An intense bouquet filled with the scents of ripe plums, flowers, toasted walnuts, and oak is divine. This expansive wine is silky, rich, very generously flavored, long, and full bodied on the palate. It is fully mature, but there is little chance of this wine falling apart for at least another decade. I have high hopes that the 1982, 1983, and 1986 will ultimately surpass this vintage of Margaux. The 1961 is a top-flight wine and unquestionably the last great Margaux until the Mentzelopoulos era began its remarkable string of great Margaux in 1978.Anticipated maturity: Now. Last tasted, 4/91.
Another splendid '61 first tasted in the autumn of 1964. First really noted its fragrance and elegance developing through the 1970s. In 1981, rich complex, harmonious, wonderful 'sap' - '20' years of development ahead. Not long after I thought it a 5-star 'perfect drink', fragrant and refreshing, later noting its richness and concentration. Indeed 5 stars appear with monotonous regularity in the 20 notes spanning the decade of the 1980s. Most recently, perfect magnums lunching with the Bacchus Society of America. The bouquet leapt out of the glass, sweet, brambly fruit, singed, fragrant; amazingly sweet, showing a little age but beautiful. Last tasted 2001. 5 stars * * * * *
