1982 by James Suckling

The 1982 vintage in Bordeaux changed the world of wine and my life. It was the first vintage I tasted from barrel as a young wine writer working for the American magazine The Wine Spectator, and I was amazed at how magnificent the quality of a young red could be in barrel.

I remember the first barrel samples I tasted in the summer of 1983 at Château Prieuré-Lichine with the late wine author and winemaker Alexis Lichine. The wines were so fruity with soft, rich tannins. They seemed too drinkable for a young wine, but Lichine, who had over forty years of experience tasting young wines, told me that the wines were "exceptional" and "some of the greatest young wines ever produced." .

He had invited some of his winegrower friends from the Médoc to a lunch at his château after the tasting. And he kept telling them, including Bruno Prats (then Cos d'Estournel), Anthony Barton (Léoville-Barton) and Jean-Eugène Borie (Ducru-Beaucaillou), that young writers like me were the future of the region and that they had to make me understand that 1982 was a great year. He was upset that the New York Times and other magazines declared the new vintage unexceptional due to its apparently early drinkability.

It was also a time when an American lawyer in the mid-1930s began writing about wine full-time, creating a newsletter called The Wine Advocate. Many say that Robert Parker built his career on extolling the greatness of the 1982 Bordeaux vintage, although he obviously did much more.

More importantly, the 1982 vintage marked a big change in the way Bordeaux was produced. He emphasized ripe fruit and tannins in the reds as well as a slightly higher alcohol level and lower or less strong acidity – higher pH. This is what gave the wines such wonderful texture, or drinkability in their youth.

This was a big change from most vintages before 1982 which produced harsh, tannic wines that needed years or even decades to mellow. The 1982 vintage became a model vintage for red Bordeaux in the future, and arguably for the wine world in general. Think of all the fruity reds being produced around the world today – for better or for worse. The alcohols are at least two, sometimes three or four degrees higher. The tannins are stronger but more ripe. And the natural acidities are lower. Capitalization – adding sugar to fermenting grape must to increase the alcohol – seems to be a thing of the past.

“Young wines are so drinkable now,” said Alexander Thienpont, the winemaker of Vieux-Château-Certan and Pin de Pomerol. The latter made its reputation on early drinkability. “This is what people expect from a modern wine today. »

I believe part of the change with the 1982 was due to the “California” growing conditions that Bordelias were talking about at the time. The summer was extremely hot and sunny. The harvest was warm and mostly free of precipitation. Grape yields were high, with many of the best wine estates producing more wine per hectare than French authorities had set. In fact, the late Jean Pierre Moueix of Château Petrus always told me that the 1982 vintage would have been at the same level as the 1945 or 1949 vintage if yields had been lower.

However, the experience of the growing season and harvest in 1982 made a whole new generation of winegrowers in the region understand the importance of picking grapes later and riper. They realized early on that wine critics such as Parker and myself, as well as members of the American wine trade, were so enthusiastic about 1982 reds on tap. It was also the beginning of the popularization of barrel partitions used to buy wines.

The American market was the largest market to buy high-end Bordeaux with the 1982 vintage. It began a decade of intense Bordeaux buying in the United States, with consumers buying first growth and second growth as well as Pomerols and Saint-Emilion. Americans delighted in the juiciness and beauty of the wine. They also made a lot of money if they kept the wines sold later. For example, most premier crus sold for around $40 per bottle in 1983 as futures and some now cost up to $3,500 per bottle. Prices for 1982 are now down slightly, but the 30-year price appreciation is impressive after 30 years.

