Chambertin Clos de Beze		1978	P. Gelin

12/96. Bought at auction Mar-96 for $107 (Imported from Chicago for $123 net).
Tonight, Friday night dinner for two. Portebello mushroom ragu, young lamb chops in thyme and saffron rice, cheese and fruits.
This Grand Cru vineyard from the fantastic 1978 by one of the most highly respectable producers of the time.
COLOR: Brick-red with light brownish tint as befitting an 18 years old (B). Some clearing towards the rim and a ton of sediment at the bottom of the bottle.
NOSE: Grandiose! All that one can ask for in a great (B). Mature fruit, complex and enticing "Bourgogne Nose", leather, wet forest earth, hints of toffy. Deep and beautiful. The nose alone would have justify the price.
TASTE: Mouthfilling if there ever was such a thing. Full of mature but vigorous fruit. Delicate and smooth on the palate, yet underlined with an elegant and firm backbone. Totally harmonized taste that just begs for another sip.
LENGTH: Extremely long and profound aftertaste. The smaller the sip taken and 'chewed' - the longer and more pronounced is its length...
TEXTURE & BALANCE: Full bodied but in a delicate (B) way. Extremely smooth wine with fruit, acidity, tannins and above of all 'wininess' - all discernible and all in total harmony.
OVERALL: Extraordinary wine! The kind of experience one should look for in a truly great (B). At its peak now, so if you are lucky to have a bottle - why wait?
MARK: 19/20.aaaaaaaaBUY MORE? Yes.

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Copyright 1996-2003.
Jacob "Yak" Shaya.