A surprise from yesteryear!

Peter Creasey

Peter Creasey

Peter Creasey
For years there's been a wine in my cellar that I didn't know what to do with so I finally pulled it this evening. Not expecting much, it was a real surprise.

It was the Saint Felicien Estate Bottled Argentine Cabernet Sauvignon by Bodegas Esmeralda '63. Here's a photo of the bottle along with a scan of the info attached to the bottle.

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Yes, it was a tad bit raisiny, but otherwise very nicely evolved and a pleasing accompaniment with roast pork, collard greens, and roasted red peppers/garlic, then a variety of cheeses and apple. The old-style Cabernet profile was a true delight. Evidently a wine with a worthy pedigree and a style we need more of.

I post this to you tonight in case someone more knowledgeable than I might wish to expound on this bottling; if so, then please feel free.

. . . . Pete
 

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I can get some info from Googling: The wine was made by Bodega Catena Zapata. This particular bottling is said to be the first varietal bottling made in Argentina, and also the first to have artwork on the label. (The label was, in fact, cut to match the size of the art rather than trimming the artist's image to fit the label.) The "Saint Felicien" brand has been used on other varietal wines since then.

On various Spanish-language wine websites you can find blog posts on an award given to the wine-maker 50 years after the vintage, another on a mass re-corking offered to owners of Saint Felicien wines, another on the release of a sparkling wine named "Saint Felicien 1963", and, finally, a Winebid-like site that offers a bottle in pristine condition for 3500 AR pesos (around US$200).

The Bod. Zapata site discusses current vintages only.
 
How cool is that? This is much more interesting than those 'Cinco de Mayo' luncheons you have any day of the year except May 5th. And not even from the Old World!
 
Brad, yes, I elected to decant it at the last possible moment into a chilled decanter.

I also WISELY used the Durand to remove the cork.

Jeff, thanks for the good info. Before sampling it, I would have thought it to probably have negligible monetary value. After enjoying it, I can see why it would be worth, as you say, ~$200.

. . . . Pete
 
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