Château Giscours Margaux 1970

[madbadger]

Been to visit my Uncle over the weekend and he had this bottle of wine lying around. It was a gift from his father in law, who had been given it by Andrew Lloyd Webber. He's not too sure how long it has been lying around but would like to know if it is still drinkable.
Does anyone have any idea how long it can be laid to rest before drinking it ? I've looked up the price on the interweb, and I think it should be kept for a special occasion !



Vixta

[Fittster]

If it's not been stored well the special occassion might be a bit of a disappointment.

[acquiescence]

Could always strip your skirting boards with it.

[madbadger]

I don't think it has been kept that badly.

Laid down and out of sunlight.

Guess there would only be one way of finding out.

[VTECMatt]

Open it and Decant. I reacon it will be fine.

[trackdemon]

VTECMatt said:

Open it and Decant. I reacon it will be fine.

^^^^ What he said ^^^^

If its that bl00dy good, I'll drive to Derbyshire and sample it 'just to make sure' if you like There is always the chance that after all that time, and without 100% known history it just might be corked, which would be a shame. If not then any mature Margaux I've ever tried has been fab (although I've never drunk anything older than 15 years old tbf). You need Bebs on this thread - its his area of expertise!

[HiRich]

Parker's Bordeaux (2003) says:
"The museum vintages of Giscours are probably over the hill. Certainly the 1970 seems to be cracking up after a long, 30-year run as a very tasty, delicious wine." The chateau did quite well in the 1970s before a slump in the 1980s.

Broadbent (tasted 2001) says:
"A most un-Margaux-like wine. No feminine charm or delicacy, more of a rugger player. Nonetheless very impressive. Intensely deep from the start. Hefty, packed with fruit, perhaps compressed is a better word. Yet fragrant. Tasted on 20 occasions, the last an oxidised bottle at home.In any case beginning to show its age, good crisp fruit jousting with now raw tannin (1998), yet a remarkably youthful looking bottle with good fruit, its nose beautifully openand fragrant after an hour in the glass; sweet full, attractive, a touch of tar and quite a bite. Last tastedMarch 2001, the siort of wine I am impressed by but do not much like. If you do then 5-stars."


Several years on it's looking a bit risky. Give it a punt asap with a suitable occasion and you might be lucky. But have a substitute warming up on the line (either to replace, otherwise to celebrate your good fortune)

[Bebs]

I have had it many times albeit a few years back. It is a tremendous wine!
I had it side by side at a horizontical blind tasting of first growths 1970.
The Giscours stood out and the majority of people scored it top marks (not knowing that it wasn't a first growth of course being a blind tasting)
It is one of my all time favorite wines, full stop and I've tried the lot! (not meaning to sound arrogant)
Should still be excellent providing it has been stored correctly.

Drink it!

[madbadger]

Many thanks.

I'll pass it on. Shame we might not be there!

[Cactussed]

On decanting it (and Bebs, correct me if I'm wrong) but I wouldn't bother. Decanting is good for aerating wines, but on older vintages, they don't need it, getting all they require from simply pouring into a glass. Very old wines can actually sour if exposed to too much light and air.

Which is a pity, as I do like decanting them then pouring from a decanter...

So, I'd be pouring straight from the bottle and drinking quickly, whilst trying to avoid the sediment.

Just my 2c.

[Cactussed]

Here you go..
http://www.epicurean.com/articles/decanting-wine.h...

[madbadger]

Interesting reading.

I quite fancy the idea of a 'fierce debate over a library wine'.

[Simpo Two]

Or from the chemical perspective, as you oxidise alcohol, you first create aldehydes (which often smell a little fruity) and then acids - in this case ethanoic acid = vinegar. Hence somewhere between the first two makes good sense

[Balmoral Green]

madbadger said:

I think it should be kept for a special occasion !


Vixta

Mandale Barn?

[Bebs]

Cactussed said:

On decanting it (and Bebs, correct me if I'm wrong) but I wouldn't bother. Decanting is good for aerating wines, but on older vintages, they don't need it, getting all they require from simply pouring into a glass. Very old wines can actually sour if exposed to too much light and air.

Which is a pity, as I do like decanting them then pouring from a decanter...

So, I'd be pouring straight from the bottle and drinking quickly, whilst trying to avoid the sediment.

Just my 2c.

Correct. Pour slowly avoiding sediment at the base. Don't decant this bottle.

[vixta]

Balmoral Green said:

madbadger said:

I think it should be kept for a special occasion !


Vixta

Mandale Barn?

Why not

But in this case I won't have time to get to Bath to pick it up. I would however like to be about when my uncle does open it though !
We should all bring a nice bottle of wine and have a tasting session at the barn. How about making it a wine and cheese night at the barn ?

[Balmoral Green]

vixta said:

How about making it a wine and cheese night at the barn ?

Well, we need to do something, as for once, I'm not cooking my infamous chilli, so it's the pub for dinner on Fri & Sat, unless we come up with something else.

Will mention it on the barn thread.