Petrus
This may come as a shock to some, but friends from days of yore will tell you I was a non-drinker. My wife on the other hand enjoyed a glass of wine with dinner. On their day trips to Buffalo, my parents would bring her box wine which was both convenient and very good value! As a gift to her around 1990, I decided to start a wine cellar. Knowing nothing about wine, I asked what her favourite wine was, to which she answered, “Merlot.” Researching this, I learned Petrus from the Bordeaux appellation Pomeral, was purported to be the best.
Knowing no more than that, I went to one of the original Vintages stores, Sherwood Forest now closed (The manager was John Tait, a California wine expert and quite the character). There I met Don, one of the wine consultants with whom I over time developed a long standing wine relation, and explained that I wanted to buy a case each of drink “me now” and cellar worthy wines. Further, I wanted “some Petrus because my wife loves Merlot”. Needless to say, Don went cataplectic with laughter, as firstly the price was greater than the $25.00 I established as my upper price point. Way more, the average auction price is currently around $2500US. And even if I could afford it, none was available, as wine investors who buy Bordeux futures years before it is actually released to market, perennially snatch it up.
Those first 24 bottles, none of which was Petrus needless to say, was the humble beginning of an ongoing “fabulous” wine journey. Spring forward to 2016 when coming full circle, we had the opportunity to at last drink a 1982 Petrus. I wish I could say this was our bottle, but it was for tasting at our local Vintages store. We were told it was discovered unsold in their warehouse and they had three bottles. Proceeds from the $25.00 a 50ml glass went to the Hospital for Sick Children. As luck would have it, I was in the store buying some XMAS cheer, and had of course to try it. Remembering my first Petrus experience such as it was, I immediately rushed home to collect Bonnie who had just returned from grocery shopping. (That’s our respective roles; me wine, Bonnie food). Off to the LCBO for her to try it and me to have another wee glass. So was it orgasmic?
Before I answer, know that I overheard someone at the tasting bar talking of what may have been the actual reason the wine was available for tasting. They said a collector to raise money for HSC donated it. Albeit limited, my experience with wine donated for auction at fundraisers, is that someone bought futures in hope of getting wine cheaper than it would be once released to the general public, assuming that there would be any left at time of release. Unfortunately with some wines, when one finally opens and tastes it after cellaring for several years, one may be disappointed. To recoup some of the expense, investors donate it for the tax receipt. Cynical I know, but that’s my experience none the less. So before tasting it, my prediction was that it would be underwhelming. To my delight, it was delicious. Is it worth the expense? That depends on whether you are paying for taste alone, or want the cache that such a wine brings. For me there are diminishing returns in the taste department above $40. Would I pay for a glass again? You bet. Would I buy a bottle even if I could afford it? Maybe!
Wine served from Vintages wine serving system which uses Argon or Nitrogen to degas the bottle once opened. This preserves the wine by eliminating oxygen which would otherwise oxidize and degrade the wine.
Notice the brown rim which "one could say" indicates pigments have precipitated out suggesting this is an older wine.
And what do you drink a fine wine with? Why some nice crisps and dip!