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Grand 1961 vs 1955 vintage tasting

Fribourg

Tasted September 20, 2021 by sirpat00 with 162 views

Introduction

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.

Most bottles were acquired in the late 90ies on the secondary market and stored in perfect condition since.

Bordeaux reds 1961
95 – Margaux
94 – Calon-Ségur
93 – Pape Clément
93 – Mouton Baronne Philippe
93 – Phélan Ségur
92 – Haut Bailly
92 – Puy-Blanquet
91 – Rausan Ségla
90 – Belair
89 – Mouton Rothschild
87 – Rauzan Gassies
86 – Talbot
70 – Pavie

Bordeaux reds 1955
94 – Mouton Rothshild
94 – Rausan Ségla
92 – Calon-Ségur
90 – Rauzan Gassies
89 – Phélan Ségur
88 – Talbot

Sauternes
96 – La Tour Blanche '61
93 – Yquem '55
92 – Yquem '61
91 – Gilettes Crème de Tête '61
75 – Gilettes Crème de Tête '55

Burgundy reds
92 – Romanée Conti Grands Echézeaux '55
84 – Vogüé Musigny '61
70 – Romanée Conti Grands Echézeaux '61

Others
97 – Veuve Clicquot Rosé '61
97 – Vega Sicilia '61
80 – Graham's Tawny Port '61

Flight 1 (2 notes)

Rosé - Sparkling
1961 Veuve Clicquot Champagne Brut Rosé Vintage France, Champagne
97 points
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:
A bit Sherry-like, toffee and dark chocolate, almonds, some caramel. Fruit pretty much in the background, maybe a bit of candid peach. Still incredibly fresh with crisp acidity and plenty of bubbles left. On the palate a more citric fruit profile, green apple and steely minerality. Unexpectedly long finish. An outstanding bubbly wine and lucky who still owns this.
White - Sweet/Dessert
1961 Château La Tour Blanche Sauternes France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
96 points
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:
Very citric nose in terms of fruit with bee wax and honey as main features. But also spicy layers of cardamom. Also fried banana. On the palate incredibly dense, very creamy with plenty of viscosity left - this must have been so dense back in the 60ies that I doubt it was even liquid… In the Sauterns line-up this was absolutely crushing it.
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Flight 2 (4 notes)

Red
1961 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Grands-Echezeaux France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Grands-Echezeaux Grand Cru
70 points
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:
Oxidized at first sight and felt dead. There was some black coffee, some leather, but no discernible fruit and the palate not much more than old vinegar. To be fair some in the group of 15 claimed time in the glass and vigorous swirling brought this back to live. So I kept swirling and swirling, trying to defibrillate this out of the graveyard… but to no avail. The 1955 next to it performed better but was also not much more than ok.
Red
1955 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Grands-Echezeaux France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Grands-Echezeaux Grand Cru
92 points
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:
Black coffee, espresso, freshly roasted coffee beans - the whole array of coffee-related notes. Also leather, horse stable with a fruit that appeared dark given all the overlaps from the aging notes but did have some red berry fruit shining through every now and then. The palate also shows nice aging aromas, but with a clearly red fruit profile. That said the structure has evaporated with age leaving too much acidity and a thin texture. An amazing nose that triggered lots of Oh‘s and Ah‘s in the crowd, but it pains me to say not much pleasure to drink.
Red
1961 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Musigny Cuvée Vieilles Vignes France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Musigny Grand Cru
84 points
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:
First impression: Immediately too oxidized with not much life left, only vaguely hinting at what could have been many moons ago. Palate with a nice, smoky component but pretty much over. You could argue still drinkable if you really have to, but don‘t expect any pleasure from it.
Red
1961 Château Puy-Blanquet France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
92 points
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:
Ripe red and blue berry fruit providing for a clearly much younger appearance. Fresh green herbs and mocha come on top while aging notes gathered more in the background. The palate was bursting with energy, fruit, vibrancy. However, a pretty tangible tannin structure which will probably never really integrate.
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Flight 3 (4 notes)

