A Tribute to 1973

15 June 2013:  A thoughtfully created 7-course menu was designed by Chef Daniel Negreira to accompany 14 bottles of fine examples from the 1973 vintage (plus a 1937 bottle). As we marvelled at the culinary creations, we were even more overwhelmed by how well the wines from this lesser vintage performed on this evening.




The 73 line-up of champagnes.  I need to get better at photography!

 Our host greeted us with a glass of 1973 Philipponnat Royale Reserve. A champagne made mainly with Pinot Noir and Meunier grapes. A pale salmon-orange colour. A very enticing bouquet of broom and forest berry preserve with subtle notes of nutmeg and toasted brioche. Delicate mousse, gently delivering the layered detail, with a fleshy mouthfeel. Good acidity. A touch of savoury on the lingering finish. Very fine. 18/20



73 DP Oenotheque on left.

 It was quite hard to decide which of the 1973 Dom Perignon and 1973 DP Oenothèque I preferred. Each delivered a very individual performance. The 73 Dom Perignon was a bright amber hue with golden highlights. An opulent bouquet reminiscent of toasted hazelnuts, ripe pear, honey, marmalade layered with caramel, toasty and smokey notes. Well kept structure with creamy mousse and fine bubbles. Nice freshness giving a nice lift to the rich mouthfeel. Long finish. 18/20 (Chef Daniel paired this with a zesty tangerine jellied foie gras ball, on a bed of whole grain toast! Great job with the pairing!)

1973 Dom Perignon Oenothèque. We didn't have the exact disgorgement date. Colour was a medium lemon. Apple, pear, citrus with tropical notes of pineapple and some candied fruit and almond aromas. Plenty of youthful vigour here. Long long finish. Still much to come in its evolution. 18.5+/20


73 Krug Collection on left.



1973 Krug. Deep amber gold robe. Quite evolved but not at all past its best. I quite liked the mature bouquet of coffee, hazelnuts, dried fruit and burnt sugar aromas. Delicate mousse. Medium finish. A fine marriage with sliced abalone in porcini consomme. 17/20

1973 Krug Collection. This came directly from the Krug Cellars. Disgorged at the same time as the Krug vintage but kept in the cool damp cellars until recently. Medium golden robe. Citrus, dried fruit, ripe pear and apple. Creamy mousse. Elegant and stylish if a little short on finish. 17.5/20

1993 Le Montrachet, Leflaive (This bottle had come from a recent auction in HK.) A medium golden hue. Intense and rich nose. Much more evolved than expected. Torrefaction notes on the nose and palate: ripe pear tart, grilled almonds, coffee and honey. Full bodied and unctuous, still showing a firm acidity bolstering the rich concentrated flavours. Perhaps a little too rich for me. Drink now. 17/20

By contrast the 1985 Le Montrachet, Ramonet showed much more minerality, youthful vigour, energy and a lilthe frame that belied that power and depth. A pale medium lemon colour. Citrus and mineral notes dominate the palate. Vibrant acidity. Finishes long with a chalky and saline note, not too dissimilar to a Chablis Grand Cru. A glorious example yet to reach its prime. Drink now and over next 10-15 years. 19/20

The Spanish selection made a very fine pair and the chef prepared a classic dish to go with them - confit of suckling pork rib, with a Marsala sauce and candied tomato, complete with crispy piggy tail, pig's ear and goose liver. I can only say that the pork rib was really delicious!) The 1973 Vega Sicilia Unico showed a deep ruby colour with just a little bricking at the rim. Red cherry with leather, tobacco and earthy notes. A little meaty on the palate. Good concentration. Medium finish. A robust well structured 1973 that does not quite have the finesse of the La Rioja Alta. Drinking very well now and over next 8-10 years. 17.5/20

The 1973 Centenario Gran Reserva, La Rioja Alta was sublime. A medium garnet hue. Notes of floral, red fruit and leather. The palate is refined, showing silky texture , elegant freshness, subtlety and depth at the same time. Finishes very long. What a beauty! Drink now and over next 8-10 years. 19/20


The 1973 Hospices de Beaune Corton Cuvée Docteur Peste (bought by Augustus Barnett of London and raised by (élevé par) Robert Sarrau) initially showed a bit of volatility and later revealed a bouquet of red fruit, spice and nutty/coffee notes with some caramel. Still holding out but didnt quite have the elegance, complexity and length of the next wine! 16.5/20



Duck tiramisu

 1973 Chambertin Clos de Bèze, Rousseau stunned us with its timeless elegance, complexity of dried rose petals, dried fruit, tea leaves, nutmeg, earthy and coffee notes, together with freshness and an unmistakable Burgundian character and silky allure within a mid weight frame. Not the most powerful and structured Clos de Bèze but certainly very elegant. Finishes long. While there is no hurry to drink this up at all, I probably would not recommend holding on for too long either. Drink over next 6-8 years... 18.5/20 (Gorgeous with the duck tiramisu!)



The fine examples from Bourgogne in 1973 and 1937!

 The 1973 La Tâche, DRC is a credible effort but falls short on complexity, concentration and length. A light weight La Tâche. Deep garnet. Floral, spicy and earthy notes adorn the bouquet but the palate lacks depth. Not very exciting. 16.5/20

The 1937 Chambertin, Bouchard shows a deep garnet colour. It is monstrous in its concentration still. Blackberry and black cherry with liquorice and earthy nuances. Quite intense and muscular if a little marred by volatile acidity. The power and intensity here belie its age. Missing some elegance. 16.5/20 (72 hour slow-cooked lamb with cumin flavoured chick peas was the dish to go with this.......nice!)

1973 Romanée Saint Vivant, Savin Fils, was a goner. Pale tawny colour. Heavy nail varnish.

Finally the 1973 Château d'Yquem. A deep golden robe. Aromas of marmalade, honey and dried apricot. Nicely balanced. Doesnt have the exhilarating complexity or deep concentration of a great Yquem. 16.5/20


Thank you so much to our generous hosts for sharing these 1973 bottles with us! And what a privilege to have so many fine surprises!