Wine Workshop: Chateau Margaux (Gabriel Kreuther): Ok - here is a wine that jumps out a bit more and while I still think I preferred the ‘53 this did split the group and there were some who were firmly in the ‘61 camp. From a magnum and you get some of that extra power plus I just expect this wine was more powerful from the start. Lots of floral, almost a hand soap note that softened a bit. Petals all over. Dragonfruit. Hints of the tropics. Darker red and a bit more depth. Lovely wine and one that seems to be going quite strong. While I wouldn’t be surprised if the ‘53 is right in drinking window now this has a long life ahead.
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Opened 2 hours prior to tasting. Medium+ red brick colored. On the nose this almost only tertiary with forest floor, tobacco but still some red cherries. On the palate, really precise aromas of ripened cherries, almost jammed, black truffles, mushrooms, leather, black tea. Might have been too acidic and lacked tannins to balance the overall structure. Medium bodied, and definitely past its best, but still impressed by the ageability of Bordeaux firsts growth !
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61s at 61 (Bourbon Steak, Aventura, Florida): You want to include the First Growths when you do a big Bordeaux horizontal tasting so I reluctantly added this to the list knowing it probably wouldn’t be very good. I was right although this bottle was actually slightly better than some previous ones. There is a hint of that violet flower fragrance of Margaux and even a bit of charm if you wish to be magnanimous but no where near enough to be very enjoyable. From a period when the estate was allegedly not managed carefully enough, showing that great terroir does not guarantee great wine even in a great vintage.
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Impressive overall for a 60 year old wine. Just below shoulder fill, but seemingly appropriate for the vintage with a dry firm Ch Margaux branded cork that was tight and nearly came out whole. Popped and carefully poured. Color was quite good showing a dark brick red. Aromas where unbelievably sensational showing perfumed ripe dark red cherry fruits with a graphite note. Immediately very excited and clear this bottle was more than just simply sound. The palate generally followed the nose, but was more faded and while this showed very good underlying ripeness and good red fruit element, it also was a bit flabby in need of more structure. No sense of oxidation here, but relative to the exciting aromas the overall feel of the palate was a bit of a let down in terms solely of texture. Still quite tasty with nice flavors, just lacking tannins/acid backbone. Very happy with this and bottle was consumed rather quickly as the final judgement. Opened for Sam’s 60th at Goosefoot.
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Legends only: 15 Bordeaux & 2 Heitz MV Magnums: From magnum. Double decanted 3-4 hours prior to consumption. Quintessential Bordeaux, this Margaux was firing on all cylinders. Not famous for being one of the great 1961s, this magnum showed very complex, perfectly delineated, clean and harmonious, almost young-ish and fresh. Compared to a regular bottle I‘ve had to months ago (rated 95 pts) this showed much more power and intensity, fresher and better delinated. A winner. 97 to 98 pts.
TN: Explosive nose which puts you directly into Bordeaux heaven. Intense and super precise aromas of tobacco, black truffles, old leather, black tea and underneath a fresh dark fruit core. Superb nose. On the palate, the wine glides down effortlessly across your tongue with such a fine structure, molten tannins with no hard edges, superb freshness, perfect balance and a broad array of aromas mostly in the teritary spectrum with wet forest floor, leather, truffles, black tea, some spices, fine dark berries. Nothing in the dried spectrum, everything fresh. Just wow. Such a complete wine with so much life and tension, yet the perfect softness.
30x 1955 & 1961 (mostly Bdx): Tasted single blind. Taste-off between the 1955 and 1961 vintages. No close race here. The 1955 (80 pts) was over and reeking of cat pee. The 1961 (95 pts), however, showed wonderful, seductive, fully mature but full of life with probably just a bit of substance missing for an even higher score. I particularly liked the typical Margaux femininity with lots of floral aromas.
TN: Medium+ intense nose with dark and fed fruits as well as minerality. Inviting and quite precise but not as layered and exciting as the palate which shows red and blue berries, lots of floral aromas, minerality and some herbs and old leather. It misses a bit of intensity mid palate but otherwise is quite complete. Fine, melted tannins but with good tension, good acidity and a wonderful creamy texture, so round and soft.
Decanting: Not decanted, good from the go. Maybe with a bit of air this would have gained further intensity.
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Grand 1961 vs 1955 vintage tasting (Fribourg): Big 1961 vs 1955 tastings including 10 direct match-ups and 11 individual wines from 1961. The tasting was conducted in flights of 4, single-blind and with no previous decant with all bottles opened 1h prior to start. The line-up was dominated by Bordeaux reds, but also included 5 Sauternes, 1 Champagne, 3 Burgundy reds and 1 Ribera del Duero. The following observations are worth mentioning: i) 1961 generally came across as a better vintage today than 1955, ii) the performance correlated with the 1855 classification, iii) The most outstanding wines were outside of the Bordeaux reds with Veuve Clicquot Rosé '61, Vega Sicilia Unico '61 (both 97) and La Tour Blanche '61 (96) worth mentioning, iv) Top-performing Bordeaux was Margaux (95) in 1961 and Mouton in 1955. List of wines included in the tasting story.
Tasting note: Coffee strikes first, followed by a fruit profile that is leaning towards red berries. Nice detail, delineation and puristic in style. Also has mineral dimension to it. Amazingly fresh, youthful and balanced palate with a firm red line leading from attack to the finish.
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Tasted blind, this wine had a deep red center with light orange rims. Apparently, it was a VHS fill. The medium intensity nose generated plum, mocha, mineral, and some thyme notes.
In the mouth, this wine was medium bodied with light tannin, fine-grained acidity, and surprisingly good length (for a light bodied wine).
This bottle appeared to be a bit past its peak. It came out of the bottle a bit funky but continued to improve throughout the night. This once again showed that even bottles that are fully mature often need substantial air to reach their best. However, I would suggest drinking any remaining bottles ASAP.
My score for this wine was about a 93 early in the evening and it only hit 95 toward the end.
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High shoulder fill. Got better over time. Perhaps I didn't give it enough time. Muted flavors. Earth and leaves. Some hints of tobacco and leather. Did get better over an hour in the decanter. Not much life or zest. Maybe this was a bad bottle. I have 1 bottle left and hopefully it will show better.
beautifully matured Bordeaux. Flowery nose with a hint of tobacco, a bit of sweetness. Gracefully evolved but still good backbone and holding up well over 2 hours. An excellent bottle.
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Medium/full bodied, elegant, refined, soft and silky, the wine relies on its freshness and delicate nuances, instead of power and structure. Complex, captivating and caressing on the palate, this is at or probably slightly past its peak of maturity.
