The Chablis Grand Cru - Les Preuses 1979, Rene Dauvissat, was my last
bottle, and has been properly stored since release. The fill was still
high, and the cork was sound.

The color is light yellow with a hint of green, what would be expected
for a Grand Cru Chablis in good condition. There was not a trace of
oxidation. There was good fruit of a complex mixed citrus character, as
well as some flinty mineral character. There is enough, but not
excessive, acidity. The wine is now more rounded and complex than when
young.

It is not at all unusual for a top Chablis Grand Cru to last this well.
I have read several accounts of visiting VIPs being offered samples of
old top Grand Cru Chablis by growers at their cellars, and the wine was
still holding very well at several decades of age. In fact a Grand Cru
Chablis, at the best, is a rather big wine, often has high alcohol, but
still has plenty of acid and some flinty character. It can be of about
the weight of a top Puligny-Montrachet, although of different style. It
is big enough to hold up to about the same dishes as will a
Puligny-Montrachet. I say serve a lesser wine or lemon juice with the
raw oysters, and save a top Grand Cru Chablis for the main course. I
have yet to have a Grand Cru Chablis of top repute and good vintage
year that showed any oxidation before 10 years if properly stored and
having a good cork. I can not say the same for some Puligny-Montrachet
of good reputation, especially in very hot years when acid is low.

cwdjrxyz schrieb:

> The Chablis Grand Cru - Les Preuses 1979, Rene Dauvissat, was my last
> bottle, and has been properly stored since release. The fill was still
> high, and the cork was sound.
>
> The color is light yellow with a hint of green, what would be expected
> for a Grand Cru Chablis in good condition. There was not a trace of
> oxidation. There was good fruit of a complex mixed citrus character, as
> well as some flinty mineral character. There is enough, but not
> excessive, acidity. The wine is now more rounded and complex than when
> young.
>
> It is not at all unusual for a top Chablis Grand Cru to last this well.
> I have read several accounts of visiting VIPs being offered samples of
> old top Grand Cru Chablis by growers at their cellars, and the wine was
> still holding very well at several decades of age. In fact a Grand Cru
> Chablis, at the best, is a rather big wine, often has high alcohol, but
> still has plenty of acid and some flinty character. It can be of about
> the weight of a top Puligny-Montrachet, although of different style. It
> is big enough to hold up to about the same dishes as will a
> Puligny-Montrachet. I say serve a lesser wine or lemon juice with the
> raw oysters, and save a top Grand Cru Chablis for the main course. I
> have yet to have a Grand Cru Chablis of top repute and good vintage
> year that showed any oxidation before 10 years if properly stored and
> having a good cork. I can not say the same for some Puligny-Montrachet
> of good reputation, especially in very hot years when acid is low.

First of all, thank you for the note! Besides, you did a great favour
to me ;-) Some times ago, I had Chablis tasting with some friends and
we had, among others, 1998 Bougros Chablis Grand Cru. It was very deep,
concentrated, complex and mineral wine - just as Chablis should be. And
then, I said that I'm sure that this wine could last for pretty long
time more, and some of my friends was very sceptic about this,
insisting that this is absolutelly latest point in its development and
that the wine couldn't get any better with the time. Now, I read your
TN and feel so right ;-) Of course, it's not the same wine but still....

Do you remember producer?
In any case as Cwdjrxyz states GC Chablis has a very long potential
life.

T. Autischer wrote:
> First of all, thank you for the note! Besides, you did a great favour
> to me ;-) Some times ago, I had Chablis tasting with some friends and
> we had, among others, 1998 Bougros Chablis Grand Cru.