The same goes for the quality of wines for the most part. I am lucky enough to drink top 1982s regularly, and the best ones never cease to amaze me with their generous, complex fruit and polished, ripe tannins. Bottle variation can be a problem because many of the big names have been bought, sold and stored all over the world, but overall it's a treat to drink a great 1982. And the vintage always reminds me of my beginnings in the world of wine

James Suckling has been writing and tasting wine for over 30 years. He worked for 28 years as editor of the American wine magazine The WIne Spectator, and in July 2010 he left to launch his own website www. jamessuckling.com and wine events company. He is also the Editor-in-Chief of Asia Tatler Group with luxury magazines across the region including Hong Kong, China, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, Philippines and Malaysia. His specialty is Italy and Bordeaux, but he loves tasting and discovering wines from all over the world. His last big wine adventure was tasting 57 vintages of Chateau Petrus in the Hamptons, but he also enjoyed sharing great Barolos from Bruno Giacosa, Roberto Vorezio and Giacomo Conterno with wine lovers in Seoul.

by James Sucking

The good spring weather gave rise to rapid fruit set, followed by a classic summer and a warm start to autumn. However, there was little green harvest at the time, so the resulting harvest was enormous. Pinot Noir is very sensitive to high production and, despite the ideal growing conditions, this affected the character of the vintage. Red wines were light and offered immediate drinking pleasure early in their life; whites did much better because Chardonnay is less sensitive to high cultivation levels. The best climates could still hold some surprises.

One of the decade’s best vintages, which can be excellently enjoyed already now. The winter was cold and the spring cool. The cold weather moved the start of the growth season and enabled the vines to avoid spring frosts. The inflorescences, which bloomed in June, enjoyed perfect conditions. The warm and sunny weather continued through summer all the way until early September, when refreshing and needed rains arrived in the area. They saved the grapes from overmaturing. The result was an excellent vintage, which in addition to being high-quality was quantitatively one of the biggest harvests ever. The vintage was favorable especially for blanc de blancs. Stylistically, the wines are giving, heavy and rich in nuances. They are now at an excellent age, but can still endure maturing 5–7 years on the average. 

Weather Conditions An odd year with an extremely wet winter and spring. Vines set a larger than normal crop. After a cool June and July, the summer warmed up and vines were working hard to mature the huge crop. Any attempts to proclaim a miracle vintage were dampened by periodic rains throughout the harvest weeks. Two rain storms diluted the berries on the over-cropped vines. Those who thinned early won out. Those who gambled and waited for better days to arrive in mid-October fared well. The style of those successes tends toward ripe, but tannic and tight Cabernets in their youth. The best tended to age slowly. Most Merlot was picked before the rains and because the crop was large they lacked complexity and longevity. For the two reds, non-irrigated and/or hillside vineyards produced the better the vintage. A few Cabernets were in fine shape by the new millennium.

Robert Parker, the renowned wine critic, played a pivotal role in shaping the perception of the Bordeaux 1982 wine vintage. The Bordeaux 1982 vintage is widely considered one of the most exceptional and legendary vintages of the 20th century, and Robert Parker's reviews and assessments of these wines added to their fame and desirability.

Here are some key points regarding Robert Parker's thoughts and influence on the Bordeaux 1982 vintage:

1. High Praise: Robert Parker was highly enthusiastic about the Bordeaux 1982 vintage and regarded it as one of the greatest vintages of Bordeaux in recent history. He consistently awarded exceptionally high scores to numerous wines from this vintage.

2. Ripe and Concentrated: Parker noted the exceptional ripeness and concentration of fruit in the 1982 Bordeaux wines. He praised the wines for their rich, luscious fruit flavors, often describing them as opulent and hedonistic.

3. Tannin and Structure: While the wines were known for their ripe fruit, Parker also highlighted their well-integrated tannins and excellent structure. He noted that these wines possessed the balance and potential for long-term aging.

4. Consistency: Parker remarked on the overall consistency of quality across the Bordeaux appellations in 1982. Both the Left Bank (Medoc, Pauillac, Margaux, etc.) and the Right Bank (Saint-Émilion, Pomerol) were known for producing exceptional wines.

5. Influence on Pricing: Parker's high scores and praise for the Bordeaux 1982 vintage played a significant role in increasing the demand and prices of these wines in the international wine market. The vintage became highly sought after by collectors and investors.

6. Legacy: The Bordeaux 1982 vintage remains iconic in the world of wine, and Robert Parker's early recognition of its exceptional quality contributed to its enduring reputation.