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With a gentle side to the tannins, the medium/full bodied, fresh, earthy cassis filled wine felt as good as it tasted. Soft and refined, but lacking the level of depth and volume found in many of the vintages best wines, this is all about charm, balance and elegance. Fully mature, this does not have the stuffing for more evolution, if you are lucky enough to have a bottle, you should drink it.
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1961 in Florida (Cafe Maxx, Pompano Beach, Florida): For a few fleeting minutes it seemed like this bottle would be a winner based on its lovely berry perfume that so distinguished it in its youth. But sadly it was not to be and it quickly turned dull and morose. Still, one could see the outline of what once was a beauty, if only through heavy cloud cover. A touch of earth on the finish adds interest, but not enough. Au revoir, my lady.
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The nose was special. Rather than the expected floral scent, I got a complex mix of sweet fruit, forest floor, and eucalyptis. The palate had a gentle attack fronted with pencil lead, a short hit of sweet fruit that quickly turned dry, molasses, black olive, licorice, faint soy sauce, and dominant mint. This all finished up with a touch of sweat and a short finish of weak tea. Relatively short finish. The best part of each sip was the inhale before the wine crossed my lips. The wine was lovely and enjoyable, but lacked intensity. (*from a .375, great fill and excellent cork condition)
Magnum. Beautifully complex bouquet - plums, leather, cedar even after hours of opening! Palate disappoints after such a wonderful nose but is no slouch. Fruit is fading ever so slightly but still showing well - mostly dark fruit flavours rather than red. Some minty notes and sweetness coming through as well. Wonderful freshness for it's age with mouth watering acidity! Tertiary notes starting to appear, hoisin, soy, but very much drinking at its apogee and likely to hold that for quite a few more years! Very well balanced and a joy to drink, (even for a bordeaux...;)
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The nose here is very pretty. Earth and dark, plummy fruit tones. It's clearly mature, but isn't showing any signs of cracking up. The palate isn't quite at that standard. It's a touch hollow and metallic, and just falls a touch flat. Clearly a good wine, but not one of the best Margaux I've had.
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HDH auction at Spiaggia (ft. Maison Leroy); 9/13/2018-9/15/2018 (Chicago, IL): The nose is the killer thing here. It's so aromatic, with lovely tertiary Bordealais notes -- cedar, plum, graphite, and all that good stuff. With additional air, there's a bit of menthol starting to pop up as well. The palate is good, but shows its age. Not in any fear of decline, but not picking up steam with time either. A pleasure to try, and this bottle was sound, but not outstanding.
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Perhaps not as complex as you might expect from a first growth in a top vintage, but just so enjoyable. Juicy and fruity with beautifully soft tannins. So hard to put down!
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Drank in HK Still young and full of vitality an incredible wine. Rich complex nose deep round smooth palate with an incredible length. What is not to love about this wine
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Drunk at Crown Wine Cellars Hong Kong - Paired with the 1959 this jumped out of the glass both on the nose and on the palate immediately upon pouring. A lovely sweetness was evident that you often get in mature claret, without any hint of its age. Definitely a great bottle that gave instant pleasure.
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Nose: The nose is explosive, deep, layered, and refined with red cherries, spice box, leather, herbs, violets, roses, tobacco leaf, and cedar tones. This is pure class on the nose with the aromas just captivating you on every sniff.
Taste: Medium bodied with medium+ tannins and medium acidity. The feel was regal and pure satin with red cherries, spice box, violets, roses, cedar, and tobacco leaf tones.
Overall: This was glorious. This is what people talk about when they talk about the greatness of a First Growth. The storage was so amazing that this was just from a half bottle and it was blind. While it was clearly Bordeaux, it was tough to tell the age on it. A truly memorable experience.
Best bottle of this I have had. Rose petals and light spice on the soft nose. A very pretty palate with sweet red fruit and berries. For all of this softness, this bottle was quite expressive.
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Had some influence of a mushroomy cork but was classy all the same. There were notes of tobacco, black olive, chocolate, dried flowers and sweet earth. It was powerful in the mouth and silky against the gums. Flavours build through the palate and length is very good.
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This one came from an obviously very well stored bottle with fill level almost into the neck. Colour was a healthy-looking limpid garnet. Nose was stunningly clean from the very start and typical of a mature claret with aromas of tobacco, cigar box, cedar, violets, roses and graphite. On the palate it was absolutely harmonious with a velvety texture and flavours similar to those on the nose with an added sweet molasses/liquorice streak. Might have lacked the intensity and even the complexity of a perfect and legendary claret (which the '61 Ch. Margaux never has been) but it was at prime condition and it was an utter pleasure to drink.
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High shoulder fill. Sour red cherry and black tea notes. Tobacco. Lighter-medium bodied, subdued, and feminine. Great texture on the front, with some coarser tannins that come out on the finish and are unlikely to resolve. Some floral hints. Nice wine; fully mature.
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Tasted from double magnum. Lovely, silky. Cherries and other fruits very beautifully integrated. Elegant. However, seemed to fade after about an hour in an opened bottle.
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Light cola, spice, soap, and chalkiness on the nose. Boysenberry and slight leather notes on the palate. Rather unimpressive and did not stand up particularly well to its companion vintages. Oddly paired with aged comte tart.
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From my father-in-law's cellar. Shoulder high on the filling, showing 53 years of age. As soon as I pulled the cork, I could tell from the still powerful nose that this wine was still very much alive. Color was brown and murky, likely then result of the journey from Beverly Hills to Tucson. On the palate, while there is a certain mustiness, there's a surprising amount of fruit, primarily plum with a hint of cassis, present here. I sense this wine will open up a good deal in the next couple of hours. What a treat to drink a wine from before when I was born.
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Unfortunately, I was in a situation where I could not take detailed notes. The wine was clearly original with a high shoulder fill. It came out of the bottle with some stink and hard edges.
After 3+ hours in the decanter, this wine really started coming around. It had a very complex nose of black cherries, brown spices, mocha, and soil. It the mouth it was refined and balance but has a great juicy mouth-feel, solid structure, and great length.
This is another wine that will be all too easily dismissed by tasters who don't give it enough aeration (or who had bad bottles). It seems ready and only pretty good in its initial, low impact stage (after an hour or two). You only find out its winner in hour 3! The good news is that there is no reason to wait on this bottle!
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Charcol nose and flavors, fruit slightly thin, good acid, wine came in fourth of 10 wines in line up including 1959 Mouton, 1961 Latour, and 1949 Leoville-las-cases
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From 375ml. Popped, decanted off the sediment and then poured. Started off very musty and lean, but after 15 minutes fleshed out a bit. Dried red cherry and plum with dried earth and leaves. Some fruit still showing on the palate, but the acid stuck out a bit too much. Lighter bodied with a short finish. Fun to try, but not great. Fell apart roughly 30 minutes after opening.
