Bottles from the personal cellar of Robert Chadderdon. Sweet and rich and briary. Like fermented blackcurrant wine gums. This acted as a bit of a drum roll for the grander 1961s that followed. Very dry finish but overall more flesh than the Calon.

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Still a spectacular wine, the 1961 defies mortality. It has been at its peak for nearly 15 years, yet it shows no signs of losing its fruit and drying out. The color is a dark garnet with orange/amber at the edge. The profound bouquet has the magnetic allure that leaves great Bordeaux unmatched for complexity. Sweet notes of dried fruits, herbs, tobacco, smoke, and roasted meats are followed by an opulently-textured, thick, nearly viscous wine with high glycerin, ripe, jammy fruit, and an intoxicating combination of glycerin, extract, and suppleness. The wine holds in the glass without cracking up, and has a good 40-45 second finish. There is no telling how much longer this 1961 will retain its magic, but it is still a classic.

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Beautiful aromas of plum, light currant and milk chocolate follow through to a medium- to full-bodied palate, with fine tannins and a long finish. Very silky and refined, with a slightly raised acidity on the finish. A pretty wine.--Lynch-Bages non-blind vertical. Drink now.

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