Three treats from dinner on New Year's Eve

 1976 Château Balestard-La-Tonnelle, 

Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classé

1976 Château Grand Puy Lacoste, Pauillac

On Sunday night we enjoyed two Bordeaux wines  – Balestard-La-Tonnelle (Saint-Emilion) and Grand Puy Lacoste (Pauillac) – from the heat year of 1976. I served the St Emilion first, which proved to be the right order as both wines had softened attractively over 40 years the Merlot based Balestard was the softer with the Lacoste a little firmer and more structured. 

After the meal the we broached the 1978 Quinta da Eira Velha from Cockburns. Like the two Bordeaux wines it showed very well with good concentration of black fruits with cherry to the fore and very well integrated spirit.

Unusually with wines of this age all the corks came out cleanly. Three treats indeed!     
 

1978 Quinta da Eira Velha, Cockburns