It's worth noting that the Bordeaux 1982 vintage is often considered a benchmark vintage, and Robert Parker's reviews of these wines contributed to the vintage's status as a reference point for Bordeaux excellence. His influence on wine criticism and the market made Bordeaux 1982 one of the most celebrated and collectible vintages in Bordeaux's history.

Champagne vintage report by Salon / Late start of vegetation, although with extremely favorable climatic conditions, the vines developed without a hitch. For all varieties, emergence of very fine clusters. Although the vines have not produced for two years, they gave the best of themselves. Good maturity of the harvest thanks to the superb sunshine in September. The harvest began on September 17 and 20 depending on the grape variety and the vineyard. The Chardonnays are well balanced, very fine and elegant.

Australia / Barossa Vintage Report / Above average rainfall during the winter of 1981 provided an excellent start to the season with high soil moisture levels and full irrigation dams. A very regular bud and strong spring growth were followed by a mild start to summer. A very hot January with six consecutive days above 40°C was followed by a cool autumn. The mild vintage produced medium style reds with good fruit and soft tannins and exceptional Rieslings. Some winegrowers consider this to be the best vintage of the 1980s.

In 1982 there were 7,974 hectares of vines in the Barossa and 62,966 tonnes of wine grapes were crushed in that vintage.

The pre-vintage year is remembered for its dry conditions and extremely cold weather with five consecutive subzero days from June 4 to 9 causing severe frosts.

The vintage resulted in a considerable surplus of grapes (estimated between 9,000 and 10,000 tonnes of mainly red grape varieties). The uprooting of the vines began in the Barossa with 400 to 500 ha removed while work on top of Grenache and Mourvèdre continued.

John Vickery returned to the Barossa after eight years at Rouge Homme, Coonawarra to run Chateau Leonay.

Tollana erected a $2 million continuous still, completely enclosed in a building, for the production of wine and grain brandy.

Neil and Lorraine Ashmead have launched the first vintage of Elderton Wines, on their former Nuriootpa vineyard which was originally planted by Samuel Elderton Tolley in 1894.

1982 versus 1990 Bordeaux /

When you receive an invitation to a comparative tasting of all the first growths from the two great vintages 1982 and 1990, you drop everything and empty your diary. 1982 and 1990 represent the beginning and end of what is perhaps the greatest era in the history of Bordeaux. In those nine years, only two vintages could be considered disappointments – 1984 and 1987. It could be rightly said that the period from 1945 to 1953 produced wines of equal greatness – this is true of the best wines , but overall quality reached new heights during the 1980s.

The year 1982 marked an important milestone for Bordeaux commerce.

It came after the difficult decade of the 1970s. A decade marked by the Bordeaux crisis with the bursting of the bubble of 1972, the oil crisis and rapid inflation. On top of that, there has been a series of disappointing vintages.

Financial markets had stabilized by the time the 1982s were offered in the spring of 1983 and there was a large new group of potential wine buyers. There had been an influx of new wine and lifestyle magazines and the public was willing to spend money. The US dollar was high compared to a weak French franc and best of all – the wines were spectacular.

There were several reasons for this.

Early, uniform flowering, a hot but unspectacular summer and above all, thanks to an exceptionally hot period at the end of August and the first half of September. It was this heat that allowed this record harvest not only to fully ripen, but also to concentrate the fruit.

The harvest began on September 14 and ended before the start of heavy rains on October 2.

Another reason for the success of the vintage was that most châteaux had invested in their cellars and were able to work with such a large and hot harvest. We were now able to control fermentation temperatures better than in previous hot vintages like 1947.

The grapes produced wines with such high natural alcohol that chaptalization became unnecessary, they showed deep color, high and unusually sweet tannin levels, better acidity than initially feared and above all great fruit concentration. The hype was great, particularly with the advent of new wine magazines - this was the vintage that cemented Robert Parkers reputation. Prices rose quickly and haven't looked back since. I remember that all the premiers crus (including Pétrus) were offered to end consumers for around 50 euros en primeur in 1983.

