The American big nose celebrated his 65th birthday this week, with relatively affordable booze.

Robert Parker, the former lawyer turned wine critic, will be looking forward to discounted museum fees, reduced bus fares and subsidized health care now that he has turned 65. The Maryland-born Parker celebrated his birthday this week and although he has a penchant for Bordeaux first growths, he marked the milestone with a modest bottle of Spanish rosé.

After a glass of Muga’s rosado, he tweeted that he was off to the traditional Basque restaurant Rekondo in San Sebastián overlooking the Bay of Biscay in northern Spain. The town is known for a swathe of Michelin-starred restaurants but Rekondo is a little more rustic, serving traditional specialties such as baked spider crab, squid and pigeon.

The family restaurant’s wine list, however, is decidedly high-end. The cellar holds around 100,000 bottles from around the world, including many rarities such as 1880 Marques de Riscal from Rioja, 1917 Vega Sicilia, and vintages of Bordeaux first growths dating back to the early 20th century.
 
© AFP/Ander Gilllenea | View of San Sebastian beach, Spain 
Parker's wine of the day was the 2011 Sociando Mallet, which he gave a respectable 90-92 points. “The 2011 may turn out to be even better than the 2009 Sociando Mallet,” said Parker in his original review. “Its opaque purple color is not unusual for a young Sociando Mallet, but the creme de cassis, graphite and floral characteristics impressively saturate the olfactory senses. Medium to full-bodied with excellent purity, texture and length as well as remarkably sweet tannins, this wine should drink nicely for 10-15 years.”

The day after his birthday dinner, Parker was still in the mood for rosé, recommending the “Crazy, esoteric, weird, and just DELICIOUS” 2011 Rinaldi Pink Moscato Bug Juice. At just $17, perhaps Parker is readying his palate for the fiscal strictures of retirement.

By Rebecca Gibb | Posted Thursday, 26-Jul-2012 Wine Searcher