Bordeaux In Excelsis
BY NEAL MARTIN |
WARNING: The article you are about to read contains more perfect wines and perfect scores than any published throughout my entire professional career. Readers with nervous dispositions or phobias towards rare, legendary and priceless wines are advised to stop reading immediately. Do not go any further. Press “Back” on your browser and read about delicious Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand or Provençal Rosés. Forget this report exists. The evening described never happened. That’s right. It’s just a work of fiction. Just an infantile wine writer fantasising about his ultimate Bordeaux tasting like everyone in idle moments.
But you see, the event I am about to describe did occur. Me, one of a dozen attendees that bore witness to one of the greatest line-ups of Bordeaux ever assembled. An evening bejeweled with more “perfect” fermented grape juice imaginable under my own strict criteria. Suffice to say, it is unlikely to be repeated. I kept pinching myself. Was this really happening? Did I just drink that? Is that really the next bottle?
The theme was simple. As part of his International Wine & Business program of events, Omar Khan showcased the five mature First Growths at the peak of their powers – epochal wines that represent the snow-capped peaks of the 20th century. Bordeaux in excelsis. They were served not as thimblefuls that evaporate in seconds, rather as full glasses that were marveled, observed, juxtaposed and discussed over the duration of an entire evening. On paper, given château and vintage reputations, the wines would surely not match expectations.
True. These wines did not match my expectations.
They surpassed them.
Two germane questions must be discussed before broaching the wines:
What is a First Growth?
What is a perfect wine?
If any article is going to answer those questions, then you are reading it now. Skip the discussion if you wish and scroll down to my exaltation of the wines, however, in doing so you will not fully understand the criteria applied and my sentiments when making a statement as bold as: “This is perfection”.
What is a First Growth?
WARNING: The article you are about to read contains more perfect wines and perfect scores than any published throughout my entire professional career. Readers with nervous dispositions or phobias towards rare, legendary and priceless wines are advised to stop reading immediately. Do not go any further. Press “Back” on your browser and read about delicious Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand or Provençal Rosés. Forget this report exists. The evening described never happened. That’s right. It’s just a work of fiction. Just an infantile wine writer fantasising about his ultimate Bordeaux tasting like everyone in idle moments. But you see, the event I am about to describe did occur...