The scene of the arrival of the 1990 vintage was quite different. There was a surplus of very good to great wine on the market – for the first time, there was talk of three great vintages in succession. This led most châteaux to drop their prices by around 20% from their 1989 prices, even though the quality was exceptional.

There had been a steady increase in prices during the 1980s, but they had now more or less returned to the opening prices of the 1982s.

This was again a record harvest, but as most châteaux have now introduced a 'second wine' and are more selective in terms of quality, there was actually less wine bottled as 'Grand Vin'. » than in 1982.

I followed these two vintages from a young age because they were both precocious and easy to drink from the start.

The best wines are spectacular from both vintages, but the overall quality is much higher in 1990. Here the wines have been equally successful on both sides of the river and even the small châteaux have produced something special.

I've always found most Right Bank 1982s to be overly alcoholic and lacking in structure and many are aging quickly now.

The tasting host was German wine collector Hans-Peter Frericks, who reasonably prefers to present his wines with food over an extended lunch. There's also enough time to sample and chat about each flight without any time pressure - so much nicer than rushing through multiple flights with nothing more than a few bisquits to munch on.

The wines were served vintage by vintage but I prefer to discuss it castle by castle.

So which vintage would claim victory?

It was easy in the case of Château Mouton Rothschild to choose the winner. Their 1990 has always been the disappointment of the vintage. It is now maturing quickly and should be drunk or, better yet, sold to someone who only cares about the name on the label. The 1982, on the other hand, has always been considered one of the stars of the vintage. Deep color with a great concentration of frontal fruit. Good fresh acidity and a long finish. The only thing that worries me a little is the massive tannins still present.

The 1990 Château Lafite Rothschild is a charming and charming wine, full of warmth and style. A classic and elegant Lafite. It is ready to drink now and will bring pleasure for some time to come. Lafite 1982 is the superstar in the eyes of the Chinese, which has allowed the wine to reach new record prices at every auction in Hong Kong and elsewhere. The wine is very good – more concentrated than the 1990 and still very young. I would call that a draw.

1990: Château Haut Brion is one of my favorite wines – a heady nose of tobacco, spice and leather. Lovely soft fruit and ready to drink now, but make no mistake – this will age forever, just like the 1959 and 1961 Haut Brions. The 1982 Haut Brion is also a lovely, charming wine, offering great drinking pleasure , but it doesn't quite have the exotic charm of the 1990.

Drink quickly because I don't see it getting better with age. Victory for 1990.

The bottle of Château Margaux 1990 was not a good bottle – the wine showed a ripe color and lacked the usual structure and freshness. This is normally a nice sweet wine, so I assume this bottle was stored in too warm conditions. The 1982 was also now quite mature with red fruits and needs to be drunk soon. This time a win for the 1982, otherwise I would call it a draw.

Château Latour is generally the wine that needs the longest of all the premier crus to show its true class.

The year 1990 was exceptionally mild and atypical for Latour at an early age. It is a very good wine with soft tannins and great balance. Château Latour produced, for me, the greatest of all the 1982s. A fantastic and breathtaking wine. A combination of classic Pauillac style and backbone with spectacularly concentrated Sensous fruit. A joy to drink now and for the next hundred years.

Another victory for 1982.

In 1990 and 1982, Château Ausone showed color, nose and ripe fruit. Both are quite pleasant to drink but not really up to standard premier cru in either vintage.

A draw.

I have often given Château Cheval Blanc 1990 a perfect score during blind tastings. This is one of the most hedonistic wines I have had the pleasure of drinking. I compared her to Sophia Loren in the 1960s – soft, round, voluptuous, sexy and not a hard edge anywhere in sight. It’s the uncrowned successor to Cheval Blanc’s legendary ’47.

On the other hand, I never really understood the delusions about 1982 by Cheval Blanc. A very overrated wine for me – too alcoholic and too ripe. Still lacking the structure needed to be truly good. Not bad, but certainly nowhere as good as its reputation. Clear victory for 1990.

1990 Château Pétrus is a fabulous monument of a wine. The deepest color of all. Still pretty closed, but a giant waiting to come out and blow us all away. Very, very long finish. A great wine! The Pétrus 1982 is a wine with a fantastic reputation which, like the Cheval Blanc, has never really impressed me. Soft, mature and attractive but without the structure of a great wine.

