly just loads of clean lemonliness. as the bottle warmed and the kumomotos went down, it came out of its shell and showed plenty of chablis minerality, but it never made it past the budding phase into full bloom where the richness of grand cru should reign.

the 1996 krug later in the evening was far more captivating (indeed, it was a BIG wow, as expected), yet at the same time much younger (duh).

hic.

 

[Rahsaan]

You purchased one bottle on release and held it for over a decade? Wow.

I have some singletons that I am aging but I generally try not to do that for recent purchases and especially purchases on release when there are multiple bottles available.

 

[robert ames]

yes, it's true.

at the premier cru level i bought multiple bottles (laurent tribut and louis michel stuff--all money well spent), but the grand cru was a splurge. 45 bucks, as i recall.

 

[MLipton]

originally posted by Rahsaan:
You purchased one bottle on release and held it for over a decade? Wow.

I have some singletons that I am aging but I generally try not to do that for recent purchases and especially purchases on release when there are multiple bottles available.

Then you are far more disciplined than most budding winegeeks (not that you're budding -- you're in full bloom, my lad). Most of my early, pricey purchases were singletons, such as the '78 Montelena Cab, the '82 and '86 Gruaud-Larose, those mid-'80s Chave Hermitages and the '83 Margaux. Do I regret any of those purchases? Not a one.

Mark Lipton

 

[Lou Kessler]

originally posted by robert ames:
no prem-ox here. . . .i just had my only bottle of 1996 joseph drouhin les clos grand cru chablis (purchased on release), and of course as the years have gone by with all horror stories of premature oxidation, i was concerned that i had held my card too long.

come to find out, it was just the opposite (supporting the truism that if you have only one bottle of something that you want to age, you will inevitably open it at the wrong time). upon opening, the wine was tight and primary, with mainly just loads of clean lemonliness. as the bottle warmed and the kumomotos went down, it came out of its shell and showed plenty of chablis minerality, but it never made it past the budding phase into full bloom where the richness of grand cru should reign.

the 1996 krug later in the evening was far more captivating (indeed, it was a BIG wow, as expected), yet at the same time much younger (duh).

hic.

Dinner at La Toque last night. 2000 Corton Charlie from Bonneau d'Martay opened to the delicate nose of Sherry! Fu-- Pre Mox. and all the bottles it has infected.

 

[Rahsaan]

originally posted by MLipton: Then you are far more disciplined than most budding winegeeks (not that you're budding -- you're in full bloom, my lad).

Well, this is actually more of a function of the fact that I only started 'long-term' cellaring very recently. But I do have an assorted case or so that I acquired over the years of singletons that need a lot more time.

 

[Levi Dalton]

originally posted by Lou Kessler:

2000 Corton Charlie from Bonneau d'Martay opened to the delicate nose of Sherry! Fu-- Pre Mox. and all the bottles it has infected.

Bonneau du Martray from around the turn of the century should be avoided, I think.

 

[Jay Miller]

originally posted by MLipton:

Most of my early, pricey purchases were singletons, such as the '78 Montelena Cab, the '82 and '86 Gruaud-Larose, those mid-'80s Chave Hermitages and the '83 Margaux. Do I regret any of those purchases? Not a one.

Mark Lipton

Most of mine still are. Especially these days grand cru Burgundy is a one or two at the most bottle purchase.

 

[MLipton]

originally posted by Jay Miller:

originally posted by MLipton:

Most of my early, pricey purchases were singletons, such as the '78 Montelena Cab, the '82 and '86 Gruaud-Larose, those mid-'80s Chave Hermitages and the '83 Margaux. Do I regret any of those purchases? Not a one.

Mark Lipton

Most of mine still are. Especially these days grand cru Burgundy is a one or two at the most bottle purchase.

These days, most of my GC burg purchases are at auction, and from years long gone by. And, yes, in mixed lots of 1-2 bottles each, generally.

Mark Lipton