Oenophile alert!

[Degustation]

I've been invited to a winetasting Christmas party where there will be different wines to sample. However, it will be first come, first served. Once the advertisesd vintage is gone, it will be replaced by a "mystery" wine. So I call on the knowledge of the wine experts out there to help me plan my strategy. Which wines should I head for first? Which ones should I not even bother with. They are also offering a regular serving of a 100-year-old vintage Verdelho Madeira from 1902 for a $16 supplement - worth it?

I'm not married to any particular type of wine, and I am willing to try anything especially if it's very good. For instance, I always thought red wine was dreadful until I had my first sip of Chateauneuf-du-Pape.

Advise away please.

Red Wines

ARGENTINA 1996 Cabernet Sauvignon, Catena Alta - Bodegas Esmeralda

AUSTRALIA 1997 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz - Penfolds

AUSTRALIA 1997 Shiraz, Brookman Vyrd - Clarendon Hills

AUSTRALIA 1997 Shiraz/Grenache/Mourvèdre Old Vine - Penfolds

BORDEAUX 1957 Château De Terrefort Quancard

BORDEAUX 1962 Château Lafite

BORDEAUX 1962 Château Phelan-Segur

BURGUNDY 1947 Corton-Bressandes - Sichel

BURGUNDY 1972 Clos Vougeot - Jean Grivot

BURGUNDY 1972 Nuits-Saint-Georges - Domaine Leroy

BURGUNDY 1997 Le Corton - Bouchard P & Fils

CHILE 1992 Finis Terrae - Cousiño-Macul

CHILE 1997 Merlot, Cuvée Alexandre - Casa Lapostolle

GREECE 1994 Naoussa Grande Réserve - Vaeni

ITALY 1967 Barolo Riserva - Borgogno

ITALY 1997 Porphyr - Lagrein

N ZEALAND 2000 Pinot Noir - Palliser Estate

PORTUGAL 1997 Quinta Do Cotto

RHONE 1982 Châteauneuf-du-Pape - Vieux Telegraphe

RHONE 1992 Châteauneuf-du-Pape - Château de Beaucastel

S AFRICA 1997 Pinot Noir, Galpin Peak - Bouchard Finlayson

SPAIN 1997 Rioja Reserva - Muga

SWISS 2000 Pinot Noir - Imesch

USA-CALIF 1977 Cabernet Sauvignon, Fay Vyrd - Heitz Cellars

USA-CALIF 1977 Petite Sirah, York Creek - Ridge

USA-CALIF 1985 Cabernet Sauvignon - Caymus

USA-CALIF 1992 Zinfandel, Pagani Ranch - Ridge

USA-OREGON 1992 Cabernet Sauvignon - Seven Hills

Dessert Wines

CALVADOS 1977 Calvados - Coeur De Lion

GERMANY 1971 Ockfener Bockstein Herrenberg Auslese - Rheinart

GERMANY 1997 Scharzhofberger Riesling Spatlese - von Kesselstatt

HUNGARY 1995 Szt. Tamas Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos - Royal Tokaji

LOIRE 1997 Coteaux Du layon, St Lambert - Pithon

MADEIRA 1942 Malvasia Reserve Velha, Quinta Mãe Dos Homens-Barbeito

MADEIRA 1952 Verdelho Reserva Velha - Barbeito

PORTUGAL 1937 Colheita Port - Barros

PORTUGAL 1977 Vintage Port - Gould Campbell

PORTUGAL 1977 Vintage Port - Skeffington

PORTUGAL 1987 Vintage Port, Quinta da Vargellas - Taylor

SAUTERNES 1975 Château d'Arche

White Wines

ALSACE 1999 Gewurztraminer - Zind-Humbrecht

ARGENTINA 1997 Chardonnay, Luca vyrd, Catena Alta - Bodegas Esmeralda

AUSTRALIA 1997 Chardonnay - Petaluma

BURGUNDY 1992 Chassagne-Montrachet, Morgeot - Ramonet

BURGUNDY 1997 Beaune, Clos des Mouches - Drouhin

CANADA 1999 Old Vines Chardonnay, American Oak - Daniel Lenko

CANADA 1999 Old Vines Chardonnay, French Oak - Daniel Lenko

CHILE 2000 Sauvignon Gris - Casa Silva

JURA 1992 Arbois, Dom de Sorbief (Rosé)- H Maire

LEBANON 2000 Blanc Eternel - Fakra

LOIRE 1997 Sancerre, Clos du Roy - P Jolivet

N ZEALAND 2000 Chardonnay - Te Kairanga

RHONE 1997 Condrieu - G Vernay

SPAIN 1987 Viña Tondonia Reserva

USA-CALIF 1997 Chardonnay Overlook - Landmark

USA-CALIF 1997 Chardonnay, Private Reserve - Beringer

[Charles Smith]

It's an interesting list-

some very good producers, in not so great vintages-

I'd be very interested in tasting the following-

'67 Barolo- (very good to great vintage)

'37 Port

'92 Ramonet

'62 Bordeaux'

you should also try all of those earlier before your palate is impacted-

[GordonCooks]

Looks like the leftovers from a Zachys Auction ?