Clear victory for 1990.

The lunch ended in style with Château d’Yquem from both vintages.

1982 was a difficult vintage for Sauternes, caught up in the heavy rains of October. Light and not really very good. The 1990 is an opulent, sweet and avant-garde Yquem. Attractive and ready to drink now. 1990 marks again.

by Jan-Erik Paulson/Tastingbook Pro

The best of BORDEAUX 1982 VINTAGE - Just tasted by tastingbook

FIRST FLIGHT :

Sociando Mallet 1982

A beautiful spectacle of this eminent cru bourgeois which on the nose presents a nice mixture of blackcurrant, minerals and peppers. It opens smoothly, a little smoke, lots of black fruits and very good concentration. It lacks a little weight in the mid-palate, but rallies with floral notes and red cherries, for a fairly silky and lightly savory finish that has considerable calm. The wine is probably about 5 years from its zenith still from this exposure. This is a very attractive wine that has evolved impressively. 91 points (3 votes for wine of the flight, 3 votes for second place)

Château La Lagune 1982

A slightly more Burgundian bouquet, cherries, game, earth and plums, well-integrated ripe acids, it opens with a certain well-restrained lushness, and indeed the tannins are quite soft. You get licorice and forest floor in the middle of the palate, black truffles, and with the dish it particularly showed its vigor. There is pepper and a little spice on the finish, it is a wine that will probably stay at this level for another 5 years, maybe more, but which has probably plateaued. 90 points (5 votes for wine of the flight, 2 votes for second place)

Château Haut Batailley 1982

A curious combination of olives and some caramel notes, with fruit confectionery on the nose, it opens with good texture, surprisingly lively acidity, smooth and dry tannins, a nice lift in the middle of the palate, Currants and cherries emerge as it moves towards the finish, with a smoky elegance. There is Bordeaux graphite throughout this wine, which remains structurally sound, but it is definitely a "met wine" and in itself, a little flat in the glass over time. I don't see how this will improve. Yet I haven’t detected any signs of decline either. 88-89 points (3 votes for wine of the flight, 1 vote for second place)

SECOND FLIGHT

Château Lagrange 1982

A little tea and cinnamon as well as some ripe berries characterize the somewhat recalcitrant nose. A bit drying on the palate, particularly on the mid-palate, although there are some appealing notes of chocolate, figs and cherries. It was relatively elegant with a fairly smooth finish. This is a good wine for Lagrange (although the '83 from this property is stronger), and certainly at, or perhaps just past, its peak. 87 Points (1 vote for the wine of the flight, one vote for second place)

Château Léoville Poyferre 1982

This is a wine of great refinement on the nose, floral, with mineral and fleshy notes, blending harmoniously. There are opening notes of cassis, cassis and red fruits, with a lovely rounded sensual liveliness here. Despite the obvious richness of the middle of the palate, there is a compelling balance and elegance throughout. More dark fruit, a bit of chestnut perhaps, crisp tannins and wonderful grip here too. This is a life-affirming wine, with plenty of life and development to come. It is a joy to enjoy today. 93 Points+ (1 vote for the wine of the flight, five votes for second place)

Château Léoville Las Cases 1982

This has always been a stubborn wine, reluctant to give up its underlying charms. It finally seems to give in, offering aromas of licorice, black cherries and nuts. Some mushrooms and truffles at the opening, it has relatively low acidity, with evolving intensity and superb length. Blackberries and plums towards the finish of a wine that still seems to be struggling with its tannic bonds, and seeking to develop the multi-faceted personality that its underlying elements seem to suggest is to come. If it stops smoldering and starts to shine, which is perhaps just beginning to suggest itself, this wine will easily move up several notches. 94 points (3 votes for the wine of the flight, two votes for second place)