Red
1955 Château Talbot France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
88 points
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:
Slightly milky colour was a cause for concern. But the nose was intact with on balance a red fruit profile, a bit of smoke, coffee and iodine. So far so good, but unfortunately the palate lacked balance, at the same time exhibiting pretty high acidity and mouth-coating tannin which felt un-integrated. Slightly better than the '61, but neither was convincing and I would urgently drink up any remaining stock…
Red
1961 Château Talbot France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
86 points
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:
Slightly milky appearance, just as the '55 showed right next to it. But luckily no faults on the nose where I found aging notes of wet earth, foliage, a nice smokiness and iodine. Not overly precise, but very nice overall. As was the case for the '55, the palate felt off-balance with almost greenish tannin, not really integrated too, and plenty of acidity. At first impression I preferred the '61, but with time in the glass this disintegrated quicker than the '55. Wouldn't recommend cellaring any day longer.
Red
1961 Château Pavie France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
70 points
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:
A super-intense nose showing distilled fruit notes and quite weird spices such as anise and curcuma. This did not taste like wine, even if the extreme nose did offer some allure initially. But the palate was so bad I could hardly keep the sip in my mouth long enough to move my face to the spittoon.
Red
1961 Château Belair (Dubois-Challon) France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
90 points
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:
Aging notes of forest floor, red and overall pretty ripe berry fruit. Fresh with a surprisingly fruity palate, albeit with a somewhat weakish structure. This was ok and I wouldn't mind popping a bottle anytime I stumble across this. But nothing stood out.

Flight 4 (4 notes)

Red
1961 Château Calon-Ségur France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
94 points
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:
Pure red berry fruit is centre-stage here, but with herbal complexity of menthol as an add-on. Great freshness with good tension and a firm structure. Maybe a bit one-dimensional, but elegant and reminding me more of a young Burgundy Pinot than an aged Bordeaux. This offers pleasure aplenty and crushes the '55.
Red
1955 Château Calon-Ségur France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
92 points
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:
Espresso, smoke, mixed berries and a bit mineral is the first impression. Fresh palate with good tension but maybe lacking balance. Tannnin is not (or no longer) managed well. The '61 was in much better shape.
Red
1955 Château Phélan Ségur France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
89 points
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:
Incredibly concentrated, intense, with menthol and mint elements as well as roasted coffee beans and a mix of berries. Great nose, but lots of acidity and texturally broken I found. Much preferred the '61.
Red
1961 Château Phélan Ségur France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
93 points
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:
Less intense than the '55 initially, but showing nice aging notes along with both blue and red berry fruit. A nice, fresh palate with a long, leathery finish. Not overly complex nor precise maybe, but definitely in a great spot and in much better shape than the '55.

Flight 5 (4 notes)

Red
1961 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero
97 points
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:
What a uniquely massive bouquet! Liquorice candy, cassis liqueur, black coffee, strawberry bubble gum and plum. There was also a faint element of burnt rubber This was so intense that at first you'll miss the aging notes consisting of mushrooms and earthy notes. This showed a versatile evolution in the glass, constantly changing., however. Amazing power with densely packed falvours of liquorice on the palate, plenty of tannin and acidity. A veritable explosion reminding me more of an Aussie Shiraz than a 60 year old Bordeaux. This is strong stuff - but you definitely need the stomach, and taste, for it. Felt like there was another 100 years of aging potential left. An extreme wine that didn’t fit into the Bordeaux dominated setting where it felt like an encounter of the third kind.
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Red
1961 Château Mouton-Baronne-Philippe France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
93 points
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:
Fine and elegant showing espresso, a bouquet of red, blue and dark berries as well as smoke. Soft palate with a velvety texture, but maybe no longer the firmest structure. Probably best to drink up at this stage to capture some of the beauty before it's faded away.
Red
1961 Château Mouton Rothschild France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
89 points
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:
I‘m sure this could be or could have been a refined, elegant and aristocratic wine, but what I found was already showing signs of fatigue and lacking definition. A palate dominated by acidity and not much else. Others in the group with previous experiences of this legendary wine pointed out that there are much better bottles out there… Alas, this was not one of them and easily outshone by the '55.
1 person found this helpful Comment
Red
1955 Château Mouton Rothschild France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
94 points
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:
Roasted coffee beans, matchstick, dark chocolate, fine spices and seasonings as well as herbal notes present a very complete aromatic picture. You could tell immediately that this was a different level. Also a nice and harmonious palate that leaves not that much to wish for, except that maybe it was already starting to thin out a bit.

