My mother is turning 60 this year, and I'm wondering about the
availability, affordability, and drinkability of 1944 wines. I'm
guessing that they're pretty expensive, but I think she would really
enjoy a bottle as a gift. Any suggestions for places to look? I'm in
Boston, but I'm interested in looking online too.

Thanks!

On 9 Feb 2004 14:52:24 -0800, (cotton27)
wrote:

>My mother is turning 60 this year, and I'm wondering about the
>availability, affordability, and drinkability of 1944 wines. I'm
>guessing that they're pretty expensive, but I think she would really
>enjoy a bottle as a gift. Any suggestions for places to look? I'm in
>Boston, but I'm interested in looking online too.

I don't think a '44 wine would be much good anymore. Even ignoring the
problems with war-time production, the number of years would have
certainly made the wine little less than a novelty

OTOH, a couple of years ago, I had the good fortune to spend a night
at Lameloise, a Michelin *** establishment a bit north of Lyon. After
an incredible dinner which featured my first exposure to "real"
Burgundy wines--a Vosne-Romanee and a Grands Echezeaux which, despite
forgetting the negociant, I recall as magnificent, I had the
opportunity to cap off the meal with an Armagnac from a collection
displayed on the wall that had every vintage from 1900 forward.

I sipped a '42. It was quite nice.

Might look for a vintage armagnac or maybe a vintage port. Either is
likely to be a bit pricey though.


Ed Rasimus
Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
"When Thunder Rolled"
Smithsonian Institution Press
ISBN #1-58834-103-8

>My mother is turning 60 this year, and I'm wondering about the
>availability, affordability, and drinkability of 1944 wines.

The parts of the world that make wine that lasts that long were otherwise
engaged in that year.

Nice idea, but good luck finding anything affordable and drinkable. Best bet
would be a Port or Sauternes and you'd be looking at $400+

Bill & Ed make good points. Though who knows, 1945 was a legendary Bdx vintage,
and a '43 Joe Rosenberg served at a dinner at Tomasso's was faded, but still
showed breed.

Armangac (are there vintage dated Cognacs?) would be safest.

As Portugal was a neutral country, Port would be my first choice for wine.
Don't think '44 was a declared vintage, but maybe a Colheita.

You can try winesearcher.com (I think it'll show Armagnac too). There's a
company in CA that specializes in having wine from every year, called Antique
Wine Company (I think). But they're not cheap.

Dale

Dale Williams
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