Grands Echezeaux 1983 Mongeard-Mugneret
9/95. Bought in auction July-95 for $70 (imported from Chicago for $82 net).
Three years ago I had this very wine in one of the best restaurants in
Bourgogne. It always ranked among the very best wines we ever had. I was so
elated when I saw the wine in an auction a few months back, and was surprised
I got it for a mere $70 a bottle. With some apprehension we opened a bottle
tonight. Maybe this bottle will was not kept under ideal conditions, maybe it
will ruin our idolized memories?
Accompanied tonight's main course of roast calf in lemon sauce.
COLOR: Good color of light red, slightly paling towards the rim, but no orange
or brown hues.
NOSE: Immense! Powerful mixture of pure 'Bourgogne nose', ample red fruit and
sweet plums. A delicious aroma of a mature yet full-of-life (B) that makes you
wish just to sniff and sniff without tasting lest the taste will prove
disappointing.
TASTE: Wow! The most concentrated juice imaginable. A myriad of flavors dance
and do tricks on the palate. Both complex and full of taste. Vibrant fruit
with plenty of smooth and velvet 'wininess'. Both delicate and full of vigor.
(I know I got carried away, but it was *that* good).
LENGTH: Extremely long, multidimensional and very pleasant aftertaste.
TEXTURE & BALANCE: Very soft but discernable tannins give backbone to this
unusual combination of full-bodied yet super delicate wine. Wood, fruit,
acidity, alcohol, tannins and most of all - concentration, make this a wine a
perfect example what a truly great (B) bottle means.
OVERALL: Extraordinary! A rare (literally) perfect (B) with many years of life
ahead. The $70 it sold for is ridiculous, considering I paid twice that much
for far lesser wines.
MARK: 19/20.aaaaaaaaBUY MORE? Yes.
Reach Me? yak@yakshaya.com
Copyright 1996-2003.
Jacob "Yak" Shaya.