My excuse was that it cost less than half a bottle of Chateau Lafite 1996, yesterday was my birthday and 01 is the dark horse vintage on the right bank. The 1998 costs nearly three times what I paid for this, the 2000 nearly five times. This wine could even be a bargain.
When I took the bottle out of my wine fridge on my return from San Francisco my pulse started to quicken and I got a lump in my throat. Just standing there it looked so imposing, so regal. When I carefully uncorked it last night my heart was racing and my hands were trembling.
A deep color, it is dense and brooding. It slowly unfurls majestically over two hours. It is rich and complex and has unfathomable depth. It is silky, refined and complex; ever changing subtle nuances and a kaleidoscope of flavors start rolling across my tongue, caressing my palate. Dark berry fruits, olives, tobacco, tea, spice market, mint, eucalyptus, cloves and nutmeg -wave upon wave, never ending. Effortlessly majestic, it is noble and regal.
Close your eyes and you can imagine you are on a boat in the middle of the night as bright moonlight dances across the dark water. You are aware of a shimmering presence. A woman shrouded in black is coming towards you across the water, getting closer, clearer, bigger. Meanwhile on the palate Beethoven’s 5th symphony is climaxing towards a deafening crescendo...
She stares straight into my eyes and walks by right up close and then slowly disappears. The symphony winds down and the wine goes back into its shell to become closed and tannic. It was such a thrill to get a glimpse of this wine’s unlimited potential. I can only imagine how profound this will be in 20-30 years from now.
With my good friend Suraya
