This opaque purple wine filled the room with its perfume during decanting. Aromas of cherries, oak, and berries, mingled with the scent of coffee and cedar. The wine was a powerhouse offering layer upon layer of fruit flavors while filling the head with its perfume. It didn't improve at all after first tasting, but didn't deteriorate during the hour and a half it was paired with a cheese course. It had an amazing amount of fruit for a 42 year old wine. I might have scored this wine 100, but it's not quite up to the best wine I ever had, the 1945 La Mission. This is ready to drink and hasn't lost a step since I tasted it last, about 7 or 8 years ago. I have one left, but my wife wants me to auction it off. 99.

auction ?! say it isn't so board_o. i can't imagine you could possibly let your wife have her way on this one. i may never have this wine, but it's nice to know you have another one & i might get another vicarious taste.

Well, I don't think this wine will get any better and if it gets to the point where I can get $2000 for it, I might sell it. I check the price of wines at auction recently and one of the jewels of my cellar, 1959 La Tache is now going for over $2000. We've already had the wine once. She's a very persuasive woman with a mean left jab.

Great vicarious taste and notes. I think you would be too sad if you sold the last one. Drink up!

board-o,

great notes. i love reading them. if you sell that last bottle it will be a sad day for all us fellow winos

please don't do it!

awesome set of TNs Board-O. I may never taste these wines, but I sure love reading about them.

Great notes Board-O - was this the last course of the evening? When you do verticals of something like this, how do you usually determine what order to serve them?

I try to serve them in order of ascending quality to finish with the best wine. In this case, but not always, we went from youngest to oldest. Also in this case, but not always, we had them in the right order. I had had each of these wines at least once before so I had an idea of what to expect.

You had a few of these, correct? If so, SELL. I would. But, only if I had a few of these over the years.

Thanks for your input, lcc. I'll think about it for a while. First Growths from 1961 will likely continue to increase in value, even when the wine inside the bottle begins to decline. I have some others I may try to sell. Maybe a couple of 1967 d'Yquems and a '59 Mouton and Latour. I've had them all already, though the two '59 Bordeaux were still improving at last tasting. I've never sold any wines before and I've always expected to drink these and rationed them accordingly.

Maybe it's value will reach its peak right before 2011 - it's 50th birthday. I'm sure someone will be willing to pay big bucks for that anniversary (birthday or marriage).

Look, you say that it can fetch $2,000+. We are not talking about making $50.00 on this bottle. Then, it is not worth it. Agreed. But, this is good $$$, no? I agree with your wife.

I assume you had a few of these over the years. There is so much wine out there. $2,000 is a tremendous profit on a bottle of Wine. After all, at the end, it is just a beverage.

They say never get personally attached to any stock. Sell, sell, sell when you are satisfied with the gain(s). I believe the same applies here. My thoughts anyway.

Yes LCC, but isn't this great hunt and never ending search we all are stricken by about such experiences as this?

Yep. Like I said...1 bottle, no way. A few, why not. There are always other wine(s).

board-o-it's not about wine . it's about making your wife happy. sell the damn stuff.

She's going to laugh when I tell her you said that. She feels no bottle of wine is worth that much money. I don't entirely disagree.

She is probably right.

Why don't you see if you can trade it for a 1945 LMHB?

I like the way you think, skwid. I'd be apprehensive about spending a lot for another '45 LMHB, or trading for one. It probably wouldn't live up to the previous botle. I'd hate to tarnish the memory.

Board-o (or anyone else)...

Have you had the '61 Ducru Beaucaillou recently? I have a couple of bottles and wonder what to expect.