It’s Important to Try New Things: Château Phélan-Ségur, 2004 – 2023
“After all, as your mother tells you and my mother certainly told me, it is important – she always used to say – always to try new things. Open up.”
– Anthony Hopkins, in Hannibal (2001)
The Boeing 747 banks gracefully to the left, before the camera cuts to an internal shot of the film’s star, Anthony Hopkins.
Despite having one arm nestled in a sling, Hopkins deftly pops open a lunch box from high-end New York caterer Dean & DeLuca, piquing the interest of his neighbouring passenger, a young boy (who seems to have conveniently absent parents, and clearly wasn’t listening when they presumably gave him the ‘don’t talk to strangers’ lecture). Before long, mildly encouraged by Hannibal, (although to be fair the boy does not need much enticement), the two are sharing lunch, the younger diner quite unaware of the exact nature of his impromptu meal.
Let’s just say it’s not all caviar and figs. Hannibal has added a few extra ‘treats’ to the box.
Of course no upmarket lunch from Dean & DeLuca would have been complete with a glass or two of wine, and the resourceful Hannibal has brought along a fancy bottle of Bordeaux. Given that he has recently lost his hand (I won’t bother you with the exact details of how this came about), I do find myself wondering how the now incapacitated Hannibal managed to lug his collection of lunchtime treats on board. Or how he wielded the corkscrew. Or, come to think of it, how he managed to sneak all these items through airport security.
But perhaps I am over thinking things. Again.
The question surely on all our lips which does need an answer is this; what was the wine chosen for the scene? The 1961 Cheval Blanc, perhaps? Or, if you have more left-bank tastes, the same vintage from Latour? Or even older; perhaps the 1953 from Margaux? These are all established stars of the silver screen, by the way; if you don’t immediately recall which films feature these three Bordeaux classics, I will remind you a little further down the page.
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