In my opinion

White Wines

ALSACE 1999 Gewurztraminer - Zind-Humbrecht

BURGUNDY 1997 Beaune, Clos des Mouches - Drouhin

Either is a decent palate cleanser

Red Wines

BORDEAUX 1962 Château Lafite - It's a Lafite (try by all means)- Too bad it's not a Margaux

BORDEAUX 1962 Château Phelan-Segur – Ditto

BURGUNDY 1947 Corton-Bressandes – Sichel – I’m clueless

BURGUNDY 1972 Clos Vougeot - Jean Grivot – I’ve had Domaine Remoissnet 20 yrs older (VG) but not the Grivot – I plead ignorance

ITALY 1967 Barolo Riserva - Borgogno

USA-CALIF 1977 Cabernet Sauvignon, Fay Vyrd - Heitz Cellars - DOA

USA-CALIF 1977 Petite Sirah, York Creek – Ridge – This should be a 1997 not 1977

USA-CALIF 1985 Cabernet Sauvignon – Caymus – Jump on this if it’s SS

USA-CALIF 1992 Zinfandel, Pagani Ranch – Ridge – A powerhouse 5 yrs ago

Dessert Wines

HUNGARY 1995 Szt. Tamas Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos - Royal Tokaji - Excellent

MADEIRA 1942 Malvasia Reserve Velha, Quinta Mãe Dos Homens-Barbeito – love Madeiras – I try any I can get my hands on

MADEIRA 1952 Verdelho Reserva Velha - Barbeito

PORTUGAL 1977 Vintage Port - Gould Campbell – 77 vintage but no knowledge of the producer

PORTUGAL 1977 Vintage Port – Skeffington – ditto

SAUTERNES 1975 Château d'Arche – 75 D’Yquem was great but I’m unsure

Edited December 5, 2002 by GordonCooks (log)

[britcook]

BORDEAUX 1962 Château Lafite  - It's LaFite

[britcook]

An interesting proposition, is it a winetasting or is it a party? The range is too wide to be a "sensible" tasting, but too good just to be a party. There could be some difficulty in following the general guidelines which are white before red, dry/light before sweet/full bodied, young before old, in rising order of alcoholic strength. It depends what you want to get out of it, do you just want to get as much "good stuff" as possible down your throat, do you want to expand your experience with red wines or concentrate on the whites, do you want to branch into the dessert stuff. Personally (and this is not necessarily a recommendation) I'd start with the two white Burgundies (which I love) then hit the dessert stuff, start with the Loire, the German Spatlese followed by the Auslese, the Tokaji then the Sauternes, the Ports in reverse date order, the Madeiras the same and I'd spend the $16 on the 1902, you're going to get precious few chances and the price is very reasonable (that was a recommendation).

[GordonCooks]

BORDEAUX 1962 Château Lafite  - It's LaFite

Really? That would be news to the Rothschild family who own it. Perhaps you were thinking of La Fayette?

La Fayette Reneau ???

I answered in the context of "I'm assuming it's Chateau Lafite-Rothschild - given the oppurtunity, I would try any Premier Cru, regardless of vintage."

Maybe I'm missing something?

[britcook]

No, it's just that the F in Lafite is not capitalised, which is what I thought you were trying to say.

[GordonCooks]

No, it's just that the F in Lafite is not capitalised, which is what I thought you were trying to say.

Pardon, my mistake.

[Ron Johnson]

The 1985 Caymus should be interesting because I believe Randy Dunn was still the winemaker there at that time. It will be a far different wine from what they are making now. Dunn's wines are made to age so that should be drinking great right now.

I don't know if Phelan Segur is a 40 year ager, but it would be interesting to find out.

The Borgogno Barolo Riserva should be very good.

The '77 Heitz Fay Vineyard will be nice.

Skip the Rhones, neither 92 nor 82 were good vintages in the south.

For whites, I'd jump on the Zind Humbrecht Gewurz and the Condrieu.

Have fun!

[Degustation]

Thanks for all the responses. It's a party run by a wine tasting club, so the servings will be tasting size portions. As they say in their invite, they will intentionally have a mixture of classics wines, eclectic selections, rarities, the unusual and some lesser known damonds in the rough - just so there is something for everyone.

I believe the reds and whites will be out first, to complement the food tables. People will be able to partake in whatever order they like, as they will just head to to tables where that particular wine is located. The dessert-style wines will appear towards the end of the evening along with dessert and coffee. It seems Santa will also be appearing with some sort of "bubbly" at some point...who knows what this may be...just sparkling or actually decent Champagne? I think I will stick to the vintage Madeira.

I would like to proceed in some reasonable order but I'm sure some of the popular wine tables will be pretty crowded, and may run out early. I would rather like to savour some good stuff, rather than making it into a marathon gulp and run session. So I will have to have an "A" list and then a "B" list to make sure I don't end up stuck with the dregs.

[thin guy]

An interesting proposition, is it a winetasting or is it a party? The range is too wide to be a "sensible" tasting, but too good just to be a party. There could be some difficulty  in following the general guidelines which are white before red, dry/light before sweet/full bodied, young before old, in rising order of alcoholic strength. It depends what you want to get out of it, do you just want to get as much "good stuff" as possible down your throat, do you want to expand your experience with red wines or concentrate on the whites, do you want to branch into the dessert stuff. Personally (and this is not necessarily a recommendation) I'd start with the two white Burgundies (which I love) then hit the dessert stuff, start with the Loire, the German Spatlese followed by the Auslese, the Tokaji then the Sauternes, the Ports in reverse date order, the Madeiras the same and I'd spend the $16 on the 1902, you're going to get precious few chances and the price is very reasonable (that was a recommendation).

I agree. I'd take a chance on the upcharge for the old Madeira, a fascinating drink of real mystery-a real grown up wine. I think we're recommending the 97 Coteaux du Layon from the Loire, not the broken down 97 Jolivet Sancerre.

Frankly, I think this whole affair stinks from the ground up. I've never seen a rattier collection of tired old horse-piss under one roof. Its actually rather perverse. Sort of a cruel joke. Beware.