1921 Marc Brédif Vouvray Moelleux

Community Tasting Notes (2) Avg Score: 92 points

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  10/31/2015 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 92 Points

  A private dinner (Restaurant im Schiffchen **, Düsseldorf, Germany): Thick plastic capsule (almost impossible to cut through) suggests this was recorked and released in the 1970's. Pale golden colour shot with amber, very bright and lively for age; distinctly Chenin on the nose, linen and chamomile, incredibly fresh and lightly sweet, hints of honey, flowers, orange and spice, touch of old botrytis; the palate is delicately sweet, rounded and juicy, subtle waxy bottle-age, harmonious and completely together, again with good Chenin typicity, energetic, balanced and fresh, bitters in check; notes of yellow apple on the finish, honey, good length. Simply incredible quality for a 94 year old medium-sweet wine.

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  3/29/2015 - IJC Likes this wine:

  One hardly knows where to begin.
  
  The fact that I am writing indicates that I have returned from a voyage of the mind that began in a glass of wine last night, the image of which is burned into my memory, and which I tried to capture in the photograph uploaded. As I looked down into this glass etched with birds and flowers, highlights of a black and white pattern seen through it seemed to begin to spin, and I felt as though I was also looking into the vortex of a time machine; this wine was born in the same year as my 93 year old father. The first World War had ended only three years before, and yet Marc Brédif produced from these vineyards (in only his third vintage!) a wine that has long outlived him, and was capable of transporting us back to his place and time. How is it possible that I'm about to drink something this old? Again?
  
  A year ago, Connie and Dave invited a few close friends to join them to celebrate their 60th anniversary, at which we drank Foreau's '21 Vouvray "Doux". That singular experience, which I have described elsewhere on this site, was and remains the benchmark against which I could say I measured this glass, but that would be wrong, since a comparison - while it might be mildly interesting - is besides the point. This was in every respect, a unique, special, powerful experience, all the moreso because the wine was a paragon of subtlety and finesse - except for the color, a garnet hue that glowed like liquid fire.
  
  To attempt to describe the specifics of taste, smell, and the range of sensory experiences coming from this glass of wine is a bit like trying to capture a genie in a bottle - but, if I pursue this metaphor, Bredif succeeded. How is it possible that a wine this old could retain such youth, such purity of fruit, such clarity and balance? The sweetness of this wine - more intense than the "Doux" was never cloying, its freshness coming from a perfect balance of acidity, and despite the incredible intensity of flavor, it left a sensation of lightness in the mouth. All sorts of wonderful taste sensations in perfect orchestration - honey and honeysuckle, quince and melon, amontillado/ oloroso, caramel and apple, and an undercurrent of something dark and rich and mysterious - for which I don't have another descriptor.
  
  The last of his collection of '21s, Dave opened this bottle to celebrate two new friends who share his love of wine and opera. We talked about this wine, and many other things, and I remember thinking this was a wonderful conversation, but I have no specific memory of what we discussed. It was as if I was in a trance induced by these wines.
  
  The six wines at this meal represented the complete spectrum of Vouvray - beginning with Foreau's 2008 Demi-sec, then the Brédif '21 Moelleux, Allias's '90 Moelleux, Foreau's 2002 Sec, Carème's 2008 Demi-Sec, and a final bottle (regrettably, corked) Huet's 1959 Moelleux "Clos du Bourg".
  
  We ate and drank over a 3+ hour period, and at the end of the meal, we finished the '21, still as rich as it had been at the outset. This was an experience for the ages, and I count myself lucky to be amongst those fortunate enough to have been invited to share it. It certainly will be one of the great wine experiences of my life.
  
  Rated HC (beyond category).
  
  Postscript:
  Ordinarily I would post a photo of the label and bottle, but the original label was gone, replaced by a handwritten sticker. Instead, I've included a photo of the original cork, which had the look, feel, and consistency of a piece of wood that had been turned on a lathe, with a small loop of metal protruding from the top, through which an iron wire (fil de fer) had originally been threaded to keep the cork in place.

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