Self-fulfilling Prophecy

[rich]

Anyone see the NY Times article on the '82 Bordeaux today? Still more hype for this over publicized vintage.

Having tasted most of the 82's over the years, I don't believe it's the vintage of the century, rather it's the vintage when Bordeaux moved to California.

The 82's are very good to excellent, but not very food friendly, much like many of their California Cabernet cousins.

I guess when you proclaim a vintage to be the best and it makes your career, you better give it "100" when you taste it 20 years later.

Maybe there's another reason. If someone proclaims a vintage of the century after having purchased futures, living off the investment can't hurt.

Self-fulfilling prophecies belong on Wall Street, not Oenophile Blvd. Give me a '78 Bordeaux with dinner anytime. Keep the 82's and let others pay the ridiculous prices.

[Steve Plotnicki]

Gee the '78's are underripe. The Latour might be the best of them and I had a good relationship with that wine for a time but in general the vintage is an undeperfomer. The '82's on the other hand are blockbusters but they aren't going to be ready to drink for another 20 years. It's a high acid vintage that is similar to the better wines of 1959. There is no way to drink them now and find them enjoyable. Your saying that they aren't food friendly is an understaement. They are basically undrinkable. If you prefer softer wines with more opulent fruit, buy 90's. The good '90's like Latour and Cheval Blanc have astonishingly pure and ripe fruit. It won't be drinkable for another 15-20 years but the wines are great. And if you want a vintage for current drinking, 1985's are terrific if a bit acidic. Lots of wines from that vintage that are now drinking well.