Will Hargrove runs private sales at the rather posh Corney & Barrow. The key perk of this (I imagine) is that he’s probably tasted rather a lot of DRC. And de Vogue. And Salon. And Petrus and Leflaive. And I’m feeling a little green just thinking about it. He also writes a rather good blog, and was one of the first followers of this vinolent drabble.
I thank Will for his answers:
1) What was the first wine/bottle that got you into the whole wine thing?
Cos d’Estournel 1986, my Dad bought a case of it (and Beychevelle 1986, which was decent but less good) and it all got drunk way too young but I remember having a bottle when it, not me, was about 8 years of age. Despite having had a few good wines before it was the first bottle that made me think there could be more “layers” and interest to this grape juice lark…I now realise it was probably the quality tannins and the savoury masculine nature of it but at the time I just thought “I could get into this”.
2) What was the first wine/bottle that took you closer to your maker?
Yquem 1989 – when I had been in the trade about a year three of us at the, now closed, C&B shop in Notting Hill decided to share a half with lunch one day, I had it with the samosa I was eating, I didn’t realise until then that you could get that much “flavour” into a liquid…staggering and it’ll out last me.
3) What was the best wine/bottle you have had this year?
This year it would be Grands Echezeaux 1991, DRC, by some amazing amount of luck I have had it twice and it is has been brilliant on both occasions, just everything great Burgundy should be, elegance, balance, at a great stage, refreshing and complex…just begs to be drunk! There have been other great bottles and second (just) would have to be Barolo 1967, Giacomo Conterno…stunning…
Thank you again, Mr Hargrove.