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I had bought this on auction and was fearful that it would be corked, etc,... For those of you old enough...no one on this board apparently, this bottle was still in its purple paper wrapper and the old metal cage. The cap and labels were in good shape and it completely looked the part. The fill was just below shoulder level. Effectively perfect for a 52 year old wine..... so I was worried about fakes too but with the original wrapper and cage (i,e. the paper had stuck hard to the cage and was impossible to tamper with without ripping it) around it, I felt safer.
I opened this for a field that had come by for dinner, amoungst a few other bottles that I will post in coming days but this was the anticpated wine of the night. As such, I was worried about a faulty wine now.
The capsule opened up to reveal just the right amount of mold on both the cork and the capsule....good. Cork came out in ONE PIECE...perfect. and then I waited. I poured the first glass and then one for the guest and then around to all my friends. One by one, as the wine opened up, started to smile. This wine is definitely fully matured and on the start of the decline but what a graceful wine The wine was fully integrated, the fruit still in tact but combined with the secondary and tertiary flavours in a highly complex way. The texture was begullying, smooth and silky, the epitome of grace. And it was delicate, with a medium plus finish but a super long persistence which now resides permanently in memory. What a great bottle. For it to have traveled in this shape for 52 years is just insane.
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With a spice filled nose, filled with cinnamon, all spice, cassis, truffle and earth, the wine had some rusticity in the otherwise, soft, earthy finish. There is no reason to age this hoping for further development.
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Youthful ruby brick color with ruby/orange rim. Floral nose mixed with brown sugar covered berries on the nose. Really nice. Palate is tired and shows some bitter notes. Still alive but past prime. Nose is really quite special. (91)
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Early Mar 2012, Chateau Margaux tasting (22 different vintages) at the Rheingau Gourmet Festival: clear rubin color; light red fruits; sweet and fruity on the palate; light/medium body; nimbly texture.
Very nice!
Flight IV: 1929 - 1947 - 1955 - 1959 - 1961
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Brown-rimmed. Secondary aromas of liquorice. Medium weight, oh so smooth. Surprisingly still a little persistence (30 secs?) on the finish. Pleasant surprise - bottle was v top shoulder, previous similar bottle was corked, so expectations were low and comfortably exceeded.
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Smoke, leather, 5 spice, cassis, soy, earth, tobacco and forest floor aromas were easy to find. Fully mature, medium bodied with soft textures, this elegant Bordeaux wine finishes with spicy, earthy, cassis filled flavors.
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Level slightly below the neck. Color not showing age at all. Cork was rather saturated, but came out in one piece. Was a fantastic experience, but I agree with others that this is likely well into decline. A beautiful wine, nonetheless.
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This bottle, from an Acker auction, was in superb condition. Level barely below the neck, excellent medium ruby color, orange rim. The cork was very firm and difficult to extract and very moist. This vintage is now a fading beauty. The ethereal floral bouquet is barely discernible but worth the effort to find. Medium body, smooth but no longer silky. Even with a perfect bottle the finish is drying out. I believe this wine peaked about 20 years ago. A fond farewell to my last bottle.
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The ultimate fragrance in Bordeaux is Chateau Margaux and this bottle displayed it, albeit to a modest degree. Violets, cinnamon, rose, strawberry. Light in weight, even soft, but not thin. The slightly dry finish signals that this wine is near the very end of its peak drinking plateau.
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Defeated by its tablemates ('61 Latour, '59 Latour and '59 Lafite) but still a lovely elegant wine. I hoped for more of that famous Margaux floral bouquet, but there was just a hint although what there was seemed delightful. On the palate, medium size and weight. The finish was just slightly acidic which may be the sign this bottle is fading from its awesome peak of 10 - 15 years ago.
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The '61 Margaux has begun its gentle decline, as evidenced by this bottle from AMC (retail) of impeccable appearance, with VTS level and deep maroon color. The best part is the sweet bouquet which exhibits lots of brown sugar along with the usual cedar and dark berry. The attack is also impressively fresh and delicious and the first glass is a total joy to drink. But after a half hour or so, fatigue sets in and the bouquet becomes as quiet as a whisper, the mid-palate more diffuse and the finish dry.
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I might have appreciated this more if it did not have the "misfortune" of being on the same table as the 1966 Palmer, which this time was clearly the better of the two. This bottle was also from a recent Acker purchase and it looked to be in very good condition, with a high shoulder level and a firm moist cork which I was able to extract in one piece with the Ah-So. Not surprisingly the color was amber with a lot of rust at the edge but no brown, consistent with previous bottles of this age. The bouquet was the best part; enticing, elusive with cinnamon and cooking spices, light, airy and very attractive. But the palate was not up to the nose. There clearly was a streak of excess volatile acidity which, although it didn't ruin the experience, took the edge off the multifaceted red fruit flavors. The finish was a bit short and cut off by the acid. Still very enjoyable because of the complexity and suppleness but not transcendent.
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Pebble Beach Food and Wine; 3/27/2008-3/30/2008 (Pebble Beach Resort, CA): Very brown in the glass, clouded, without much red/purple at all. Stunning floral and expressive nose. Palate was smooth completely integrated witha touch of sweetness to pencil and slate. Very long complex finish with mineral and nuts. Amazing wine.
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A slightly murky, mature mahogany-ruby colour. It’s quite lifted on the nose with some marshmallow notes and also some river bank notes. There is some open red fruit on the palate, with some ripeness. It feels nicely balanced, though there’s a bit of an earthy edge. Around an hour later, there are sweet biscuits and honeycomb on the nose and it’s still drinking well.
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At Equinox. Stunningly good. From the same parcel as the previous bottle. Gorgeous and WOTN at Equinox in a trio of Ducru '82/'70/'66, Palmer '83/'70/'66 and Margaux '90/'83/'61.
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From a bottle with a slightly raised cork and mid shoulder fill. Disgusting soy and caramel notes. Madeira finish. Not only undrinkable but, with time, unsmellable. Down the drain.
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I chose the "worst" bottle from a recent Acker silent auction lot to try first; high shoulder ullage, wine stained lable. The cork was very moist and tight, and crumbled badly despite my best efforts with an Ah-So. Quite a bit of fine sediment, so I ended up losing a glass or so. But not to worry. The color was medium deep garnet in the center with a lot of rusty orange at the rim. The famous Margaux fragrance was peeking out; the haunting scent of violets, rose petal, cherry and all sorts of elusive heavenly items from the garden gradually appeared after a surprising blast of pure vanilla in the first fifteen minutes. Smells and tastes sweet at first; no trace of that old Bordeaux cedar, leather or funk character sometimes found in bottles of this age. Medium weight and modest but clean finish made for quite a fascinating package which evolved minute by minute over the course of two hours we drank it at Marks Las Olas. This is the kind of wine which demands, and rewards, attention to nuance. Probably past its best, but still wonderful for wine necrophiliacs like me who value subtlety more than fruitiness.
