TN: 1978 CdP plus Joseph Swan Gewurtz and Manzone Barolo

L

Loren Sonkin

Loren Sonkin
Last night my wife was hosting Knit night. My friend Jeff K, whose wife was part of the group of women, brought over some 1978 CdP to do some cellar cleaning and see where they were. I opened a couple of other bottles as we waited for Lou Rad (and his wife). Fun night with mixed results on the wine. Considering the topic, I could not complain at all. Wines served non-blind with a bit of cheese and bread over the course of 4 hours. The first 4 CdPs had their corks pulled for about an hour before being decanted for sediment.

2007 Joseph Swan Gewurztraminer Saralees Vineyard
$18. Light golden/green in color. The nose has lychees, pineapple and minerals. Oily texture. On the palate, the is crisp with pineapple and minerals. Nice finish. This is slightly understated which, IMO, is good for Cal Gewurtz. More than just solid, this is fresh and enjoyable ripe but not overdone fruit.

1993 Rocche dei Manzone Barolo Vigna Big
From a 375. Ruby/purple in color, deeper than expected. The nose is gorgeous with roses, tar, and cherries, fresh and dried. Full bodied. On the palate, this tastes younger than I would have thought. At the same time, it is slightly thin and lacking in tannins. Tart cherries and the acidity seems a bit too much and out of balance. Nowhere near as good as the nose. Still, it is fine to drink.

1978 Beaucastel CdP
Ruby/purple in color, mostly clear and bright. The nose is a slight barnyard but got stronger with air. Not as powerful/digusting depending on your brett tolerance as some 80s I have had. I loved the nose. Also black raspberries, dark cherries, slight colve and slight floral notes. Full bodied. On the palate, this has layered black and red raspberries, forest floor and leather. A bit of melted black licorice too. This got better all night. A lovely mature bottle.

1978 Brunel Les Cailloux
Purple/ruby in color, mostly clear and bright. The nose has grilled meats, black raspberries, alight dried lavender notes and cherries. Medium bodied. On the palate, this is slightly tart although it filled out with air. Nice cherries and layered tea leaves and leather. Long finish. Got better all night long.

1978 Clos du Mont Olivet
This was heavily ullaged, low shoulder. The wine was DOA but I also believe it had cork taint. Too bad as I am told this was a great wine at one time.

1978 Clos dLoratoire
Ruby in color with a slight brown tinge, clear and bright. The nose is slightly earthy and cherry cough syrup. With air, it got healthier. On the palate, this has cherries and is pretty one dimensional. Still, it is drinking nicely at this point. Perhaps a little hollow on the midpalate, but certainly worth drinking and while mature, not over the hill.

Lou added some oldies to the mix:
1974 Mont Redon
Ruby/brown in color. The nose has some oxidation to it. Also some tart cherries. Much better on the palate. Some complexities. Well past prime but not dead yet. Tea leaves, dried cherries.

1976 Aujoux
Cherry red/brown in color. The nose has some fruit left: cherries. Also dried leaves. On the palate, this is thin and void of fruit. Lou may have liked this more than I. Drinkable but with all the other wine, I did not drink too much.
 
The last time I had a 78 Beaucastel was probably in 01 or 02. At that time, it had a great nose and I liked it but it tasted as if it would never completely come around. It's future looked to be as an interesting restrained wine whose tannins would take over ultimately without ever softening. I feel that way currently about the 95 Pegau, which is showing nicely these days (or at least last spring) and about as well as I ever expected it to, but still restrained and austere. If you are saying that the 78 Beau has come around, I might have to change my tune about the 95 Pegau as well.

The 78 Clos Mt. Olivet was indeed a great wine at least when I last had it in the mid to late 90s. I expect well-preserved bottles might still be alive, depending on when they were bottled, but I also wouldn't be surprised if any given bottle n front of me were dead.

Interesting information on the others, particularly les Cailloux, which used to make great age-worthy wines, but whose wines since 98 don't seem to have the same legs.
 
Great stuff.

I have a 59 Trintignant that will get opened here during the cold...Harry Karis said it should be great.
 
originally posted by Jonathan Loesberg:

The 78 Clos Mt. Olivet was indeed a great wine at least when I last had it in the mid to late 90s. I expect well-preserved bottles might still be alive, depending on when they were bottled, but I also wouldn't be surprised if any given bottle n front of me were dead.
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continuing teh theme of fatboy's old cndp hit and runs, a recent bottle of 1978 bosquet des papes was surprisingly stubborn, chunky and young (only two of these adjectives can now be applied to my corpulence) on opening, and only closed down with further air. in the circs,i swiftly 86ed it in favor of something that would be enjoyable to drink.

this seemed like wisdom teh following day when it turned into a swan -- the last 2/3s of the bottle were as compelling a drink as i have had in a long time.

one lives and learns,

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