Vinexpo 2015: The “Canons of Beauty” of ultra-privileged moments

Guillaume Jourdan Vitabella Wine

Vinexpo week is always a special time for any wine lover. More so than in the alleys of this absolutely key event in the professional wine world, it is at the moment of lunch and dinner that the lucky few experience ultra-privileged moments. Privilege and ultra-privilege, is there really any difference between the two? Yes, at least in fine wines, there is a world of difference. Privilege is being served a very old vintage of a great wine, a glass of Château Lafite Rothschild 1900 for example. I have the great fortune to experience and to share this privilege throughout the year during my travels, meeting and working with people who are just as passionate about wine as I am. But in the end, as they say in French, “we can’t be IN the bottle”. So many variables come into play meaning that this privilege is spoilt by a wine that is tired, that has lost definition and is just a pale reflection of what it should be. A privilege that leaves a somewhat bitter aftertaste even if the pleasure of sharing outweighs the disappointment.

In the wine world, ultra- privilege is the guarantee of tasting a wine in a very old vintage in the best conditions. But how can we guarantee that ultra-privileged moment? Bottle traceability is at the heart of this quest for the Holy Grail. The amazing Hermitage La Chapelle 1978, served from the bottle, came directly from the Jaboulet Ainé cellar in the Rhone Valley and had never been transported until Vinexpo 2015. Its nose, reminiscent of the great La Chapelle, and its perfectly clean, exquisitely fresh palate, are what made this one of my ultra-privileged moments in this emotion-filled week. What can I say about the 1931 Vintage Port shared with Hugh Johnson (who had received the 2015 Lifetime Achievement Award) and served at a superb soirée at Domaine de Chevalier where some great names – Pol Roger, Famille Perrin, Domaine Faiveley, Leflaive, and others – were hosting the guest of honour Dirk Niepoort? This exceptional bottle of 1931 Vintage Port had also never moved from the Niepoort cellars before being brought to its final destination. It tasted exactly as should today and we had the ultra- privilege of discovering it. How do we know that it was the exact taste? The greatest expert in the world for this wine, none other than Dirk Neipoort himself, was able to tell us, and his presence made this a unique experience.

Other bottles which had never ‘travelled’, coming directly from cellars with excellent ageing conditions located not far from Bordeaux, also made for ultra-privileged moments at Vinexpo 2015. Except for the bottles of Romanée Conti from the 90s which were ultimately “too” young, the great chateaux of Bordeaux absolutely shone. The wines of Mission Haut Brion, Cos d’Estournel and Haut Brion were outstanding in the 1966 vintage. Almost 50 years old and still incredibly fresh, perfectly defined and amazingly drinkable. These are the true “Canons of Beauty”, leagues away from boring “bodybuilt” wines with overpoweringly invasive alcohol levels. Impeccable balance for the 1952 Pape-Clément whose colour and quality were perfect, as were all of the wines mentioned above. If the Latour 1964, a magnum of Latour 1978 and a Latour 1981 were really the icing on the cake of an agreeable moment with friends, I must say that one can only be dazzled by the stunning beauty of a 1978 Mission Haut Brion with its incredibly silky tannins.

And what about Haut Brion 1961, you may ask? In spite of such a prestigious name and the absolutely legendary year, I have to say that here the notions of privilege and ultra-privilege take on a particular nuance. It has been my misfortune to experience it more than once. But that’s in the past, as I was able to experience an ultra-privileged moment with this wine. The word “great” would be an understatement…Over and above a score or a mark that generally reflects not what is in the bottle of these old vintages today but what was in them, the ultra-privilege of tasting these great wines can only be described as the nirvana in the life of a winelover. Roll on Vinexpo 2017!

(*Since 2003, VitaBella Luxury Wine has been advising over 200 prestigious wine estates for their international Marketing & Communication strategy incl. Chapoutier, Hugel, Dr Loosen, Famille Perrin, Cos d’Estournel, Château Pavie, Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie’s Miraval…Write to info@vitabella.fr)