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We opened it with cheese for a pre concert warm-up. This wine is still very good, but is fully mature and a bit soft. The fruit was pure cherry, very sweet, and still extremely pleasant. But the wine has lost its backbone, as a lot of the 61's have (give me 1959 over 1961 any day, if I have a choice between vintages and I'm blinded on the wine).
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Had with a '95 Margaux and two '89 Beaucastels. Very elegant with great color still. Lots of old bordeaux taste but has lost almost all fruit and finish is kind of short. Leathery and good mouthfeel.
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Red colour. Dark fruits and leaves on the nose. Also scents of crushed berries. The wine is medium to large bodied with superb intensity and power and a myriad of nuances, delivered in a package of finesse, elegance and harmony. Perfectly mature and superb for drinking now, the aftertaste was long, detailed, and balanced with flavours of pipe tobacco.
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Nicolas bottle. Delicate but more thrust than the previous bottle from the same source. Cool and classy. More black currant than usual. Not as complex as it can be but still wonderful.
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One of 4 ex-Nicolas bottles I purchased from John Hart Fine Wine. Superb bottom neck level. Spectacular almost glowing deep cherry red. The nose is surprising - pure cedary Cabernet Sauvignon. Lovely nevertheless. Good grip and persistence. But the finish is a little dry and harsh. Lasted about 1 hour.
Jim’s bottle. Good color. Only a pinched cedary nose though, missing the flower shop it should have. Medium body. Lovely texture. But short. Held and even improved for 2 hours but this tasting confirmed this vintage is past its best.
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A stunning bottle. Very rusty color verging on brown. Glorious archetypal violet Margaux perfume which unfortunately faded after 10 minutes. But the flavor did not. Sweet juicy succulent blackberry and raspberry. Surprisingly grip for a wine with almost no tannin. Long flowery finish. A fond farewell to a great Margaux.
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Orange color. Hints of flowers. Lightening up and becoming astringent. At the end of its useful life. Quite a difference from a previous bottle last year.
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Excellent deep ruby red. Strong positive nose, more Pauillac than Margaux. Dense. Surprisingly full and long, large scaled for the usually demure ‘61 Margaux. Delicious. Seemingly many years of life.
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Medium mature color. That gorgeous mesmerizing Margaux fragrance, this time with hints of dried leaves and dried fruit. Soft and mellow. Remarkably smooth and silky. Impressive for its feminine warmth and supple generosity. Soft lingering finish with minimal tannins. Beautiful balance and a delight to drink but surely on a gentle downslope.
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Medium ruby, bright and clear, tuilé rim. Magnificent “basket of flowers” perfume you dream of in Château Margaux. Violets, daisies and primroses which held for hours, then transitioned to cedar and cinnamon. Smooth, sweet, long and fragrant. One of the greats.
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6/8/2023 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Wine Workshop: Chateau Margaux (Gabriel Kreuther): Ok - here is a wine that jumps out a bit more and while I still think I preferred the ‘53 this did split the group and there were some who were firmly in the ‘61 camp. From a magnum and you get some of that extra power plus I just expect this wine was more powerful from the start. Lots of floral, almost a hand soap note that softened a bit. Petals all over. Dragonfruit. Hints of the tropics. Darker red and a bit more depth. Lovely wine and one that seems to be going quite strong. While I wouldn’t be surprised if the ‘53 is right in drinking window now this has a long life ahead.
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6/3/2023 - fcxj wrote: 92 Points
More dilute versus Palmer alongside.
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3/28/2022 - SebChau Likes this wine: 91 Points
Opened 2 hours prior to tasting. Medium+ red brick colored. On the nose this almost only tertiary with forest floor, tobacco but still some red cherries. On the palate, really precise aromas of ripened cherries, almost jammed, black truffles, mushrooms, leather, black tea. Might have been too acidic and lacked tannins to balance the overall structure. Medium bodied, and definitely past its best, but still impressed by the ageability of Bordeaux firsts growth !
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2/5/2022 - sdr Does not like this wine: 87 Points
61s at 61 (Bourbon Steak, Aventura, Florida): You want to include the First Growths when you do a big Bordeaux horizontal tasting so I reluctantly added this to the list knowing it probably wouldn’t be very good. I was right although this bottle was actually slightly better than some previous ones. There is a hint of that violet flower fragrance of Margaux and even a bit of charm if you wish to be magnanimous but no where near enough to be very enjoyable. From a period when the estate was allegedly not managed carefully enough, showing that great terroir does not guarantee great wine even in a great vintage.
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12/24/2021 - KenK Likes this wine: 93 Points
Impressive overall for a 60 year old wine. Just below shoulder fill, but seemingly appropriate for the vintage with a dry firm Ch Margaux branded cork that was tight and nearly came out whole. Popped and carefully poured. Color was quite good showing a dark brick red. Aromas where unbelievably sensational showing perfumed ripe dark red cherry fruits with a graphite note. Immediately very excited and clear this bottle was more than just simply sound. The palate generally followed the nose, but was more faded and while this showed very good underlying ripeness and good red fruit element, it also was a bit flabby in need of more structure. No sense of oxidation here, but relative to the exciting aromas the overall feel of the palate was a bit of a let down in terms solely of texture. Still quite tasty with nice flavors, just lacking tannins/acid backbone. Very happy with this and bottle was consumed rather quickly as the final judgement. Opened for Sam’s 60th at Goosefoot.
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11/24/2021 - Cailles wrote: 97 Points
Legends only: 15 Bordeaux & 2 Heitz MV Magnums: From magnum. Double decanted 3-4 hours prior to consumption. Quintessential Bordeaux, this Margaux was firing on all cylinders. Not famous for being one of the great 1961s, this magnum showed very complex, perfectly delineated, clean and harmonious, almost young-ish and fresh. Compared to a regular bottle I‘ve had to months ago (rated 95 pts) this showed much more power and intensity, fresher and better delinated. A winner. 97 to 98 pts.