  Château Gruaud Larose 1982

Just a beautiful wine, herbs, red cherries and spices, swirling attractively across the bouquet. Throughout there are enticing layers of complexity, green olives, tart plums, cherries, tobacco, smooth tannins and deliciously integrated acidity. There's peppers and chocolate on the mid-palate, great focus and a sexy silkiness that never ceases to draw you in. There are truffles and a wonderful core of fruit that slosh around in the mouth on the lasting, pronounced, slightly salty accented, vivacious finish. This is a remarkable wine, with a lot of life ahead of it. 96 points (7 votes for wine of the flight, 3 votes for second place)

THIRD FLIGHT

Château Duhart-Milon 1982

There are plums, flowers and spices on the nose here, it's a nicely rounded wine, with sweet fruit and some tobacco at the opening, firm supporting acidity, cassis and flowers in the middle on the palate, this is a reasonably succulent and fleshy wine, given Duhart's more typically statuesque contours. But that trademark framework is still unabashedly present, albeit more behind the scenes than usual, as the wine moves towards a lovely finish, with thyme, fig and good persistence. That probably has at least a good decade ahead of him. 91 points (1 vote for wine of the flight, 2 votes for second place)

Château Lynch Bages 1982

Floral, spicy red berries, a bit of kirsch on the nose, this wine, while lacking the lasting delineation of the '89, has compelling balance and precision. There's a nice core of sweet fruit, soy flavors, florals and earth underlying everything. The dark fruits swirl with some tobacco notes mid-palate, the tertiary fruit and pepper are quite expressive as they build towards a savory and rich finish. I would drink this for the next decade. 92 points (2 votes for the wine of the flight, and 4 votes for second place)

Château Pichon Lalande 1982

This is a captivating wine, bursting from the glass with aromas of currants, smoked meat, truffles, oregano perhaps, this wine is enveloped in a nuanced and seductive velvet. Chocolate, earth and blackcurrant dance together across the mid-palate, and it exudes a freshness and depth that is simply exuberant. Here, the Merlot-Cabernet partnership flourished in unforgettable ways, with cherries, red berries, pepper beating all the drums on the sumptuous, lingering finish. This is one of the wines of the vintage and continues to go from strength to strength. 97 points (8 votes for the wine of the flight, one vote for second place)

Château Grand Puy Lacoste 1982

This has currants and plums on the nose, blueberries and cedar then adding to the mix. For years this wine has evolved glacially, again like Las Cases, could it begrudgingly come into its own? Today it is a medium-bodied wine with soft tannins, nice acidity, reasonably muscular, still introspective. He has deployment depth and nice length, but in this flight, given his current wariness, he lacked distinctive appeal. He should be at his best if he develops in the direction he seems to suggest, in 2 to 5 years. 93 points (2 votes for second place)

  FOURTH FLIGHT:

Château Beychevelle 1982

It was an enchanting wine, almost Burgundian, with lyrical grace. Cherries, smoke, sea salt, blackberries, violets are all abundant in the bouquet. There is ripe fruit, some of that 82 richness, but the breeding and grace of Beychevelle is evident throughout. The tannins are robust but discreet; There are layers of evolving complexity evident in the middle of the palate, and a silky, beautifully delineated finish of admirable length and wonderful grip. I believe this is a wine that will come into its own even more in the next 5 to 7 years and will continue to flourish for some time after that. 95 Points+ (8 votes for the wine of the flight and 3 votes for second place)

Château Calon Segur 1982

Black cherries, tobacco, blackcurrant, a little incense abound on the nose. At the opening, the acidity frames the wine well, the plums are evident, the black truffles on the mid-palate, good complexity, quite vibrant with emphatic red fruits emerging towards a nicely textured finish, accented with spice cake. This is a vibrant wine, but didn't have the vitality or panache expected at this exhibition - there seems to be some bottle variation with this wine. A few weeks ago I tasted a brighter, more obvious expression of red fruit from this wine, and it was clearly several points higher. 91 Points+ (1 vote for the wine of the flight)

Château Montrose 1982

The bottle was slightly off, missing most of the flavor profile. But then, several past experiences have not been bright either, with a tired bouquet, a balanced palate but not particularly rich or inviting. Nothing bad, but nothing particularly appealing either. I can't say I would go for a better representative of this wine. NR

