Cellar Favorite: 1964 Maison Léon Revol Côte-Rôtie

BY BILLY NORRIS | SEPTEMBER 29, 2025

No visit to the legendary Bern’s Steakhouse in Tampa, Florida, is complete without an unexpected gem or two pulled from the dusty recesses of its cavernous cellar. This occasion was no different. Senior Sommelier Brad Dixon fished out a bottle of 1964 Maison Léon Revol Côte-Rôtie, an unknown-to-me and seemingly unknown-to-most négociant bottling from an auspicious vintage that is rarely seen today. Presumably, this bottle was sourced at some point during the course of Bern Laxer’s innumerable European exploratory missions as he assembled his otherworldly accumulation of wines throughout the mid-twentieth century. Beyond that, little is known about fruit sources or production methods. That mystery is what makes dining and drinking at Bern’s such an inimitable experience.

What I can say is that the 1964 Côte-Rôtie is a beautiful wine and a testament to the magical powers of the Bern’s cellar. Poured blind, I would’ve easily guessed the 1964 was 20 years younger, if not more. It slinks from the glass with an extraordinarily composed, cool-toned bouquet of cracked peppercorn, white smoke, saddle leather, crushed fall leaves and dried blueberry, surprisingly clean and clearly delineated. Seamless and elegant, it dances across the palate with undeniable energy and verve as a mentholated freshness lifts the long finish. The tannins are fully resolved, leaving behind a supple wine that lilts rather than lumbers. After an hour in a decanter, the 1964 only gradually begins to lose steam, darkening slightly and turning more inward. Nonetheless, an impressive showing for a 61-year-old négociant bottling. 92/Drink 2025-2030.

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