For a moment, imagine yourself an invited guest at an exclusive dinner at a First Growth Chateau in the Medoc. It is mid-June, and everyone who is anyone in the wine world is in Bordeaux to attend VinExpo to make deals or discover the latest trends. You would expect to see such familiar figures as Margrit Mondavi, the Swiss born VP of Cultural Events for Robert Mondavi Winery; the publishers and editors of magazines like Wine & Spirits and Wine Spectator; and of course the owners and key team members at several top Chateaux. You might also expect a fairy tale chateau, gorgeous grounds, perfect weather, and a showing of the region’s best wines.
That was the case on June 21, 2009, eve of the summer solstice, historically one of the most celebrated days of the year. The Celts and Slavs celebrated the first day of summer with dancing and bonfires to help increase the sun's energy. The Chinese marked the day by honoring Li, the Goddess of Light. Guests of Chateau Lafite-Rothschild were lucky enough to spend the Solstice enjoying the celebrated Lafite-Rothschild 1978 and several other classified wines from the region.
If you are new to wine, the term “classified” might seem initially confusing. According to Dewey Markham Jr., writer of 1855: A History of the Bordeaux Classification, in the 1640s fashionable wine drinkers asked merchants for a wine from the Medoc region of Bordeaux in order to be assured of a quality product, a known value somewhat like the Prada or Louis Vuitton handbag of today. With the passage of time, customers’ requests became more and more focused, homing in on particular communes in the Medoc that had developed commercial reputations for better wine-making techniques or perhaps better located vineyards. And to this day, the top classified growth, Chateau LaFite-Rothschild, is considered one of the international benchmarks of fine wine today.
Article comments
1 - Joanne Huspek
I can only dream of what this was like!
2 - DW
Holy Cow a Jeroboam of Lafitte Rothschild? Where was I?
3 - Bliffle
Another excellent wine article.
Thank you, Marisa.
4 - roger nowosielski
They carried it at Stars in San Francisco, Jeremiah Tower's good old joint. Over $1000 per bottle.
5 - Marisa D'Vari
Thanks for your comments Joanne, DW, and Biffle - really appreciate the compliments! It was a fab event.