1985 Bordeaux Tasting - A GREAT vintage comes to maturity

Burgundy makes you think of silly things, Bordeaux makes you talk of them and Champagne makes you do them.
- Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

This is another one of those tastings that we are doing just because we have the wines and they need to be consumed.  This excellent vintage is not as highly regarded as 1982 or 1986 but I would place 1985 in the top three vintages in the decade of the 1980's and the prices on these wines are still reasonable at auction today.  How many times will you get to drink Chateau Petrus, Chateau Margaux, Chateau Haut Brion and Chateau Mouton Rothschild, Ducru Beaucaillou and more...This is truly a "once in a Lifetime" wine tasting event.  Speaking of vintage Bordeaux check out the vintage Bordeaux offering at the end of this offering, we have a huge stash of wines here at the store ready to drink right now!!

This is a sit down pre-poured tasting and we are limited to only 15 tasters.  Wine Watch Catering's Toni Lampasone will be making a few small courses to accompany the tasting wines.  The fee for this tasting is $295+ tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463.

1985 Bordeaux Tasting - A great vintage comes to full maturity
Friday, June 15th
7pm

Tasting Line-up:

Chateau L'Arrosée St. Emilion 1985

(88 Points)  A gorgeous wine young, but beginning to slip a bit as it approaches its 16th birthday, this wine showed wonderfully floral notes of framboise, violets, and cherries in its youth, but is beginning to lose some of the sweetness and fatness it had early on, and show a more structured, drying finish. Still a beautiful wine aromatically, but a bit attenuated in the finish, this wine needs to be drunk up. Anticipated maturity: Now. Last tasted, 12/01.  Bordeaux Book, 4th Edition, Jan 2003

Sociando Mallet Haut Medoc 1985

(91 Points)  Another super wine from this cru bourgeois. Fresh and fine with tasty vanilla, cherry and spice character. It's full-bodied, but medium in tannins. Long, fine finish.--The Bordeaux 50. Drink now. –JS  Wine Spectator, Issue: Oct 15, 1994

Chateau Petrus Pomerol 1985

(88 Points) This is the kind of wine that I bought at a high price, and every bottle I have tasted from a six-bottle allocation has been increasingly disappointing. The wine still has its admirers, particularly Michael Broadbent, who continues to find it virtually perfect. Either we have different palates or we are tasting different wine, but this wine now has a medium ruby color with considerable amber at the edge. The nose smells like fresh vegetable market, with spice box, celery seed, fennel all there, along with a hint of tobacco and Provencal herbs. There is sweet cherry fruit there, but the weediness dominates everything. In the mouth, the wine is light, medium-bodied, and fading. This is a wine to taste with the label clearly in front of you, to think of other Petrus vintages as opposed to what is in the 1985. Caveat emptor. Anticipated maturity: Now-2010. Last tasted, 11/02. Bordeaux Book, 4th Edition, Jan 2003

Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou St. Julien 1985

(92 Points) A wine of extraordinary charm and elegance, the dark garnet-colored 1985 Ducru-Beaucaillou has a floral, cedary nose intermixed with red and black currants as well as flowers. The wine is fully mature and soft, with beautiful concentration and purity. It is not a blockbuster, and certainly not nearly as powerful and massive as the 1986, but it is certainly much more seductive. This wine should continue to drink well for at least another 10-15 years. Anticipated maturity: Now-2012. Last tasted, 5/02. Bordeaux Book, 4th Edition, Jan 2003

Chateau Haut Brion Pessac Leognan 1985

(95 Points) A gloriously seductive, classic Haut-Brion showing the most savory side of this elegant, finesse-styled wine, the 1985 Haut-Brion has reached its plateau of full maturity. The color is a deep ruby/garnet with some lightening at the edge. A very complex nose of cedar, dried herbs, smoke, creosote, and black cherries, plums, and currants jumps from the glass. In the mouth, it is round, concentrated, medium to full-bodied, with a velvety texture and beautifully integrated alcohol, acidity, and tannin. A beauty! Anticipated maturity: Now-2012. Last tasted, 11/02. Bordeaux Book, 4th Edition, Jan 2003

Chateau Margaux, Margaux 1985

(95 Points) Approaching full maturity, this beautifully sweet Chateau Margaux has a dense plum/purple color and a huge, sweet nose of black currants intermixed with licorice, toast, underbrush, and flowers. Medium to full-bodied with supple tannin and a fleshy, juicy, very succulent and multi-layered mid-palate, this expansive, velvety wine has entered its plateau of maturity, where it should remain (assuming good storage) for at least another 10-15 years. A very delicious, seductive, and opulent Chateau Margaux to drink over the next two decades. Anticipated maturity: Now-2015. Last tasted, 10/02. Bordeaux Book, 4th Edition, Jan 2003

Chateau Cos D’Estournel St Estephe 1985

(93 Points) The 1985 from cask could have been a lighter version of the 1982 and 1953 vintages. Forward, with a fabulously scented bouquet of pain grille and concentrated red and black fruits (especially black cherries), it is rich, lush, long, and medium to full-bodied. Very fragrant, with gobs of sweet black fruits, minerals, and spice in both its flavors and aromatics, this is one of the most forward wines from Cos. Anticipated maturity: now-2010. Last tasted 4/97. Bordeaux Book, 3rd Edition, Jan 1998

