1969 Martin Ray (Mt. Eden) Pinot Noir -- what to do?

So, long story short – I have 1 bottle of 1969 Martin Ray Pinot Noir, one of 2 bottles that I purchased ~20 years ago. The other bottle i opened shortly after acquiring, and I thought it was a very nice wine, certainly not dead or over the hill at that time. Since then, my remaining bottle has been in temperature-controlled storage.

For those who don’t know about Martin Ray winery, which became Mt. Eden after Martin Ray went bankrupt, see here: https://www.mounteden.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Decanter-July-2017-Full-Article.pdf (article by William Kelley, who I believe participates here on W.B.).

I would think this is perhaps the last remaining bottle of this wine on earth. Moreover, Martin Ray lost the winery in ~1970. So, not sure what that means…

So, what to do with this wine? I’ve reached out to Mt. Eden winery, but other thoughts would be welcomed. While I love wine – the Burgundy varietals in particular --, and I’ve had my share, I am really not sure what to do. Once it’s opened, it’s history. On the other hand, I hate to let it die in the bottle (if it hasn’t already).

I don’t really have friends or family with the deep wine knowledge or appreciation to warrant sharing this unique bottle with them. It’s so easy to procrastinate making a decision, but the wine isn’t getting any better at this point.

No idea if I could sell it on to someone who would appreciate it more than I.

Any thought/advice would be welcomed!

I think the Mt. Eden idea is solid. Let them take you to lunch.

Lance, I doubt it is the only bottle in existence. The old Martin Ray wines were liked by serious collectors at the time, so I’m sure some have survived. To me, wine is only good for what is in the bottle, not as a display piece (either for you or for Mount Eden), so why not stand it up, decant it and open it with a nice dinner? Just have a backup bottle in case it’s gone over the hill.

Another option to consider: as things start to return to some sense of normalcy, you might consider bringing it to a future offline in your area. You’d meet other wine people that would be able to appreciate the wine.

I’ve shared some Martin Ray Pinot and Chardonnay with Jeffrey Patterson from Mount Eden. The wines can be quite variable (particularly now that they’re pretty old), but some bottles are really wonderful. Marshall is right that some still drift around, though not many. I’m lucky to have a few in my cellar, including the vintages before and after 1969. The best bottle of Martin Ray Pinot I’ve had is probably the 1958. The 1947 Cab can also be remarkable.

When you open it, and you should open it, I recommend standing it up for a bit to let the sediment collect at the bottom. Open gently and don’t decant. Some of these old Martin Ray wines can be very hardy, almost like old Nebbiolo, but not all of them. The wine could start to decline in an hour or so, so plan accordingly. Although if it seems to be going strong, I encourage you to spend more time with it. Some bottles do evolve positively. Good luck!

Roast a chicken and make sure you have a backup bottle, just in case.

If you live in the NYC area I will visit you for a glass !!!

Its my birth year, so I might be amenable to a trade. PM me if you are interested, but note that I think its is a more sentimental thing than an amazing wine opp.

Around 20 years ago, I drank the1969. It was close to the end, and unless you are lucky , it is of little more than academic interest. Still I agree; enjoy and have a back up

A friend of mine is Martin Ray’s (step) grandson and owns the Peter Martin Ray Vineyard (the portion of the Mount Eden Vineyard the Ray family retained). If you’re in the bay area or ever visit, there are collectors of old Martin Ray and other such fun stuff here (including me), so this could be your price of admission to a fantastic dinner/event. Or, as Bruce noted above, there are wine geeks elsewhere who would welcome you and your bottle.

There’s a lot of bottle variation due in part to how Ray bottled his wines. I wouldn’t write the bottle off on Mark’s experience 20 years ago, but a particular bottle could be anywhere from dead to terrific. Making the bottle part of an event, rather than the sole headliner, is a good approach.

Ray was ahead of his time. Not the best businessman, as many of his ex-partners will attest (if they’re still alive) but he was ahead of his time in many ways. A proponent of low sulfur usage so you might have a faded rose. I had the 65 not too long ago, a shell of what it once was. It was the second time I had that particular wine, but there was still something interesting about it. Of course we’re talking a 50 year old bottle, so who knows. Sounds like fun and a cool bottle and label.

Franklin’s post reminds of of the '70 PN I put in with a vertical of Cronin Peter Martin Ray Vyd. PNs. The fruit was gone. It was hollow and incomplete on its own, but the structure and tertiary notes were there. Nothing “bad” about it, per se. With food it was glorious.