"Nineteen-eighty-two is a vintage of legendary proportions for all levels of the Bordeaux hierarchy."
(Robert Parker)
"this was also a year when the crus bourgeois made some exceptional wines; indeed there were delicious wines at the humblest level."
(David Peppercorn)
A few weeks ago we tasted a line up of some of those wines at a more humble level. They proved to be, for the most part, alive and kicking, and offered up fine drinking pleasure.
Flight I
1982 Château Lalande (Listrac)
A light, fine nose with notes of tobacco, dried black currants, coffee powder and fresh stables.
The taste is dry and seedy with a fine matured structure, some autumn leaves and a nice warmth in the finish.
87p (tasted 2025/05)
1982 Château La Graviére Grand Poujeaux (Moulis)
Opens a tad dusty but that blows away and notes of damsons, red apple, tobacco and old furniture emerges.
The taste is dry and fine with notes of dried red and black currants, vintage leather and undergrowth. A very fine warmth.
89p (tasted 2025/05)
1982 Château Larose- Trintaudon (Haut-Medoc)
A delicate, warm nose with notes of autumn leaves, plums, sugared coffee and stables.
The taste is round and fine with notes of sweet tobacco, leather and charcoal. A long, distinct finish. This is still on the young side of things.
91p (tasted 2025/05)
1982 Château Brie-Caillou (Medoc)
Corked #¤%&#¤!
Not rated (tasted 2025/05)
Flight II
1982 Château Carbonnieux (Pessac Leognan)
A damp. earthy nose with notes of green tea, dry tobacco and bakelite.
The taste is dry and angular with some dry red fruit, a hint of bitterness and a short finish.
78p (tasted 2025/05)
1982 Le Crock (St. Estephe)
A cool, fine nose with notes of coffee, ripe black currants and autumn leaves. A very fine maturity.
The taste is dry and warm with notes of moist earth, dried black currants and sugared coffee. Very, very good.
88p (tasted 2025/05)
1982 Château Les Ormes de Pez (St. Estephe)
A deep, forest filled nose with notes of tobacco, smoke and fir wood. Plums and black currants in spades. Very fine.
The taste is tight and fine with purity and finesse. Lovely fruit and a long, silky finish.
92p (tasted 2025/05)
1982 Château Lynch-Moussas (Pauillac)
A somehat dusty nose that got a bit better with air, dried red currants, gravel and dry tobacco.
The taste is better with still some perky tannins, dried red and black currants and forest floor.
86p (tasted 2025/05)
Flight III
1982 Château La Grace Dieu (Saint-Emilion)
A deep, mature, almost meaty nose with notes of dried plums, fir wood, sweet tobacco and undergrowth. Very fine.
The taste is nicely concentrated, perfectly mature with ripe plummy fruit and a long, warm finish.
92p (tasted 2025/05)
1982 Château La Grace Dieu Des Prieurs (Saint-Emilion)
A nice, earthy nose with notes of graphite, damsons and violets. A nice sweetness to the fruit.
The taste is dry and mature with notes of dried plums, dusty earth and a medium long, warm finish.
89p (tasted 2025/05)
1982 Château du Mignon (Saint-Emilion)
A fine, mature nose with notes of tobacco, charcoal, plums and autumn leaves. Very fine.
The taste is rustic yet elegant with lovely fruit, a very fine warmth and still some perky tannins.
91p (tasted 2025/05)
1982 Château Grand Corbin (Saint-Emilion)
A somewhat dusty nose with notes of dried black currants, gravel and dry tobacco.
The taste is dry and seedy with notes of violets, dried plums and cigarette ashes. A long warm finish.
85p (tasted 2025/05)