Bordeaux & Steak - good old friends together again

-

Tonight my wife and I had the pleasure of dining with Alex Bernardo, the owner of Vineyardgate wine shop in Millbrae, who brought a bottle of 1982 Chateau Pavie from his stash. Chateau Pavie, of course, is one of the great chateaux in Bordeaux, from what's known as the "the right bank" in the commune of St. Emilion. This chateau is classified as Premier grand cru classé B level.
1982 was one of the top vintages of the 20th century for Bordeaux, and this wine did not disappoint, as even after 26 years it was still going strong, but ready to drink now.  The fruit was a combination of sour black cherry and blackcurrant, a bit of pickle, cured meat and tartar sauce (due to aging), a bouquet of autumn (as Alex summed it up, reflecting upon the wine's age and the images it evoked in his mind).  The wine was medium bodied and elegant, with good fruit still coming through, accompanied by some pleasant earthiness, gaminess and herbaceous note, though it did not seem to have the tobacco that I often admire in a Bordeaux. As most wines from the right bank, this one is primarily made from Merlot grape, with some Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon added.  It was only 12.5% alcohol, which made it easier to drink -- lower level of alcohol was typical for that era of wine-making, and is significantly lower than today's powerhouse Bordeaux (not to mention Napa Valley reds).

The wine paired perfectly with the juicy medium-rare skirt-steak sprinkled with Bordelaise sauce, complemented by sauteed carrots and fresh watercress.

This Pavie reminded me once again why an aged Bordeaux is so much more pleasurable than every other California "Bordeaux blend" I've ever tried. The toned-down flavors reflected the quiet confidence and class of an old-world gentleman, while the great acidity of the Bordeaux elevated the good old boring steak to a gastronomic delight. And of course, Alex's and his wife's company made the whole affair extra special.

And to think - this wine was made in 1982, when I was just entering middle school as a young soviet pioneer in Odessa (Ukraine), crying over Brezhnev's death, completely unaware of what was going on St. Emilion :)!

But what were YOU doing in 1982?

Comments

Anonymous said…
Sounds like an incredible wine. Looks like you were dining at Left Bank. Am I right? How's the food these days.
December 11, 2008 at 2:51 PM
Iron Chevsky said…
Right you are. Good eye. Left Bank in San Mateo. The food we ordered was pretty good (not amazing, but the steak was great with the wine) - for appetizer -- fondue from blue and goat cheese, and steamed mussels. For dinner - skirt steak. All good, except the bread.
December 11, 2008 at 5:33 PM
Anonymous said…
Still wide awake after an incredible wine-soaked dinner, so good time for me catch up on this... Amy and I had wonderful time with you guys. A one-bottle night is sooo underrated!

Just to add a tidbit on the '82 Pavie, this was pre-Gerard Perse/Michel Rolland, when 12.5% was often enough to make great wine.
December 13, 2008 at 1:17 AM
enochchoi said…
we love left bank, my wife: steak frites, my kids: moules frites

aged bordeaux, awesome! i challenge you to keep some of your cult cabs that long and i'll bet you'll have similar pleasure!
December 13, 2008 at 3:19 PM
Iron Chevsky said…
The problem with California reds is low acidity. Gotta have that acid!
December 13, 2008 at 5:19 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Shaoxing rice wine - learning the taste

-
Image
This is part 2 of the Shaoxing rice wine series. Click here for Part 1. Determined to investigate taste differences between different grades and producers of Shaoxing rice wine, the Yangs and I scoured the Bay Area for 5 bottles ranging from low-end $2.99 to the highest-end we could find 20-year-aged at $21.99: 1. Shaohsing Huadiao Rice Wine by Kuaijishan Shaoxing Wine Co, 17% alc, $2.99. 2. Nu Er Hong Rice Wine, Yuequan brand, 17% alc, $4.99. 3. Aged Shao Xing Rice Wine, Pagoda Brand by Zhejiang Celeals, Oils & Foodstuffs I/E Co., 17% alc., 8-year-aged, $5.99. 4. Shaoxing Rice Wine by Zhejiang Gu Yue Long Shan Shaoxing Wine Co, 18% alc, 8 year-aged, $5.89 for 500ml. 5. Kuaijishan Shaoxing Rice-Wheat Wine with Caramel color added, specially designed for state banquet, aged in china jar for 20 years, 15% alc, $21.99 for 500ml. We then opened all of them at once and tried them at room temperature in 3 different ways: with a Chinese meal, by themselves without food, and blind. Our me...
Read more

Aged Meursault - how old is too old?

-
Image
Most wines don't age well - they just decline, especially white. White Burgundy, on the other hand, particularly 1er and Grand Cru actually needs a few years to hit its stride. Meursault, one of the great Chardonnay villages in the world, one whose grandeur and style was the target of the legendary pioneers of California wine industry in the 1970's, such as Mike Grgich and Chateau Montelena, gives greater pleasure as it gains in maturity. But how long should you wait? And how long is too long? From the mailer by Ross Bott, the organizer: Meursault is in the geographic center of the Cotes du Beaune region of Burgundy, with Pommard two kilometers to the north and Puligny Montrachet two kilometers to the south. It totals just under a thousand acres of planted vines, almost all Chardonnay. About 200,000 cases of wines are produced each year, of which 98% are white. The vineyards of Meursault itself surround the town, with the premier cru vineyards just to the southwest and the re...
Read more

Most expensive Cognacs in the world?

-
Image
In case you have some spare change... 10. $5,000 – Courvoisier L’Esprit Decanter Made from a variety of blends, some which date back to Napoleon I, Courvoisier’s L’Esprit is smoky and rich, with fragrances of cinnamon and dried apricot flowers. The flavor is initially powerful but has a mellow aftertaste. 9. $5,500 – Jenssen Arcana Aged 98 years in Oak barrels, Jenssen’s Arcana is powerful, “extraordinarily” concentrated and only bottled, sealed and certified upon request. 8. $6,000 – Hine Triomphe Talent De Thomas Hine Crystal Decanter Each bottle of Hine’s high-end Talent de Thomas is bottled in a Baccarat decanter and placed within an actual cigar humidor made from Maccasar ebony and Honduran Mahogany which helps preserve the spirit’s delicate floral bouquet. 7. $6,400 – Frapin Cuvée 1888 A rare blend of Cognacs from Frapin’s reserves, the Cuvée is bottled beneath a 24-karat gold stopper in a twisty crystal decanter that looks like a prop from a community Shakespeare staging. Flower...
Read more