A wine that you must try before you die has to be something that means a lot to you. In my case, this was a wine from grapes picked the year I was born. 1975 (my year) has arguably been rated as a pretty disastrous vintage in numerous wine regions: “Another very disappointing year,” said Decanter in their ‘Burgundy Vintage Guide.’ Nevertheless, I will never forget the day that Bernard Noblet (Chef de Cave du DRC) decided to blind taste us on what he considered to be the ultimate example of a crappy-vintage wine, although in this occasion the bottle had never left the winery. The wine happened to be a Romanée-Conti ’75. Needless to say, the wine was stunningly complex, just wonderful. I fell on my knees, right there, I loved the wine and the experience; I guess I could die in peace after that day…
And of course, no need to drain the bottle in one go these days, now you can stretch the wine by Coravining it ’til you die!
Lucas Paya is an internationally recognized sommelier, having worked with some of the most respected figures in the food and beverage industry. Formerly of the elBulli in Catalunya, Spain, followed by José Andrés’ ThinkFoodGroup, Lucas Paya is an expert in Champagne and sparkling wines, and his recommendations have appeared in print globally.
