Beschreibung:

AN EXCEPTIONAL AND UNIQUE ELEVEN MAGNUM LOT FROM THE LEGENDARY 1961 VINTAGE Consigned by a European Collector and now lying EHD Offered duty-paid, but available in bond On Friday, October 20th, a unique tasting took place in the Salle Mediterranée of the Metropole Hotel in Monte Carlo. Thirty tasters sat down to enjoy a unique eleven magnum tasting drawn from the legendary 1961 vintage - ten top Chateaux of Bordeaux plus Hermitage La Chapelle from Jaboulet. The tasting was co-hosted by Christie's and Vira S.A. of Monaco and commentary on the wines was supplied by Michael Broadbent M.W. of Christie's and Dominique Fornage of Vira. It was, by anybody's standards, a most memorable event. All the wines were inspected by Christie's in detail during decanting and prior to pouring. All were pronounced to be in excellent condition and each with known provenance including the Hermitage which had recently been released from Jaboulet's own private reserve. Tasting notes made during that evening appear here alongside the wines in this lot, a near to identical set of the same eleven magnums with the same superb appearance, ownership and history as those opened that night in Monte Carlo. Magnums of this quality appear only rarely on the market and then mostly in odd, single magnum lots - full cases are hardly ever seen. The opportunity to purchase this 1961 'horizontal' lot is certainly unique as each wine would become a highlight in its own right at any wine event and the chance to acquire all eleven merely adds to the appeal. Château Latour--Vintage 1961 Ex Nicolas magnum (1) Tasting note: deepest colour of the tasting. Intense core. Immediate rush of intense sweetness and ripeness on first approach. Still slumbering, dense and brooding in the glass, seeming to yield its aromas resentfully. With more air, a wonderful velvety fragrance with sweet toffee/mocha notes. Amazingly vibrant with a wall of ripeness and extract. Still intensely tannic and tightly packed with flavours that may need a further 10-20 years to become fully evolved. Château Margaux--Vintage 1961 magnum (1) Tasting note: good colour, fairly deep with pronounced maturity at rim. Fragrant aroma, elegant character. Palate of considerable richness and power, showing age and maturity. Medium weight with subtle tannins in evidence, elegant, lingering aftertaste. Still improving in the glass over a period of 2 hours. Château Haut-Brion--Vintage 1961 magnum (1) Tasting note: a fairly deep colour, back to pronounced maturity on rim. In this company, seems almost restrained by comparison. Certainly fragrant at first with more earthy character in support. Not a powerhouse wine, elegant, rounded and perfectly blanced - a real 'food' wine. Touch of sweet fruit and spice rounds it out nicely. Lingering, classy and subtle. Château Cheval-Blanc--Vintage 1961 magnum (1) Tasting note: impressive deep colour. First impression is one of fragrance, followed swiftly by the underlying power and obvious richness of the aromas present. Mouth-filling, broad and sweet with balance and elegance as main characteristics. Cedary, slightly smokey with elegant and somehow herbaceous element. Floating on air with the crisp acidity and freshness that is only found in mature Bordeaux of top quality. Château Pétrus--Vintage 1961 Ex Nicolas magnum (1) Tasting note: deep colour, not quite as 'black as Egypt's night' but pretty close. Explosive aromas of spice, ripe fruit and white pepper combining in a delectable and inviting entry. Immediately mouth-filling and with enormous extract and weight. References to subtle combinations of fruit, dried meats, spices and herbs occur to one, but are ethereal and seem impossible to capture with any accuracy. By contrast, the aftertaste is again elegant and somehow more subtle, tempting you to retaste until the last drop is consumed. Deserving of its reputation. Château La Mission-Haut-Brion--Vintage 1961 Damaged label. Level upper-shoulder magnum (1) Tastin