An Unforgettable Burgundy

My friend's generosity knew no bounds. There I was with my wife at a JJ Prum wine dinner organized by the Wine Now magazine in 2005. I noticed that there was a small group of wine lovers and they were enjoying some very special wines. My friend greeted me and offered me a glass of vintage Krug (cannot remember the year but older than this wine I think) and then a small glass of this Henri Jayer Echezeaux 1980.

This 25 year old burgundy was a limpid light garnet slightly turning a brick tint at the edges, but it has this wonderful fruity orange flower bouquet that carried on forever. There was also a hint of meatiness, more evident on the palate, which made my wife sum up the palate and nose as spare ribs with orange sauce!! Yet all these elements were refined, restrained and elegant. It was a memorable experience.

When I got home and looked up the wine, I was shocked to learn how much money I needed to part with to repeat the experience. I knew the wine would be expensive, but wow! From a price comparison website, I found that the wine cost nearly $30,000 (HKD) a bottle, so my little glass would probably have been a couple of thousand dollars at market value. Thank you again, my friend!