Flight 6 (4 notes)

Red
1955 Château Margaux France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
90 points
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:
Fresh red berry fruit, great intensity with hints of coffee and fresh green herbs. Nice and juicy on the palate with good tension and harmony. This started off very promising, but unfortunately this was falling apart quickly in the glass, developing chemical and ammonium notes.
Red
1961 Château Margaux France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
95 points
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.
Red
1961 Château Haut-Bailly France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
92 points
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:
Slightly leathery and smoky, blue berries and red cherry fruit, also coffee. Some fresh herbs complement the picture. Fresh and juicy palate, although maybe not quite what I would perfect balance.
Red
1961 Château Pape Clément France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
93 points
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:
Intense with roasted coffee beans, smoke, dried herbs, but not much fruit left. Juicy palate with some aging notes in decent balance. Even if not overly complex, there was depth to this and a high level of enjoyability.

Flight 7 (4 notes)

Red
1955 Château Rausan-Ségla France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
94 points
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:
Intense with a mix of ripe dark and red cherry fruit, dark chocolate and black tea with a bit of gingerbread adding a pinch of sexiness. Came across incredibly young and vigorous. Juicy and rich palate with a cool but dense fruit and lots of structure.
Red
1961 Château Rausan-Ségla France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
61 points
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:
A bit of espresso, fresh garrigue, a bit of earth, red cherry and blue berry fruit, a fine layer of sweet spices. Fresh palate, cool red berry fruit, but a rather thin texture with some green tannin lingering on into the finish.
Red
1961 Château Rauzan-Gassies France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
87 points
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:
Slightly Porty, pretty concentrated, but also borderline soy sauce unfortunately. This was probably amazing 20-30 years ago but showing clear signs of fatigue now. Same on the palate, lacking balance, austere and astringent. Did prefer the '55 at this stage.
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Red
1955 Château Rauzan-Gassies France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
90 points
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:
Black coffee, ripe and pretty extracted fruit. Great tension and freshness on the palate, but the integrity of the aromatics seemed impaired by the age. Showing well against the '61.

Flight 8 (4 notes)

White - Sweet/Dessert
1961 Château Gilette Crème de Tête France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
91 points
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:
Beautiful amber colour. Nice, aged Sauternes nose but without much intensity or precision, I found. A bit of saffron, candid fruit and some cooler mineral notes. OK palate with some freshness left, sweet but not too sweet and a marginally creamy texture. Compared very well to the '55 which didn't have much to show for left.
White - Sweet/Dessert
1955 Château Gilette Crème de Tête France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
75 points
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:
Not really expressive and hard to pin-point the individual flavours. Not as sweet as the '61 next to it. Palate is marked by faulty notes and a brutally short finish. Something clearly went wrong here at one point over the last 66 years.
White - Sweet/Dessert
1955 Château d'Yquem France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
93 points
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:
Quince, candid peach, dried apricot, seasonings of different spices including the signature saffron. Dense, creamy with plenty of structure and powerful overall. However, a slight acidity overhang is unfortunately weighing on the balance and hence not quite at the level of other aged landmark Yquems such as the '48. This was a tad better than the '61, however.
White - Sweet/Dessert
1961 Château d'Yquem France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
92 points
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:
Distinctly smoky aroma profile in contrast to the more classic '55 next to it, also candid fruit, spice and sweet honey notes. Soft and well-balanced palate with a smoky aftertaste. A solid Yquem, but without the ability to leave a lasting impression, I found, and I did prefer the '55 somewhat.

Flight 9 (1 note)

Red - Fortified
1961 Graham Porto Single Harvest Tawny Portugal, Douro, Porto
80 points
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:
Fig and candid plum fruit as well as oxidative, nutty notes. The attack explodes with toffee and caramel notes, but immediately collapses into an oxidized state at which point this became hardly drinkable.
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