Château Cos d’Estournel 1982

This has a lovely sensual bouquet, black cherries, chestnuts, mushrooms and plums. The wine is harmonious, balanced, showing great typicity of the terroir and for the vintage. It has the tannic backbone, the unfailing acidity, the elegant concentration, that the best display of 1982. A bit of black cherry and fig on the mid-palate, it builds to a full, spice-flecked finish, long and attractive that leaves you wanting more. He's especially accomplished with food, and bison and liver couldn't have been a better foil to the drink. This is probably best appreciated (as you feel the slightest fraying at the edges, at least of this bottle) in the next decade. 95 Points+ (3 votes for the wine of the flight, 6 votes for second place)

FIFTH FLIGHT:

Château Margaux 1982

No longer in the shadow of the beautiful 1983, it is a charming Margaux, which is finally getting rid of its shackles. There is potpourri, violets, truffles and chocolate on the lovely nose. A tantalizing sweet opening, orange, blackberry and cherry, exotic spices and licorice emerge on the mid-palate. The tannins are soft and supple, this wine is silky, and develops ever more verve and expression. Some red berries emerge again, while the suave, engaging and fruity finish bathes the palate with quintessential Margaux mellifluence. It is an attractive wine still on the rise. 95 Points+ (2 votes for second place)

Château Haut Brion 1982

Normally a lovely, compelling and radiant wine, on this show, although uncontaminated or corked, it seemed to lack stuffing. Some muted dark plums and smoke on the palate, it lacked the full-bodied urban calm that is usually so appealing about this wine. The '82 HB went from a lighter 1982 in its trajectory, to an attractive filler. Today's spectacle tempts me not to score, because it seems so atypical of this wine's usual expression of terroir, tannin structure and graceful contours. NR

Château La Mission Haut Brion 1982

Black truffles, autumn flowers and autumn leaves swirl paradoxically on the nose here, then a little marzipan. The opening is enchanting with fine and beautifully settled tannins. It wasn't the strongest show I've seen from this wine, but it was still lovely. He speaks of Graves with real gravitas, there are also some opening Pomerol notes here, which are thrown beyond the mid palate, then he mobilizes its impressive structure, as the fruit core leads the thrust to a generous and harmonious finish. A few points of what it may be in this exhibition, but a wine that seems eager for decades of wonderful drinking to come. 94 points (2 votes for second place)

Château Latour 1982 (ex Château)

Just a superlative wine, it opens abundantly on the nose with plum, truffle, black pepper, mocha and tobacco. What strikes you next is the balance and poise of this graceful, surprisingly structured, blackcurrant and sandalwood beauty on the palate. The tannins are ripe, but only part of the whole and become increasingly silky beyond the mid-palate, harmonizing with the intense concentration of the wine. Then blackberry, boysenberry, a homogeneous texture that simply envelops the palate and grows in elegant and concentrated power as it unfolds its treasures in the glass. This is a perfect wine, with unlimited potential ahead of it. 100 points (9 votes for the wine of the flight, one vote for second place)

Château Mouton Rothschild 1982

The bouquet is transfixing, coffee, blackcurrant, licorice, macerated cherries. This is a monumental wine in the making, but not yet at its peak as Latour clearly is. He has the makings of greatness, and already displays many attributes. Crème de cassis, mint, black fruits, lacy tobacco on the palate, then reaching the mid-palate, blackberry and blueberry framed by a well marshaled acidity, it then rallies majestically as it moves towards the finish. While it's still a bit tightly wound in terms of full expression, the finish is full-bodied, layered, complex, even a little flamboyant, just waiting for a little extra bloom for its full range of expressiveness to achieve the perfection that seems in store. 97 Points+ (2 votes for the wine of the flight, 5 votes for second place)

Château Lafite 1982

A vexing and confusing wine, you want it to be so much more, to express its terroir, to show flashes of the genius of 59. There is a seductive bouquet of currants, cedar, marzipan and tobacco . There are dusty tannins, and it seems to lack any depth or complexity.