I was at Woodland Hills Wine Company’s Saturday tasting, and happened to be checking their website for potential bottles to open along with the tasting. There is a group of regulars there that buy bottles to share with others beyond what is being poured since WHWC doesn’t charge a corkage. I found a bunch of older Bordeaux from the late 60’s to mid 70’s that I did not notice before. I found out they just bought some wines from a private cellar that have have been stored properly since release. I happened upon a '67 Montrose for $30. What the heck, I gave it a shot.
The bottle was in perfect condition, and with Mark’s (WHWC) skill, he removed the cork without any of it breaking off into the wine. We popped and poured the wine. The nose was amazing. Mint and dark fruit are what stood out to me. The taste was similar to the nose, though not as intense. Not much of a finish in terms of length, but overall I was very impressed. I’m not sure how long this wine would have lasted, since we polished it off in about 30 minutes.
I have little or no experience with wines this old, but what I took from this experience was how INTERESTING this wine was to consume. Considering the price, this is probably the QPR of my life. Everyone else’s reaction to tasting this wine was to ask how many more of these were in stock, so they also found it to their liking. Too bad it was the only one in stock.
I learned a lot for what I should be seeking for future purchases considering what newer wines cost with no age.
Thanks for the note. It reminds me of one of the first really good wines I drank, which was a Montrose from the 60’s (maybe 1964, unfortunately I don’t remember the vintage) in about 1970. Just wonderful juice, I can almost taste it now…
Thanks for the note.
'70 Montrose, while not as cheap, is way under-valued in the marketplace and delivers even more. In general, Montrose is a good property whose period of benign neglect in the 60s and 70s is benefiting us now.
A.
We opened a 1967 Carruades at a wine BBQ at my house 2 years ago. It was interesting. Not dead, a noticeable green pepper component to it, fruit and saddle leather of aged Bordeaux. I will be pulling out a few more oldies at BF 2.5 this weekend and we will see what we get. Tough call but I think may go with a 1974 Haut Brion and some old BUrg.
love the way time can eliminate all predictability - i opened a bottle of 1979 de sales pomerol that i had picked up as a throwaway add-on from a mixed auction case - it was beautiful…i would never have guessed.
I opened a 1967 Montrose from a 375 a month ago and it was excellent. My notes - Remarkably full and complete. Still in great shape, good color, long and not going downhill yet. Great red fruit with tons of complexity and good length. This tastes like Montrose and more like a 1970 or 1975 than a 1967.
1967s in general are well on the downhill slope but some still provide good drinking. I had a number of bottles of Pavie that were excellent in the last 10 years. It is amazing how well good wine from OK years can turn out.
This is a note from an astounding 1967, the l’Evangile. I’ve had two bottles, and own a couple more. Perfect storage helps as well.
Stunning! I never would have guessed. Light ruby color. Sweet decadent smell of old cigar box. Also sweet mellow, but lively aromas of earth. This wine tastes like the epitome of old Claret. Sweet, ripe , Bordeaux fruit, earth and forest, decadence, cigar box. This wine is not just good for a 1967, it is good for any great bordeaux vintage! If not for a little tartness in the mid palate, the wine would have been near perfect!
P., great note, I wonder what these wines were like as infants? They definitely weren’t lauded… at least looking back they weren’t.