TN: Explosive nose which puts you directly into Bordeaux heaven. Intense and super precise aromas of tobacco, black truffles, old leather, black tea and underneath a fresh dark fruit core. Superb nose. On the palate, the wine glides down effortlessly across your tongue with such a fine structure, molten tannins with no hard edges, superb freshness, perfect balance and a broad array of aromas mostly in the teritary spectrum with wet forest floor, leather, truffles, black tea, some spices, fine dark berries. Nothing in the dried spectrum, everything fresh. Just wow. Such a complete wine with so much life and tension, yet the perfect softness.
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10/17/2021 - Cailles wrote: 95 Points
30x 1955 & 1961 (mostly Bdx): Tasted single blind. Taste-off between the 1955 and 1961 vintages. No close race here. The 1955 (80 pts) was over and reeking of cat pee. The 1961 (95 pts), however, showed wonderful, seductive, fully mature but full of life with probably just a bit of substance missing for an even higher score. I particularly liked the typical Margaux femininity with lots of floral aromas.
TN: Medium+ intense nose with dark and fed fruits as well as minerality. Inviting and quite precise but not as layered and exciting as the palate which shows red and blue berries, lots of floral aromas, minerality and some herbs and old leather. It misses a bit of intensity mid palate but otherwise is quite complete. Fine, melted tannins but with good tension, good acidity and a wonderful creamy texture, so round and soft.
Decanting: Not decanted, good from the go. Maybe with a bit of air this would have gained further intensity.
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9/20/2021 - sirpat00 wrote: 95 Points
Grand 1961 vs 1955 vintage tasting (Fribourg): Big 1961 vs 1955 tastings including 10 direct match-ups and 11 individual wines from 1961. The tasting was conducted in flights of 4, single-blind and with no previous decant with all bottles opened 1h prior to start. The line-up was dominated by Bordeaux reds, but also included 5 Sauternes, 1 Champagne, 3 Burgundy reds and 1 Ribera del Duero. The following observations are worth mentioning: i) 1961 generally came across as a better vintage today than 1955, ii) the performance correlated with the 1855 classification, iii) The most outstanding wines were outside of the Bordeaux reds with Veuve Clicquot Rosé '61, Vega Sicilia Unico '61 (both 97) and La Tour Blanche '61 (96) worth mentioning, iv) Top-performing Bordeaux was Margaux (95) in 1961 and Mouton in 1955. List of wines included in the tasting story.
Tasting note:
Coffee strikes first, followed by a fruit profile that is leaning towards red berries. Nice detail, delineation and puristic in style. Also has mineral dimension to it. Amazingly fresh, youthful and balanced palate with a firm red line leading from attack to the finish.
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5/23/2021 - fclarity wrote: 95 Points
Tasted blind, this wine had a deep red center with light orange rims. Apparently, it was a VHS fill. The medium intensity nose generated plum, mocha, mineral, and some thyme notes.
In the mouth, this wine was medium bodied with light tannin, fine-grained acidity, and surprisingly good length (for a light bodied wine).
This bottle appeared to be a bit past its peak. It came out of the bottle a bit funky but continued to improve throughout the night. This once again showed that even bottles that are fully mature often need substantial air to reach their best. However, I would suggest drinking any remaining bottles ASAP.
My score for this wine was about a 93 early in the evening and it only hit 95 toward the end.
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8/3/2020 - Boone's Farm Likes this wine: 88 Points
High shoulder fill. Got better over time. Perhaps I didn't give it enough time. Muted flavors. Earth and leaves. Some hints of tobacco and leather. Did get better over an hour in the decanter. Not much life or zest. Maybe this was a bad bottle. I have 1 bottle left and hopefully it will show better.
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3/14/2020 - steinersing wrote: 96 Points
beautifully matured Bordeaux. Flowery nose with a hint of tobacco, a bit of sweetness. Gracefully evolved but still good backbone and holding up well over 2 hours. An excellent bottle.
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2/2/2020 - Jeff Leve wrote: 93 Points
Medium/full bodied, elegant, refined, soft and silky, the wine relies on its freshness and delicate nuances, instead of power and structure. Complex, captivating and caressing on the palate, this is at or probably slightly past its peak of maturity.
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2/4/2019 - Jeff Leve wrote: 93 Points
With a gentle side to the tannins, the medium/full bodied, fresh, earthy cassis filled wine felt as good as it tasted. Soft and refined, but lacking the level of depth and volume found in many of the vintages best wines, this is all about charm, balance and elegance. Fully mature, this does not have the stuffing for more evolution, if you are lucky enough to have a bottle, you should drink it.
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2/2/2019 - sdr Does not like this wine: 86 Points
1961 in Florida (Cafe Maxx, Pompano Beach, Florida): For a few fleeting minutes it seemed like this bottle would be a winner based on its lovely berry perfume that so distinguished it in its youth. But sadly it was not to be and it quickly turned dull and morose. Still, one could see the outline of what once was a beauty, if only through heavy cloud cover. A touch of earth on the finish adds interest, but not enough. Au revoir, my lady.
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1/16/2019 - misterstarre Likes this wine: 93 Points
The nose was special. Rather than the expected floral scent, I got a complex mix of sweet fruit, forest floor, and eucalyptis. The palate had a gentle attack fronted with pencil lead, a short hit of sweet fruit that quickly turned dry, molasses, black olive, licorice, faint soy sauce, and dominant mint. This all finished up with a touch of sweat and a short finish of weak tea. Relatively short finish. The best part of each sip was the inhale before the wine crossed my lips. The wine was lovely and enjoyable, but lacked intensity. (*from a .375, great fill and excellent cork condition)
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1/16/2019 - Dogsbert Likes this wine: 93 Points
Magnum. Beautifully complex bouquet - plums, leather, cedar even after hours of opening! Palate disappoints after such a wonderful nose but is no slouch. Fruit is fading ever so slightly but still showing well - mostly dark fruit flavours rather than red. Some minty notes and sweetness coming through as well. Wonderful freshness for it's age with mouth watering acidity! Tertiary notes starting to appear, hoisin, soy, but very much drinking at its apogee and likely to hold that for quite a few more years! Very well balanced and a joy to drink, (even for a bordeaux...;)
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11/8/2018 - fcxj wrote: 88 Points
Sweet fruit, quite savory finish.
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9/15/2018 - psmith wrote: 92 Points
The nose here is very pretty. Earth and dark, plummy fruit tones. It's clearly mature, but isn't showing any signs of cracking up. The palate isn't quite at that standard. It's a touch hollow and metallic, and just falls a touch flat. Clearly a good wine, but not one of the best Margaux I've had.
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9/15/2018 - acyso wrote: 93 Points
HDH auction at Spiaggia (ft. Maison Leroy); 9/13/2018-9/15/2018 (Chicago, IL): The nose is the killer thing here. It's so aromatic, with lovely tertiary Bordealais notes -- cedar, plum, graphite, and all that good stuff. With additional air, there's a bit of menthol starting to pop up as well. The palate is good, but shows its age. Not in any fear of decline, but not picking up steam with time either. A pleasure to try, and this bottle was sound, but not outstanding.
