The Auswine Forum

Hi all,

The big 3-0 is looming...

From what I have seen, the 77 vintage was terrible, not just here, but abroad. What would be your picks if any, of 77s worth drinking now.

Would the 77 Grange still be drinkable now?

Thank you all in advance.

Monghead

Going to a friends 30th on the 17th of next month and will be drinking the following from 1977 - Will report back after if that isn't too late.

Mount Mary Pinot Noir
Mount Mary Quintet
Penfolds Bin 707
Penfolds St Henri
Penfolds Grange
Henschke Hill of Grace
Wendouree Shiraz
Chateau Latour

Monghead

You have probably already seen it but Decanter rates 1977 as pretty much a write-off. See http://www.decanter.com/press/am_i_a_gr ... ?year=1977

Langtons rates '77 as a 7 (out of 10) for both Grange and HOG.

Someone (here) once suggested to me that as '69 was such a poor vintage, that I get wines that celebrated different milestones such as leaving school, marriage, kids etc. Proved sound advice for me (I met my wife in 96, got engaged in 98, married in 99 and my kids were born in 2001, 2004 and 2006 - ok so the jury is still out on 06!).

Happy drinking dude!

Michael

Two areas had a good vintage at least:

Portugal and Germany.

Apparently Champagne is good as well.

I'm not sure about all of Portugal but 1977 was an excellent year for vintage port. Every port house declared it a vintage except Cockburn. In hindsight I'm sure they regret not having declared, choosing instead to use the stock for their commercial ports, rubies, tawnies etc. And to think, all the 1977 ports would be at or near maturity. Being a good vintage they would still need decanting in the morning.

As for Germany, it was the 1975 and 1976 vintages that were excellent. 1976 was probably the best vintage between 1970 and 1983 while 1975 was particularly good in the Mosel. I don't think 1977 was memorable at all in Germany.

In Bordeaux 1977 was a complete washout, perhaps the poorest vintage of an unlucky decade where the only good vintage after 1970 was 1978. If I were you I would focus on looking for good examples of Australian wines that were well cellared. And wines like port, even the Australian examples though they tend to be a little sweeter.

Cheers..........Mahmoud.

Mahmoud, I fully agree with your comments on the 1977 vintage ports. It was a magnificent year for port. I'd even go out on a limb and submit that some will go another decade.

On another note, you sure do drink a lot for a Muslim.

Best,

PJ.

Mahmoud Ali wrote:I'm not sure about all of Portugal but 1977 was an excellent year for vintage port. Every port house declared it a vintage except Cockburn. In hindsight I'm sure they regret not having declared, choosing instead to use the stock for their commercial ports, rubies, tawnies etc. And to think, all the 1977 ports would be at or near maturity. Being a good vintage they would still need decanting in the morning.

As for Germany, it was the 1975 and 1976 vintages that were excellent. 1976 was probably the best vintage between 1970 and 1983 while 1975 was particularly good in the Mosel. I don't think 1977 was memorable at all in Germany.

In Bordeaux 1977 was a complete washout, perhaps the poorest vintage of an unlucky decade where the only good vintage after 1970 was 1978. If I were you I would focus on looking for good examples of Australian wines that were well cellared. And wines like port, even the Australian examples though they tend to be a little sweeter.

Cheers..........Mahmoud.

Ahhh, I got mixed up! 76 was Champagne and Germany and 77 was port. No idea how I did that...

cheers

Carl

1977 Portugeuse VPs are fantastic

enjoy!

monghead wrote:Hi all,

The big 3-0 is looming...

From what I have seen, the 77 vintage was terrible, not just here, but abroad. What would be your picks if any, of 77s worth drinking now.

Would the 77 Grange still be drinkable now?

Thank you all in advance.

Monghead

Just go for the year of conception instead

Thanks guys for the suggestions.

For what it is worth, i've got a 77 Grange lined up, and a 77 Dow's so far.

Dan, your idea of the year of conception I was saving for the 40th actually, for the 76 Grange, Petrus, D'Yquem...

Cheers,

monghead