1989 Un-Classed Growth with Friends

On a Saturday when I was working at one the wine shops, my co-workers all gathered behind our small counter for informal wine and food pairing. In the display case were two half bottles of 1982 Château Branaire-Ducru Bordeaux, priced at $99 each. I had been eyeing these bottles since my 25 birthday in July. How great would it be to drink a fourth-growth wine the 1855 Classification that was as old as me? 1982—the year that launch the infamous critic Robert Parker’s career. Unfortunately they were both corked—thankfully I stood up to the last 25 years a little better. We called the boss and asked if we would sell us the 1989 Chateau Sociando-Mallet Bordeaux in the case for a 20% discount. It was not classed in 1855 and it was retailing for $129.99. The six of us pooled our money.

The best chef in the group brought lamb sausage en croute, black olives, aged cheddar, and Lindt’s chili chocolate, all of which paired well with this complex, lively wine. The color was dark with only a little browning at the edge. It has a surprising amount of acidity after 18 years, low alcohol, with chocolatey, floral, and cilantro notes on the nose. After thirty minutes, and it was hard to wait that long, it had a more gamey, meaty quality to it, but not a smoky taste from oak, but a really intricate adult taste. All in all, it was very well balanced in the mouth and soft.

We pledged after finding an amazing wine that we should do more tastings, but no luck yet. There was talk of a whole night of dessert wines, sherry with tapas, sauternes with fois gras, and port with desserts…