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8/7/2018 - nywine68 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Perhaps not as complex as you might expect from a first growth in a top vintage, but just so enjoyable. Juicy and fruity with beautifully soft tannins. So hard to put down!
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6/11/2018 - RayOB Likes this wine: 98 Points
Drank in HK
Still young and full of vitality an incredible wine. Rich complex nose deep round smooth palate with an incredible length. What is not to love about this wine
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6/11/2018 - KoalaHK wrote:
Drunk at Crown Wine Cellars Hong Kong - Paired with the 1959 this jumped out of the glass both on the nose and on the palate immediately upon pouring. A lovely sweetness was evident that you often get in mature claret, without any hint of its age. Definitely a great bottle that gave instant pleasure.
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4/4/2018 - fcxj wrote: 88 Points
Arbor Magnums. Salty palate. Don’t love how aged this tastes.
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10/14/2017 - G_H wrote: 87 Points
Oysters, iodine, strawberry jam, rather light and slim,
Disappointing fir the vintage but matching the reputation
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12/17/2016 - KeithAkers wrote: 97 Points
Nose: The nose is explosive, deep, layered, and refined with red cherries, spice box, leather, herbs, violets, roses, tobacco leaf, and cedar tones. This is pure class on the nose with the aromas just captivating you on every sniff.
Taste: Medium bodied with medium+ tannins and medium acidity. The feel was regal and pure satin with red cherries, spice box, violets, roses, cedar, and tobacco leaf tones.
Overall: This was glorious. This is what people talk about when they talk about the greatness of a First Growth. The storage was so amazing that this was just from a half bottle and it was blind. While it was clearly Bordeaux, it was tough to tell the age on it. A truly memorable experience.
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12/13/2016 - The Vines That Bind wrote: flawed
Acker BYO - Highlights (Tribeca Grill): Sadly maderized or damaged. Served alongside the 1961 Mouton which was epic.
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11/18/2016 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 94 Points
Best bottle of this I have had. Rose petals and light spice on the soft nose. A very pretty palate with sweet red fruit and berries. For all of this softness, this bottle was quite expressive.
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9/12/2016 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Had some influence of a mushroomy cork but was classy all the same. There were notes of tobacco, black olive, chocolate, dried flowers and sweet earth. It was powerful in the mouth and silky against the gums. Flavours build through the palate and length is very good.
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6/3/2016 - Stefanos T. Likes this wine: 96 Points
This one came from an obviously very well stored bottle with fill level almost into the neck.
Colour was a healthy-looking limpid garnet.
Nose was stunningly clean from the very start and typical of a mature claret with aromas of tobacco, cigar box, cedar, violets, roses and graphite.
On the palate it was absolutely harmonious with a velvety texture and flavours similar to those on the nose with an added sweet molasses/liquorice streak.
Might have lacked the intensity and even the complexity of a perfect and legendary claret (which the '61 Ch. Margaux never has been) but it was at prime condition and it was an utter pleasure to drink.
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2/9/2016 - hultman Likes this wine: 99 Points
Ändlös doft av röda vinbär. "Fyllig" och, trots åldern, mycket livfullt fruktig. Stort vin.
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12/24/2015 - psmith wrote: 91 Points
High shoulder fill. Sour red cherry and black tea notes. Tobacco. Lighter-medium bodied, subdued, and feminine. Great texture on the front, with some coarser tannins that come out on the finish and are unlikely to resolve. Some floral hints. Nice wine; fully mature.
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7/18/2015 - Bruce 1er Likes this wine: 100 Points
Tasted from double magnum. Lovely, silky. Cherries and other fruits very beautifully integrated. Elegant. However, seemed to fade after about an hour in an opened bottle.
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3/12/2015 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 92 Points
Light cola, spice, soap, and chalkiness on the nose. Boysenberry and slight leather notes on the palate. Rather unimpressive and did not stand up particularly well to its companion vintages. Oddly paired with aged comte tart.
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11/20/2014 - fatfishzsy wrote: 93 Points
宾客落座，将已经偏砖红色的液体倾入水晶杯中，轻轻打转，思绪已漫延到半个世纪前的目的地。听说那年的波尔多是个经典年份，7月持续有度降雨，收获季温暖充足的阳光，大自然毫不吝啬的赋予了葡萄绝佳的品质，以至于在53年后的这瓶1961年的玛歌果香若隐若现，如落晚芳菲。
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7/4/2014 - VailYamaGirl wrote:
$1000
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5/20/2014 - ArizonaWineGuy wrote: 94 Points
From my father-in-law's cellar. Shoulder high on the filling, showing 53 years of age. As soon as I pulled the cork, I could tell from the still powerful nose that this wine was still very much alive. Color was brown and murky, likely then result of the journey from Beverly Hills to Tucson. On the palate, while there is a certain mustiness, there's a surprising amount of fruit, primarily plum with a hint of cassis, present here. I sense this wine will open up a good deal in the next couple of hours. What a treat to drink a wine from before when I was born.
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1/3/2014 - fclarity wrote: 95 Points
Unfortunately, I was in a situation where I could not take detailed notes. The wine was clearly original with a high shoulder fill. It came out of the bottle with some stink and hard edges.
After 3+ hours in the decanter, this wine really started coming around. It had a very complex nose of black cherries, brown spices, mocha, and soil. It the mouth it was refined and balance but has a great juicy mouth-feel, solid structure, and great length.
This is another wine that will be all too easily dismissed by tasters who don't give it enough aeration (or who had bad bottles). It seems ready and only pretty good in its initial, low impact stage (after an hour or two). You only find out its winner in hour 3! The good news is that there is no reason to wait on this bottle!
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12/7/2013 - Amerique wrote: 91 Points
Charcol nose and flavors, fruit slightly thin, good acid, wine came in fourth of 10 wines in line up including 1959 Mouton, 1961 Latour, and 1949 Leoville-las-cases
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8/22/2013 - MatthewF wrote:
From 375ml. Popped, decanted off the sediment and then poured. Started off very musty and lean, but after 15 minutes fleshed out a bit. Dried red cherry and plum with dried earth and leaves. Some fruit still showing on the palate, but the acid stuck out a bit too much. Lighter bodied with a short finish. Fun to try, but not great. Fell apart roughly 30 minutes after opening.
