I hardly remember when I bought this wine; it was from a (Swiss) auction lot that included 2 0r 3 of these and half a dozen 1980 Charlemagnes that fit for a friend’s birthyear. The 1980s not from a great year, but the bottles were all sound and had a certain, stony, mineral, Charlemagne style. A couple of the DF’s were also drunk – though I have no memory of them – good or bad.

Fast forward 15 (probably more!) years later, and this last 1979 still sat in the ‘wine fridge’ – it’s actually a normal fridge, full of wine, that happens to be in the cellar !! I mentioned the bottle to Christine Dubreuil-Fontaine and she said that she didn’t think she’d ever tasted the 1979. So lunch, cooked by Christine, was in order to drink this – and it turned out to be lovely!

The 2017 wasn’t opened, it was just on hand to compare the old and the new…

1979 Dubreuil-Fontaine, Corton-Charlemagne
The cork came out in a number of pieces, so the wine was decanted.
This had some depth of golden yell colour – but not orange, or worse-still, brown! What an inviting nose; energy, ripe citrus – a certain sucrosity and all those signs of age, such as lanolin, and white chocolate – yet, with a super clarity too. Here the ‘wool’ wasn’t pulled over the eyes. The palate, like the nose also showed enviable clarity for the age of the bottle. Super architecture and a wonderfully tasty finish. We were all left very happy !!
Rebuy – No Chance!!