Chateau Lynch Bages Pauillac 1985

(92 Points) The 1985 has been totally disarming, seductive, and sexy since birth. Its corpulence, medium to full-bodied personality, low acidity, attractive silkiness, and copious quantities of herb-tinged cassis fruit have always made this wine a winner. It is beginning to display a few signs that it is at its peak of maturity and will not get any better. In fact, it might be best consumed over the next 5-10 years. As it sat in the glass, the 1985 faded more than any other vintage, but its immense up-front pleasure cannot be denied. This is a wine to decant right before serving, and not to linger over. It is a beautiful, elegant style of Lynch Bages. It is sure to please both connoisseurs and neophytes. Wine Advocate #129, Jun 2000

Chateau Mouton Rothschild Pauillac 1985

(90 Points) The rich, complex, well-developed bouquet of oriental spices, toasty oak, herbs, and ripe fruit is wonderful. On the palate, the wine is also rich, forward, long, and sexy. It ranks behind both Haut-Brion and Chateau Margaux in 1985. I am surprised by how evolved and ready to drink this wine is. Readers looking for a big, boldly constructed Mouton should search out other vintages, as this is a tame, forward, medium-weight wine that is close to full maturity. It is capable of lasting another 15+ years. This estate compares their 1985 to their 1959, but to me it is more akin to their 1962 or 1953. Anticipated maturity: Now-2012. Last tasted, 10/97. Bordeaux Book, 3rd Edition, Jan 1998

Menu

Selection of Cheese: Beemster Gouda, Reggiamno Parmesan and Sharp Cheddar

Duck Confit and smoked mozzarella ravioli with sun dried tomato, browned butter and fresh basil garnish

Mesquite grilled NY strip Steak served with shoe string potato fries dusted with parmesan, truffle and fresh basil

Dark chocolate covered bacon

One of my favorite web sites for reference material on Loire and Bordeaux is run by Chris Kissack aka the Wine Doctor.  Check out his web page at http://www.thewinedoctor.com/

A bit about the 1985 Vintage from the Wine Doctor:

The 1985 vintage was just one of many successful vintages for Bordeaux during the 1980s. Both 1982 and 1983 had their excellent wines, the former across the board, the latter particularly in Margaux. The 1981 vintage also has its merits, and in 1980 there were some excellent Sauternes produced. Only 1984 disappointed.

The year began with a cold snap, and this was followed by some cool, damp Spring weather. July was hot but also wet, whereas August was cold but at least it was dry. To some, the 1984 vintage may have begun to look more attractive. The wise, however, kept their hands in their pockets, and they received their reward in September, harvest month, which was the driest and hottest it had been since the weather records began. Harvesting took place towards the end of the month, taking full advantage of this wonderful end to the growing season. The Merlot grapes were ripe and of good quality, but the later ripening Cabernet Sauvignon were less impressive. Those that delayed the harvest of Cabernet into October reaped further rewards.

Over the past few years the 1985 vintage has gained a reputation for being attractive, ripe and, in my opinion, perfect for current drinking. The condition of the Merlot means that there are many appealing right bank wines from Pomerol and St Emilion. Châteaux of the Médoc communes and Graves that delayed picking also produced some excellent Cabernet based wines. The producers of Sauternes and Barsac were less fortunate, however, as here the September drought inhibited the development of Noble Rot, meaning that the sweet wines of this vintage are not generally very exciting. (18/9/02)  www.thewinedoctor.com

If 1985 has a special meaning for you as a vintage here are some other 1985 vintage wines available in the store.

1985 Dom Perignon Brut Champagne Magnum
Price: $1600.00
Quantity in Stock: 1

1985 Domaine Leroy Leroy d'Auvenay Bourgogne
Price: $130.00
Quantity in Stock: 1

1985 Opus One Napa 375ml
Price: $125.00
Quantity in Stock: 3

1985 Opus One
Price: $249.00
Quantity in Stock: 10

88-90 points. The 1985 Opus One has consistently performed between It exhibits a healthy dark ruby color with no signs of age. The nose has not budged much from when it was first bottled. The delicate yet attractive fragrance of vanilla, herbs, cassis, and spices is followed by a sculptured, fruity, medium to full-bodied wine with crisp acidity, moderate tannin, and good depth. While very good, possibly excellent, it lacks the extra dimension of flavor and personality necessary to merit an outstanding rating. Drink it over the next 5-7 years. It seems to me that vintages since 1990 have been markedly superior.  Wine Advocate # 98, Apr 1995

1985 Borgogno Barolo Riserva
Price: $178.50
Quantity in Stock: 3

Intensely garnet red in color with a distinct, orange rim, this wine has a bouquet layered with notes of light aged wood, dried fruits, and flowers. Full-bodied with the warmth of alcohol, it is intense, yet mellow, full and round on the palate. Remarkably structured, the wine is well balanced and elegant with a smooth, silky finish.

1985 Dow Vintage Port
Price: $120.00
Quantity in Stock: 1

(87 points)This is an extraordinary house that seems to have been particularly successful with its vintage port since 1977.The 1985 is dark-ruby/purple with a rather closed one-dimensional aroma. On the palate, this Dow is restrained, but rich, tannic, and full-bodied, yet not nearly as concentrated as one would expect. Have I missed something? Wine Advocate Buying Guide, 2nd Edition (1989)

1985 Toro Albala Pedro Ximenez Gran Reserva 375ml
Price: $32.75
Quantity in Stock: 11

1985 Toro Albala Pedro Ximenez Gran Reserva
Price: $49.50
Quantity in Stock: 5

Toro Albala in Montilla Moriles is famous for their aged Pedro Ximenez. Traditionally the grapes are allowed to raisin for several weeks before pressing. Figs, dates and prune aromas, with notes of caramel, toffee and baking spice. Dense and palate coating, the cutting acidity provides the perfect foil to the sweetness in this wine. A perfect pairing is either arroz con leche or simply a little vanilla ice cream. It's a new taste experience that you'll be sure to like.