Monday 20 February 2012

The Perfect Ones - Part 10

In June of 1993 I worked extra at what was then called Stockholm Wine Festival. I worked the cellars where the exhibitors stored their wines. One exhibitor came from London and dealed in fine and rare wines. One part of the festival were high end tasting that he arranged. Any visitor could buy a seat at those tasting. And some of them didn´t fill up, but he still had to open enough bottles to go around.
Guess who sometimes wound up with bottles of extraordinary wines with 5,10,15 centiliters left? He noticed my obsession (when I stood and drooled over the bottles...) and offered me the remains after the tastings (you can see some of the others below).

One of the tasting included some old and rare Burgundys, with the 1949 Musigny Vieilles Vignes from Comte de Vogüé from magnums as the highlight. After the tasting one magnum was left with ca 15-20 centiliters in it. He asked if I was interested? Is the pope catholic!!
It still is the most perfect wine I have ever tasted. When asked what my desert island wine is or I what I want to drink before I start pushing up the daisys, this one is always my answer.

1949 Musigny Vieilles Vignes, Comte de Vogüé (magnum)
A fabolous, intense, pure and decadent nose with utterly gorgeous notes of strawberry jam, smoke, dark roasted coffee, fresh herbs and spicies, figs, violets and moist earth. The scent of freshly washed clothes drying in the breeze. This is just magnificent! And you wouldn´t guess that it is 44 years old in a million year.
The taste is like drinking liquified velvet with notes of smoke, strawberries, dark chocolate, fried vegetables, soft leather, and moist atumn leaves. The finish goes on for two minutes. The tannins are so soft, and yet they support the fruit just perfectly. My tasting note ends with: "A revelation!" The most perfect drink ever.
100p   (tasted 1993/06)



Some of the other wines tasted during the festival:
1928 Château Palmer   (96p)
1961 Château Meyne   (86p)
1961 Château Pichon-Baron   (88p)
1961 Château Branaire-Ducru   (91p)
1961 Château Calon-Segur   (90p)
1970 Château Montrose   (94p)
1986 Hermitage, Chave   (88p)

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