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7/29/2013 - chiliman96 wrote: 88 Points
not much fruit left
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6/17/2013 - TheEngineer Likes this wine: 93 Points
I had bought this on auction and was fearful that it would be corked, etc,... For those of you old enough...no one on this board apparently, this bottle was still in its purple paper wrapper and the old metal cage. The cap and labels were in good shape and it completely looked the part. The fill was just below shoulder level. Effectively perfect for a 52 year old wine..... so I was worried about fakes too but with the original wrapper and cage (i,e. the paper had stuck hard to the cage and was impossible to tamper with without ripping it) around it, I felt safer.
I opened this for a field that had come by for dinner, amoungst a few other bottles that I will post in coming days but this was the anticpated wine of the night. As such, I was worried about a faulty wine now.
The capsule opened up to reveal just the right amount of mold on both the cork and the capsule....good. Cork came out in ONE PIECE...perfect. and then I waited. I poured the first glass and then one for the guest and then around to all my friends. One by one, as the wine opened up, started to smile. This wine is definitely fully matured and on the start of the decline but what a graceful wine The wine was fully integrated, the fruit still in tact but combined with the secondary and tertiary flavours in a highly complex way. The texture was begullying, smooth and silky, the epitome of grace. And it was delicate, with a medium plus finish but a super long persistence which now resides permanently in memory. What a great bottle. For it to have traveled in this shape for 52 years is just insane.
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9/3/2012 - Jeff Leve wrote: 90 Points
With a spice filled nose, filled with cinnamon, all spice, cassis, truffle and earth, the wine had some rusticity in the otherwise, soft, earthy finish. There is no reason to age this hoping for further development.
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7/27/2012 - dbkitc wrote: 91 Points
Youthful ruby brick color with ruby/orange rim. Floral nose mixed with brown sugar covered berries on the nose. Really nice. Palate is tired and shows some bitter notes. Still alive but past prime. Nose is really quite special. (91)
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6/12/2012 - MatthewF wrote:
Farewell Dinner (Charlie Trotter's, Chicago IL): My notes only say not pristine. Some off putting aromas.
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3/3/2012 - Fatty Cat wrote: 93 Points
Early Mar 2012, Chateau Margaux tasting (22 different vintages) at the Rheingau Gourmet Festival: clear rubin color; light red fruits; sweet and fruity on the palate; light/medium body; nimbly texture.
Very nice!
Flight IV: 1929 - 1947 - 1955 - 1959 - 1961
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7/30/2011 - pmarsland wrote: 91 Points
Brown-rimmed. Secondary aromas of liquorice. Medium weight, oh so smooth. Surprisingly still a little persistence (30 secs?) on the finish. Pleasant surprise - bottle was v top shoulder, previous similar bottle was corked, so expectations were low and comfortably exceeded.
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3/7/2011 - Jeff Leve wrote: 91 Points
Smoke, leather, 5 spice, cassis, soy, earth, tobacco and forest floor aromas were easy to find. Fully mature, medium bodied with soft textures, this elegant Bordeaux wine finishes with spicy, earthy, cassis filled flavors.
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2/26/2011 - mrkb wrote: 95 Points
Precious color and nose, superb depth and very well rounded after all this years. Superb! My only regret is not waiting enough time after decanting.
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12/10/2010 - Lord Rayas wrote: 91 Points
Julian's MNSC (Wagyu Kaiseki Den): nice nose of lead pencil and smoke. a little dried out and astrigent on the palate.
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10/31/2010 - The Drunken Cyclist wrote: 93 Points
Level slightly below the neck. Color not showing age at all. Cork was rather saturated, but came out in one piece. Was a fantastic experience, but I agree with others that this is likely well into decline. A beautiful wine, nonetheless.
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10/16/2010 - sdr Likes this wine: 91 Points
This bottle, from an Acker auction, was in superb condition. Level barely below the neck, excellent medium ruby color, orange rim. The cork was very firm and difficult to extract and very moist. This vintage is now a fading beauty. The ethereal floral bouquet is barely discernible but worth the effort to find. Medium body, smooth but no longer silky. Even with a perfect bottle the finish is drying out. I believe this wine peaked about 20 years ago. A fond farewell to my last bottle.
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6/25/2010 - WildeMeeuw wrote: 96 Points
Verticaal Margaux (Chalet Royal): 1961 Château Margaux (Frankrijk, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux) Kleur: Bleek oranjebruin. Aroma / bouquet: Prachtige complexe rijpheid, caramel, nootmuskaat, animaal, wat medicinaal, Smaak / Afdronk: Geweldig geconcentreerde rijpheid, natuurlijk zoetige indruk / lage zuurgraad, wat jodium, verrassend vitaal, mooie balans, geweldig lange afdronk. Begint na enige tijd wat ouderdomszuur te vertonen. Algemeen / potentieel: Zeer bijzonder glas… Na zestig! Jaar nog buitengewoon vitaal. 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 13 + Smaak / Afdronk: 19 + Algemeen / potentieel: 9 = 96/100
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6/9/2010 - sdr Likes this wine: 91 Points
The ultimate fragrance in Bordeaux is Chateau Margaux and this bottle displayed it, albeit to a modest degree. Violets, cinnamon, rose, strawberry. Light in weight, even soft, but not thin. The slightly dry finish signals that this wine is near the very end of its peak drinking plateau.
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3/18/2010 - sdr wrote: 91 Points
Defeated by its tablemates ('61 Latour, '59 Latour and '59 Lafite) but still a lovely elegant wine. I hoped for more of that famous Margaux floral bouquet, but there was just a hint although what there was seemed delightful. On the palate, medium size and weight. The finish was just slightly acidic which may be the sign this bottle is fading from its awesome peak of 10 - 15 years ago.
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11/19/2009 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 95 Points
The Fine Wine Experience Classic Claret II (Restaurant The Square **, London): Wonderful nose, classic and rich, deep, cedar; rich, combines finesse with considerable power, in great shape, lives up to its reputation. Splendid.
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7/18/2009 - sdr wrote: 93 Points
The '61 Margaux has begun its gentle decline, as evidenced by this bottle from AMC (retail) of impeccable appearance, with VTS level and deep maroon color. The best part is the sweet bouquet which exhibits lots of brown sugar along with the usual cedar and dark berry. The attack is also impressively fresh and delicious and the first glass is a total joy to drink. But after a half hour or so, fatigue sets in and the bouquet becomes as quiet as a whisper, the mid-palate more diffuse and the finish dry.
