Seven Bottles From The Greatest Vintage Ever...

...which of course is 1964!
But you already knew that, right? :-)

Update - I have learned how to count - it was seven bottles...

In order to reduce my stock of 1964 bottles, I opened six of them when some friends came to dinner last weekend.

With some assorted Italian goodies I opened two bottles.
1964 Muscadet, Domaine de Gilliéres
What a surprise! The expectations of a 1964 Muscadet wasn´t that high when I opened it, but lo and behold - fresh as a daisy and not just drinkable but highly enjoyable.
The nose is racy, fresh (!) and stony with notes of dried lemon peel, oyster shells, yellow apples, almond biscuits and lots of crushed rocks. Remarkable.
The taste feels more mature than the nose but is full of dried yellow fruits and notes of hay, almond paste, slate and a smoky note. A medium long finish with high acidity.
If I had got this poured blind I could have betted some money that it was a 80´s Chablis of premier cru quality... It kept for four days in the fridge and didn´t budge at all. Just stunning!
90p   (tasted 2014/03)

1964 Eltviller Sonnenberg Riesling Cabinet, Weingut Rudolf Kurth
A deep, mature, honeyed nose with notes of dried apricots, sage, petrol, rubber boots and some saffron notes. A very fine dried up sweetness. Maybe a bit monolithic. Good.
The taste is mature an semi dry with notes of dried tropical fruit, dried honey, lavender and dried flowers. A good acidity. Ends with a slight bitter note. I would guess that this would have performed better 10+ years ago. Good though.
81p   (tasted 2014/03)

With the red Burgundies we had an array of different chargrilled sausages, root vegetables and a couple of different sauces.
1964 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru, Domaine Drouhin-Laroze
First up was two bottles from Drouhin-Laroze. I have had some amazing old bottles from this producer. The Gevrey-Chambertin has a sweet, mature, round nose with notes of strawberries, licorice, gravel and warm herbs. A fine warmth. Ripe. Very good.
The taste is warm, mature and a bit seedy with notes of ripe strawberries, cold coffee, stables and old leather. A fine maturity. A long, warm finish. This is drinking great now. Lacks a bit of oomph for greatness though.
88p   (tasted 2014/03)

1964 Morey-St-Denis, Domaine Drouhin-Laroze
This bottle has seen better days, the fruit is hot, overripe and with notes of moist forest floor, bonfire and old leather. Not all the way over the hill but close enough.
The taste is mature, dry and foursquare with notes of overripe strawberries, rosehips, wet smoke and old leather. There is a rather fine warmth but the middle of the taste is hollow. Works with the food but is too dry on its own.
67p   (tasted 2014/03)

1964 Nuits St Georges Clos des Porrets, Domaine Henri Gouges
But we were richly compensated with the next bottle. From the glass sours a complex, deep, somewhat mature nose with notes of wild raspberries, fresh herbs, pine, warm tiles and mushrooms. Very, very poised. Ripe, fresh red fruit. This is utterly gorgeous
The taste is pure, velvety and perfectly mature with notes of sweet lingonberries, raspberry coulis, fried herbs, forest floor and warm gravel. A long, balanced finish with a fine acidity. This is in a perfect stage now but should keep at this level for at least +6 years. Great stuff!
94p   (tasted 2014/03)

1964 Beaune-Perriéres, Guy Leblanc
The bottles from the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin can from time to time deliver some real pleasure. And they usually doesn´t command a high tariff.
This one opens with a deep, ethereal, pure nose with notes of raspberries, red currants, rosehips, tobacco ashes, autumn leaves and mushrooms. Very, very good. A fine sweetness to the fruit. This is very much alive and kicking.
The taste is mature, sweet and velvety with notes of lingonberries, dried strawberries, forest floor, dry tobacco and herbs. A fine warmth in the medium long finish. Perfectly mature. Very, very good.
90p   (tasted 2014/03)

1964 Chambolle-Musigny Les Amoureuses, F. Colin-Barolet
A Les Amoureuses no less but this is in a wheel chair on its way down a steep hill...
Not completely dead but the breathing is miniscule and the end is in sight.
52p   (tasted 2014/03)