Are you also one of those people who don't know what to do with their money?
A new car for the wife every 6 months, and of course a mini cooper for the mistress... Phew, life can be difficult sometimes...
But don't worry, below I may have a "useful" destination for all that pecunia...
You've probably guessed it already... this time an article about wines that are not accessible for most of us.
Sunday afternoon, time for a savory snack. Nice piece of Manchego cheese, a bit of jamon serrano pata negra, delicious dark Belgian chocolate... Yes! And what are we going to drink with that? Dinner later, so don't start too heavy. I suggest a bottle of Williams & Humbert Oloroso Historic Vintage Collection 1965 ($1315.-).
This Jerez (Sherry) originated in 1920 when the Williams & Humbert bodega set aside a keg of must to celebrate the birth of an upcoming new family member. They repeated this action in 1922 and 1924 and eventually decided to keep a keg aside every time they harvested from the “Alamo de Balbaina” vineyard. Ultimately, these kegs were never used until the year 2000 when it was decided to bottle a small batch of the 1965 vintage. The result can be called astonishing, pure “nectar of the gods”. This sherry (Xérès) is made from the Palomino Fino grape and has an alcohol percentage of no less than 23%! Preferably serve at around 12-14ºC/53-57ºF and enjoy. But if you are not a fan of Sherry and prefer a French sweet, then I can recommend the Château d'Yquem 1975 ($1199.-). This beautiful “Sauternes” (Bordeaux) apparently brings out real passion among true wine lovers. The secret lies in the fact that people waited no less than 40 years before putting it on the market. Moreover, 1975 was the best harvest year of the seventies and this ultimately resulted in a beautifully balanced, pure, luxurious, golden-colored and very potent Sauternes. This wine is made from a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon and has matured for at least four years in new French oak barrels. Serve at about 11-13ºC/52-56ºF. But if you have a little more bravado, its older brother (or sister, depending on how you see it) from 1920 might suit you better, price $9710.-.
Well, the afternoon snack is over and we are going to quietly prepare for dinner. (The great thing about Sundays is that if you don't have to work and can spend the day at home, you actually live from one meal to the next.) What wine should we have with it? Come on, let's be crazy, it will be that one bottle of Château Mouton Rothschild from 1945 ($23061.-) that is still in the cellar. Château Mouton-Rothschild is a very famous winery in France. To be precise, it is located in Bordeaux in the municipality of Pauillac and borders Saint-Estephe. Originally, the “Mouton” vineyard belonged to that of Château Lafite-Rothschild, but was separated from it in the mid-eighteenth century by owner Brane. Baron Hector de Brane (also known as “the Napoleon of the vines”) gained his fame because of the great efforts he made to develop the vineyards in the Médoc and introduce the Cabernet Sauvignon grape to this region. When he had already achieved some fame with Mouton, he decided to sell the winery in 1830 and retire. In the meantime, the wines of Château Mouton Rothschild are counted among the absolute top wines with the extra good volumes: 1945, 1947, 1949, 1953, 1955, 1959, 1970, 1982, 1986, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2003 and 2005, with the one from 1945 apparently being the best. This red wine is made from the Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc grape and has an alcohol content of 12.5%. It was raised in new French oak for a period between 19 and 22 months. The ideal serving temperature is between 16-18ºC/60-64 ºF and it is recommended to place the bottle upright some time before use (so that the sediment can settle). The label also has its own story; In the twentieth century, Barón Philippe decided to celebrate his return to his native land (after defeating the enemy) by asking the then modern artist Phillipe Jullian to design a special label for the wines of Château Mouton-Rothschild in which the “V” for victory occurred. Since then, it has been tradition that the label is designed for each new vintage by a contemporary artist.
Naturally, the range of exclusive wines is much, much larger than I can describe in this article, but I still hope to have put some of you on the right track!
Roel Peters RP-Vinos USA
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