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4/8/2008 - sdr wrote: 89 Points
I might have appreciated this more if it did not have the "misfortune" of being on the same table as the 1966 Palmer, which this time was clearly the better of the two. This bottle was also from a recent Acker purchase and it looked to be in very good condition, with a high shoulder level and a firm moist cork which I was able to extract in one piece with the Ah-So. Not surprisingly the color was amber with a lot of rust at the edge but no brown, consistent with previous bottles of this age. The bouquet was the best part; enticing, elusive with cinnamon and cooking spices, light, airy and very attractive. But the palate was not up to the nose. There clearly was a streak of excess volatile acidity which, although it didn't ruin the experience, took the edge off the multifaceted red fruit flavors. The finish was a bit short and cut off by the acid. Still very enjoyable because of the complexity and suppleness but not transcendent.
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3/28/2008 - Nutty08 wrote: 98 Points
Pebble Beach Food and Wine; 3/27/2008-3/30/2008 (Pebble Beach Resort, CA): Very brown in the glass, clouded, without much red/purple at all. Stunning floral and expressive nose. Palate was smooth completely integrated witha touch of sweetness to pencil and slate. Very long complex finish with mineral and nuts. Amazing wine.
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6/1/2007 - andrewstevenson.com wrote: 90 Points
A slightly murky, mature mahogany-ruby colour. It’s quite lifted on the nose with some marshmallow notes and also some river bank notes. There is some open red fruit on the palate, with some ripeness. It feels nicely balanced, though there’s a bit of an earthy edge.
Around an hour later, there are sweet biscuits and honeycomb on the nose and it’s still drinking well.
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3/29/2007 - sdr wrote:
At Equinox. Stunningly good. From the same parcel as the previous bottle. Gorgeous and WOTN at Equinox in a trio of Ducru '82/'70/'66, Palmer '83/'70/'66 and Margaux '90/'83/'61.
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12/25/2006 - psmith wrote: flawed
From a bottle with a slightly raised cork and mid shoulder fill. Disgusting soy and caramel notes. Madeira finish. Not only undrinkable but, with time, unsmellable. Down the drain.
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11/11/2006 - sdr Likes this wine: 94 Points
I chose the "worst" bottle from a recent Acker silent auction lot to try first; high shoulder ullage, wine stained lable. The cork was very moist and tight, and crumbled badly despite my best efforts with an Ah-So. Quite a bit of fine sediment, so I ended up losing a glass or so. But not to worry. The color was medium deep garnet in the center with a lot of rusty orange at the rim. The famous Margaux fragrance was peeking out; the haunting scent of violets, rose petal, cherry and all sorts of elusive heavenly items from the garden gradually appeared after a surprising blast of pure vanilla in the first fifteen minutes. Smells and tastes sweet at first; no trace of that old Bordeaux cedar, leather or funk character sometimes found in bottles of this age. Medium weight and modest but clean finish made for quite a fascinating package which evolved minute by minute over the course of two hours we drank it at Marks Las Olas. This is the kind of wine which demands, and rewards, attention to nuance. Probably past its best, but still wonderful for wine necrophiliacs like me who value subtlety more than fruitiness.
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9/4/2006 - lstubbs wrote:
sublime, Drank to honor Grampa's passing. In Maine Aug 2006.
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8/3/2006 - BradE wrote:
We opened it with cheese for a pre concert warm-up. This wine is still very good, but is fully mature and a bit soft. The fruit was pure cherry, very sweet, and still extremely pleasant. But the wine has lost its backbone, as a lot of the 61's have (give me 1959 over 1961 any day, if I have a choice between vintages and I'm blinded on the wine).
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3/25/2006 - jarvisdrinker wrote: 94 Points
Had with a '95 Margaux and two '89 Beaucastels. Very elegant with great color still. Lots of old bordeaux taste but has lost almost all fruit and finish is kind of short. Leathery and good mouthfeel.
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3/24/2004 - Joe Belmaati wrote: 95 Points
Red colour. Dark fruits and leaves on the nose. Also scents of crushed berries. The wine is medium to large bodied with superb intensity and power and a myriad of nuances, delivered in a package of finesse, elegance and harmony. Perfectly mature and superb for drinking now, the aftertaste was long, detailed, and balanced with flavours of pipe tobacco.
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1/1/2001 - sdr Does not like this wine: 82 Points
Nicolas bottle. Served a little too warm so that may explain the slightly muddy flavor. Doesn’t sing. Drying finish. Too old.
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12/1/1999 - sdr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nicolas bottle. Delicate but more thrust than the previous bottle from the same source. Cool and classy. More black currant than usual. Not as complex as it can be but still wonderful.
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9/1/1999 - sdr Likes this wine: 91 Points
One of 4 ex-Nicolas bottles I purchased from John Hart Fine Wine. Superb bottom neck level. Spectacular almost glowing deep cherry red. The nose is surprising - pure cedary Cabernet Sauvignon. Lovely nevertheless. Good grip and persistence. But the finish is a little dry and harsh. Lasted about 1 hour.
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12/1/1996 - sdr Likes this wine: 87 Points
Jim’s bottle. Good color. Only a pinched cedary nose though, missing the flower shop it should have. Medium body. Lovely texture. But short. Held and even improved for 2 hours but this tasting confirmed this vintage is past its best.
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10/1/1993 - sdr Likes this wine: 96 Points
A stunning bottle. Very rusty color verging on brown. Glorious archetypal violet Margaux perfume which unfortunately faded after 10 minutes. But the flavor did not. Sweet juicy succulent blackberry and raspberry. Surprisingly grip for a wine with almost no tannin. Long flowery finish. A fond farewell to a great Margaux.
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9/1/1993 - sdr Does not like this wine: 84 Points
Orange color. Hints of flowers. Lightening up and becoming astringent. At the end of its useful life. Quite a difference from a previous bottle last year.
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1/1/1992 - sdr Likes this wine: 94 Points
Excellent deep ruby red. Strong positive nose, more Pauillac than Margaux. Dense. Surprisingly full and long, large scaled for the usually demure ‘61 Margaux. Delicious. Seemingly many years of life.
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4/1/1991 - sdr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Medium mature color. That gorgeous mesmerizing Margaux fragrance, this time with hints of dried leaves and dried fruit. Soft and mellow. Remarkably smooth and silky. Impressive for its feminine warmth and supple generosity. Soft lingering finish with minimal tannins. Beautiful balance and a delight to drink but surely on a gentle downslope.
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1/1/1988 - sdr Likes this wine: 96 Points
Medium ruby, bright and clear, tuilé rim. Magnificent “basket of flowers” perfume you dream of in Château Margaux. Violets, daisies and primroses which held for hours, then transitioned to cedar and cinnamon. Smooth, sweet, long and fragrant. One of the greats.
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3/28/1978 - Ispendtoomuchmoneyonwine Likes this wine: 100 Points
One of the greatest wines I have ever tasted a total fruit bomb velvety tannins a unbelievable nose. Absolute perfection
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