appraisal of wine

[jackieb]

Someone gave me a bottle of wine and I dont know anything about wines. Is this something that is worth money or just a simple bottle of wine. This is what is on the label Chateau Giscours ( Grand Cru Classic ) Margaux dated 1966 Bottom label Product of France Shipped by Pierre Cartier & Fils Bordeaux France Imported by Monsieur Henry Wines Bottle is intact. People keep telling me not to open this.

[wondersofwine]

I'm not an expert in this area or with appraising older wines. First, Chateau Giscours is a fine estate. The vintage charts I checked only go back to 1981 or 1990 so I'm not sure if 1966 was a great, good, fair or poor vintage for red Bordeaux wines. Maybe WW or someone else will weigh in. It's possible that the wine, almost 40 years old, is already dead, especially if it was not stored in cool, dark conditions. On the other hand, some 1961 Giscours was auctioned for $90 or $100 a bottle in 2003 so there may be hope for the wine if the vintage and storage were both great. It should certainly be mature now if now already over-the-hill.

[winoweenie]

Hi Jackieb and welcome to the board. 66 was originally thot to be a great vintage but the wines for the most part stayed too lean to develop into great bottles. It was a good vintage but, unfortunately Giscours didn't perform too well. The only time I had the wine was in 86 and it was going down-hill fast. With outstanding storage it mite still be drinkable. The only way to know is open the puppy. WW

[hotwine]

Michael Broadbent agreed in 1991, awarding it 2 1/2 stars and calling it lean, a wine that might never come out of its shell. Wine-searcher.com shows it selling for $50-$100, but that would be predicated on optimum storage since release. Suggest you keep it cool and dark and drink it soon with beef.

Welcome to the board.