71 Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou, St. Julien

It's so harmonious and subtle, you'd hardly think it was Bordeaux. The wildly earthy aroma, though, which more than three decades later still lifts itself out of the glass, immediately screamed old French cabernet when I first tasted this wine blind. Its brick orange color makes me expect muddled flavors, but they are all bright--surging with acidity, mellow tannins, and decent length. Still very earthy, minerally, and vibrant, this is a classic wine--not because it impresses me in any way, but because it is such an honest and telling preservation of its time. Thanks, Drew.