DaleW schrieb:

> Do you remember producer?
> In any case as Cwdjrxyz states GC Chablis has a very long potential
> life.
>
> T. Autischer wrote:
> > First of all, thank you for the note! Besides, you did a great favour
> > to me ;-) Some times ago, I had Chablis tasting with some friends and
> > we had, among others, 1998 Bougros Chablis Grand Cru.

not 100% sure, bit I think it was Jean-Marc Brocard. However -
magnificent and impressive wine - and - as I said back then (he he
Peter, if you read this - see now that I was right ;-) surely with
potential to age more and more...

cwdjrxyz wrote:
> The Chablis Grand Cru - Les Preuses 1979, Rene Dauvissat, was my last
> bottle, and has been properly stored since release. The fill was still
> high, and the cork was sound.
>
> The color is light yellow with a hint of green, what would be expected
> for a Grand Cru Chablis in good condition. There was not a trace of
> oxidation. There was good fruit of a complex mixed citrus character, as
> well as some flinty mineral character. There is enough, but not
> excessive, acidity. The wine is now more rounded and complex than when
> young.
>
> It is not at all unusual for a top Chablis Grand Cru to last this well.
> I have read several accounts of visiting VIPs being offered samples of
> old top Grand Cru Chablis by growers at their cellars, and the wine was
> still holding very well at several decades of age. In fact a Grand Cru
> Chablis, at the best, is a rather big wine, often has high alcohol, but
> still has plenty of acid and some flinty character. It can be of about
> the weight of a top Puligny-Montrachet, although of different style. It
> is big enough to hold up to about the same dishes as will a
> Puligny-Montrachet. I say serve a lesser wine or lemon juice with the
> raw oysters, and save a top Grand Cru Chablis for the main course. I
> have yet to have a Grand Cru Chablis of top repute and good vintage
> year that showed any oxidation before 10 years if properly stored and
> having a good cork. I can not say the same for some Puligny-Montrachet
> of good reputation, especially in very hot years when acid is low.
>

Thank you for the excellent notes. One of my all-time greatest wine
experiences was the '85 Les Preuses from R. Dauvissat, which we had
twice. One of the few points of contention between Jean and myself is
her resistance to the idea of aging white wines for extended periods. I
will submit your notes as my latest foray in this ongoing struggle. ;-)

Mark Lipton

Mark Lipton wrote:
> cwdjrxyz wrote:
> > The Chablis Grand Cru - Les Preuses 1979, Rene Dauvissat, was my last
> > bottle, and has been properly stored since release. The fill was still
> > high, and the cork was sound.
> >
> > The color is light yellow with a hint of green, what would be expected
> > for a Grand Cru Chablis in good condition. There was not a trace of
> > oxidation. There was good fruit of a complex mixed citrus character, as
> > well as some flinty mineral character. There is enough, but not
> > excessive, acidity. The wine is now more rounded and complex than when
> > young.
> >
> > It is not at all unusual for a top Chablis Grand Cru to last this well.
> > I have read several accounts of visiting VIPs being offered samples of
> > old top Grand Cru Chablis by growers at their cellars, and the wine was
> > still holding very well at several decades of age. In fact a Grand Cru
> > Chablis, at the best, is a rather big wine, often has high alcohol, but
> > still has plenty of acid and some flinty character. It can be of about
> > the weight of a top Puligny-Montrachet, although of different style. It
> > is big enough to hold up to about the same dishes as will a
> > Puligny-Montrachet. I say serve a lesser wine or lemon juice with the
> > raw oysters, and save a top Grand Cru Chablis for the main course. I
> > have yet to have a Grand Cru Chablis of top repute and good vintage
> > year that showed any oxidation before 10 years if properly stored and
> > having a good cork. I can not say the same for some Puligny-Montrachet
> > of good reputation, especially in very hot years when acid is low.
> >
>
> Thank you for the excellent notes. One of my all-time greatest wine
> experiences was the '85 Les Preuses from R. Dauvissat, which we had
> twice. One of the few points of contention between Jean and myself is
> her resistance to the idea of aging white wines for extended periods. I
> will submit your notes as my latest foray in this ongoing struggle. ;-)

Another wine that often can show many that whites can age well is Clos
Ste. Hune Riesling. I often find this too austere for the first 10
years before it comes together. Then it can improve quite a while and
even hold well for several decades for the best examples. The best
examples I know to illustrate my point are the 1971 and 1976, which are
still holding very well if they have been properly stored.