1961 Chateau Margaux: 100 points / Amazing color. Maturing but youthful for its age. Extremely rich color. Nose: Excellent. Classic. Very perfect condition. Developed very well. Beautiful nose. Like old leather armchairs. Amazing finesse. Palate: Spectacular. Beautiful sweetness. Perfection for age. Three hours later: Evolved into a magnificent barnyardy nose, like old horse stables with strong odors of leather harnesses and slightly horsey straw. With a sweet, incredible finish. My father, Michael Broadbent, had once written of this wine after tasting it in 1970 “1961: I tasted first in 1964 and predicted 20 years of development. In fact, a further 20 years later, at a cellar lunch at the chateau, I noted it’s ‘hallmark’, an exquisite bouquet; on the palate, sweet, brambly, with a sort of a singed fragrance. Last tasted in 1970; hopeless really to describe its unique enchantment. Maturing of course, but if well-cellared, perfection. At least five stars.” In fact, he names it among the Top 10 Bordeaux wines. Today, the provenance of the bottle was one of the greatest wine cellars in the world, perfect conditions since, no doubt, en primeur sale. It was all there and more. My father only marks wines at of 5 stars, less than a half dozen might have been 6 stars, this being one of them.
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