We came to New York on 20 October 2011 to attend what American Express promised would be a 'once in a lifetime experience': a private dinner...
A dinner to celebrate 1961's half century
Guest contributor
Thursday 3 November 2011
Purple pagers Al Buchanan of Chicago (left) and Maureen Downey of San Francisco met at a wonderful 1961 dinner I was lucky enough to host in New York last month. Below is their joint account of it. My own notes, together with those on some other red bordeaux that are celebrating their half-century this year, are published in 1961's half century celebrated, with some notes on the legendary 1961 vintage. Photographs ©2011 American Express.
Become a member or log in to continue reading
Go for gold with your wine knowledge.
The world just came together in Italy – and there’s never been a better time to explore its wines and beyond.
For a limited time, get 20% off all annual memberships by entering promo code GOLD2026 at checkout. Offer ends 12 March. Valid for new members only.
Member
$135
/year
Ideal for wine enthusiasts
- Access 289,937 wine reviews & 15,925 articles
- Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
Inner Circle
$249
/year
Ideal for collectors
- Access 289,937 wine reviews & 15,925 articles
- Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
- Early access to the latest wine reviews & articles, 48 hours in advance
Professional
$299
/year
For individual wine professionals
- Access 289,937 wine reviews & 15,925 articles
- Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
- Early access to the latest wine reviews & articles, 48 hours in advance
- Commercial use of up to 25 wine reviews & scores for marketing
Business
$399
/year
For companies in the wine trade
- Access 289,937 wine reviews & 15,925 articles
- Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
- Early access to the latest wine reviews & articles, 48 hours in advance
- Commercial use of up to 250 wine reviews & scores for marketing
More Don't quote me
Don't quote me
Chris Howard contemplates the precarious balance of water, weather and vines in France’s Languedoc. Late summer sun beats down on...
Don't quote me
January is always a heavy month for professional wine tastings. This year Jancis fortified herself beforehand. 2026 got off to...
Don't quote me
Jet lag, a bad cold, but somehow an awful lot of good wine was enjoyed.
This diary is a double...
Don't quote me
Two fabulous weekends, and a lot of tasting. The Tuscan weekend is exemplified by the outdoor Sunday lunch pictured above...
More from JancisRobinson.com
Tasting articles
The first of three articles about this lauded vintage. See this guide to our comprehensive coverage of Bordeaux 2016. This...
Mission Blind Tasting
The power of scent, and how to harness it to figure out what’s in your glass. In last week’s MBT...
Tasting articles
Convinced of Riesling’s inherent greatness, these California winemakers strive onwards despite the Sisyphean task of selling the wines. Above, a...
Tasting articles
From a forest of wine glasses, a comprehensive exploration of Margaret River’s best bottles and their international competitors. Including a...
Nick on restaurants
How restaurateurs and wine people work together over a meal. The phrase ‘wine dinner’ must strike anyone reading a wine...
Free for all
Ferran and Jancis attempt to sum up the excitement of Spanish wine today in six glasses. A much shorter version...
Wine news in 5
Plus: Ridgeview sold, Wales hikes minimum unit price for alcohol, four new MWs announced and Julian Leidy wins Top Taster...
Tasting articles
This cool-climate Australian region is finally living up to its early promise. Winegrowers Patrick Sullivan and Megan McLaren are pictured...