Almost since the grapes were harvested, growers and shippers in Bordeaux have been proclaiming 1982 as a truly great vintage. That year the wine-growing area benefited from gentle spring rains and exceptionally sunny weather during harvest, particularly in the crucial month of September. Says Steven Spurrier, a Paris wine merchant: "In 1982 the growers almost couldn't believe their eyes." Alas, prices for the exceptional wines are also spectacular. The cost of a premier grand cru like Chateau Lafite-Rothschild '82 is nearly $58 a bottle (compared with $45 for the 1981 vintage), and even humbler chateaux like Prieure-Lichine are selling for $15...
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