For most wine
consumers, the days of purchasing $500 bottles of first growth Bordeaux are long gone. Even for industry
professionals looking to replenish depleted cellar stocks, buying a $500 bottle
(and quantity of it) for the cellar is not exactly attractive anymore. And to be honest, with advances in winemaking,
it may not be all that necessary. Such was the conversation my brother and I
had as we worked our way through a bottle 2000 Ladera Howell Mountain Cabernet
Sauvignon (still too young). My brother and I decided to shift our focus toward
“smart wines”. These are wines that show tremendous potential to relax in the
cellar for 10 years and continue to soften, develop and provide loads of
complexity at their peak. What’s really smart about them is they won’t require
a second mortgage or a secret withdrawal from your retirement account.
Smart is sexy,
knowledge is power and there’s nothing better than being sexy and powerful. Armed
with the right information you can amass a sexy Bordeaux collection without tapping into your
retirement fund. If you are purchasing Bordeaux
as financial investment, stop reading, this article is not for you. If you are
purchasing Bordeaux
as a lifestyle enhancement, by all means, read on.
Focus on lesser known regions.
Just as you would
shell out more green for a bottle that says Napa
versus a bottle that says Paso Robles (in theory), you’ll also be relieved of
more money by purchasing wines from the following appellations (regions) in Bordeaux:
- Pomerol
- Pauillac
- Margaux
- Graves
- Saint-Émilion
- St-Estèphe
- St-Julien
The wines from
these regions command high prices because they are believed to be the best
regions in Bordeaux
to grow grapes. But there are 60 official wine regions within Bordeaux, many producing top scoring wines.
Of course, it’s easy to get lost and confused - right bank, left bank, premier
cru, grand cru, etc. Thinking outside the box (er, region) and exploring the Bordeaux’s not so famous appellations
will afford you great wines without emptying the bank. Here are three
appellation that offer incredible values if you take the time to search for the
right wines:
- Puisseguin-Saint-Émilion
- Moulis
- Fronsac
Having said that,
don’t simply give up on the more popular regions because you think you can’t
afford them. There are plenty of values to be found by doing your homework. Get
to the wine store, purchase a few different bottles and explore. There’s an
enormous amount of Bordeaux
that can be found in the $30 -$40 range that will provide pleasurable drinking
for years to come.
Watch That Vintage
If you are a
regular reader of the major wine publications it’s easy to succumb to the
totality and hype of the vintage score. While it is true that some vintages are
better than others, vintage scores are a huge generalization that mislead wine
drinkers (drinkers, not collectors). Limiting your purchases to only the “best”
vintages will limit your chances of scoring a real value. Here’s a great example. The 1997 vintage in
the Margaux appellation of Bordeaux
was given an overall score of 82 points by The Wine Advocate. The Moulis appellation (tucked just north and
west of Margaux) is not considered for a vintage score. Clearly The Wine Advocate is not a big fan of
1997 vintage. About six miles separates Chateau Poujeaux and Chateau Margaux.
So while there are certainly microclimates and other factors, I don’t think one
can say that Moulis had a better or worse growing year than Margaux. So If the
famous and well respected Chateau Margaux didn’t have it’s best year, could the
smaller Chateau do any better? Compare the reviews of their wines below taken
from The Wine Advocate’s April 2000 edition:
1997 Chateau
Margaux - 90 Points
Price at Time of
Release - $185 per bottle
Undoubtedly a success for the vintage, this immensely
charming, dark ruby/purple-colored wine exhibits floral, black currant, and
smoky, toasty oak aromas. There is admirable richness, excellent ripeness, not
a great deal of density, or superb concentration, but plenty of finesse,
suppleness, and character. It can be drunk young, or cellared for 12-15 years.
1997 Chateau Poujeaux - 89 Points
Price at Time of Release - $25 per bottle
Undoubtedly a sleeper of the vintage, and probably the
finest 1997 cru bourgeois, Poujeaux's 1997 exhibits a dense purple color as
well as a sweet nose of black fruits complemented by toasty oak and loamy soil
scents. Textured, layered, and rich, with low acidity and an excellent ripe
finish, it can be drunk now and over the next 10-15 years. Bravo!
You bet your bottom
dollar the smart shopper stockpiled Chateau Poujeaux. I’ll take 7 cases of
Chateau Poujeaux to the one case of Chateau Margaux. There’s more to spread
around and share with friends. Look for sleeper wines in “off” vintages. You’ll
find real value through due diligence. When doing your research, ignore the
points and focus on verbiage. As California
winemaker Randall Grahm (more on him soon) stated, “You can’t drink a point
score”. By eliminating prejudice based on both vintage scores and wine ratings,
you can free yourself to find values based on smart research, tasting and
overall enjoyment of the wine.
Here are a few
recommendations for wines that will hold steady in the cellar and provide great
enjoyment for years to come. They can all be found for under $40 per bottle and
most for under $30.
2001 Chateau La
Vieille Cure Fronsac
2006 Chateau
Greysac Medoc
2007 Chateau Godeau
Saint-Émilion Grand Cru
2006 Chateau
Guitignan Moulis en Medoc
2008 Chateau Tour
Puyblanquet Saint-Émilion
2003 Chateau
Poujeaux Moulis en Medoc
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