George Saintsbury: Notes on a Cellar-Book

I found this well known book, which was first published in 1920, when the author was 75 years old, in a second hand book store a few days ago. Many of the words and ideas still hold true. Though now considered overrated by some I think much of its reputation relates to the man and what he stood for as much as the text. Additionally the publication in 1920 and subsequent popularity, of what is a very modest book in terms of ideas and content, highlighted that there was an unmet thirst for books on wine. I might add this niche has now been well and truly filled by an ever expanding number of wine writers.

The freshness and directness of the words and familiarity of the names is potentially disorientating - I had to keep reminding myself that he was referring to wines from the 1800's. Take this example:

I once bought some magnums of '75 Mouton Rothschild rather before it had established its reputation at an extremely moderate price, and I need hardly tell anyone who knows claret-history what it turned out to be

Just in case you ever thought people considered Bordeaux cheap at the time of purchase:

Of those unsatisfactory '70's I had at various times Lafite, Latour, Margaux, Haut Brion, Pichon-Longueville, Lagrange, and Croizet-Bages. The seven wines, taking only a dozen of each, cost, at the high prices then ruling for claret, about thirty pounds.

30 pounds for 7 cases of Bordeaux (4 first growths, a second, third and a fifth)!!!
Saintsbury was an academic on an annual salary of 600 pounds. So 30 pounds would be 5% of his annual income.
I think this emphasises the fact that people will always complain about the price of classified Bordeaux. The lesson: If you have the funds and inclination - buy when you get the chance.

Somethings never change - Romanée-Conti will always be the bee's knees:

It was (the Romanée-Conti 1858) five-and-twenty years old when I bought it, and in absolute perfection: indeed more than one good judge agreed with me that it was almost impossible to conceive anything more perfect in its kind

Glassware has always been important:

Beyond all doubt there is a certain pre-established harmony between different wines and different shapes, sizes and even colours of glasses. Claret never tastes well in a small glass; burgundy I think even worse.

Finally on the joys of drinking:

I am only an amateur, of course; only a man who has made the study and enjoyment of wine and its fellows (their kinds, their merits and their innumerable and world-ranging associations, in life and literature, in history and society) one of the amusements, relaxations, and auxiliaries of a rather unusually hard-working life.

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