Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts

marcs

I had a nice 2012 Malescot recently. Nothing earth-shattering but quite nice. Half the cost of the 2009 too...though also not nearly as good (the 2009 Malescot was pretty spectacular before it shut down).

marcs

JimHow wrote:I agree that GPL was great from 1982 through 1996, Roel, but I thought the 2000 and 2005 were weak. And some of the other vintages, like 1999 and 2003, were downright putrid. I have not had the 2009 and 2010.

You are dead wrong about the 2005.

marcs

But again, presuming their business model is to buy lower later, how do they rationally price the wines for pre-arrival sales today? That's what interests me. This is a crucial question and not over-complexifying at all. If their business model really is to offer a bargain price today for something...

marcs

But again, presuming their business model is to buy lower later, how do they rationally price the wines for pre-arrival sales today? That's what interests me. I think you all are trying to come up with complex solutions for something that is simple - they sell what they do not have. They rely on Jo...

marcs

Marcs, the years I list are not vintages of Bordeaux, but the actual year I made an order of any wine from PC. For example, I ordered most of my 2010 Bordeaux at PC in the calendar year 2013 (along with some other non Bordeaux wines) and I have received to date 89% of the cash value of the orders m...

marcs

From the PC website: "Pre-Arrival Wines The term "Pre-Arrival" is applied to wines we have purchased (typically abroad) that have not arrived yet. Depending on the particular wine, the arrival time is typically 6+ months to over two years (in the case of Bordeaux Futures, for example...

marcs

Below is the percentage of my $$$ expenditures at PC (based on the year the order was made) that have been fulfilled to date. 2015 - 7% 2014 - 58% 2013 - 89% 2012 - 97% 2011 - 89% 2010 - 98% 2009 - 100% 2008 - 100% 2007 - 100% 2006 - 100% 2005 - 100% 2004 - 100% 2003 - 100% All Time - 91% For examp...

marcs

I have had some spectacular 2005 GPLs. I actually think it is one of the best years for the chateau. Just a beautifully structured, balanced, powerful wine. The latest 2005 I had was closed though, wasn't giving much at all. Just that scorched quality jal mentions. But that was an exception. Agree w...

marcs

I never know what to make of Jancis. Her tasting notes have this real shoot from the hip quality, like, eh, ummm, whatever, the ending on this seemed harsh, let's try the next one, OK, this is nice and sweet but not too sweet, on to the next one....she just bounces all over the place and doesn't see...

marcs

Jeff almost always grades within a point or two of Parker, and he has the same 'gobs and gobs...palate coating...60 second finish!' writing style. So in that sense he's already the next Parker. Market influence, not so much. Speaking of Mr. Leve's influence, he is invariably responsible for half or ...

marcs

I'm with Jim on this. I tasted a bit of a 2000 Carruades de Lafite the other day that someone mistakenly told me was a 2000 Lafite. I was like, hmmm, this is incredibly mediocre for the most expensive wine I've ever tasted -- am I not appreciating its complexities? Then I realized it was Carruades, ...

marcs

it seems like Rudy did his fakes 'by hand' -- filling each bottle himself. Under those circumstances I can't imagine it would pay to fake a $100-$200 bottle. You really want a factory for that. And if you did have a factory, you'd want to fake new ones probably more than older wines. If you could do...

marcs

I've had this wine multiple times. It's a sensational wine but not really Bordeaux like at all. The issue goes beyond alcohol -- it's not Bordeaux plus alcohol. It drinks like a very high end, well done, California merlot. It's not overly sweet or cloying (which is why it's a good wine), but it's al...

marcs

Great...so judging by this experience, I can expect the last of my 2010s in 2018. Just can't resist those sales though...

marcs

John Kapon probably made more $$ off of these frauds than Kurniawan did. The wine world is full of this guy's unindicted co-conspirators.

Plus, it seems that many of his victims were obnoxious rich people engaged in status consumption who probably deserved their fate.

Free Rudy!

marcs

LOL. It's true I'm looking for some way to unload my remaining bottles. If I could get someone willing to trade 2005s for the 2009 I would love it.

I suspect I will like the 2010 better.

marcs

Hi Jacques -- so you wrote that other CT note trashing the 09 GPL! As you can tell from my note, I totally understand where you were coming from, but I actually gave it 88 points, I found it very disappointing but it had a lot of stuffing and some people would like it, it wasn't a total mess. I diff...

marcs

Also, Jeff's statement re 'ripeness' is a frequent Parker line and something I find illogical. Who decided that grapes were 'ripe' for winemaking purposes when they were maximally sugary short of being raisined or rotten? (And I'm not so sure that some modern 'ripe' wines aren't a bit raisined). Who...

marcs

I find myself being pulled unwillingly toward Jim's opinion of 2009. (Unwillingly because I hope for vintages to be good). I went long on Grand Puy Lacoste which I routinely buy in good vintages, and it was really disappointing -- here is my Cellartracker note: Rather disappointed in this wine. I lo...

marcs

2008 is supposed to be an excellent vintage in Barolo and those wines are barely getting started at 20 years old, great choice. I was thinking of trying to find some 2012 Napa too, but I have doubts in the ability of Napa cab to last 20-25 years, seems to me that they are usually starting downhill a...

marcs

Ah, 2012 is my son's birth year, which has been challenging. The issue isn't just whether some of the wines might be good, but whether they can last 25 years until he grows up. I'm betting that the top wines in even a mediocre Bordeaux vintage can last that long these days, so I picked him up a half...

marcs

The 2005 is the best GPL I have ever had. That wine has that true Paulliac authority and power within a perfectly tailored structure. Just tremendous. I think it's still underpriced on the market, it's probably comparable to first growths in a typical vintage. Been a while since I had the 96 but alt...

marcs

I would like to step up to defend LB. I had the 2000 Lynch Bages in about 2005-06 and given a good decant it was spectacular, tremendous structure. A more recent bottle was boring but I think it was shut down, the tannins were formidable. Had the 1985 in about 2002-2003 and thought it was excellent ...

marcs

Not a big fan of the 09 La Fleur Cardinale, you captured a reason in your positive review...the multiple mentions of prunes. Found it overripe, pruney, and alcoholic. In general I have been finding a lot of 2009s overdone. The Canon Gaffeliere also struck me as excessively alcoholic and somewhat out...

marcs

Like Jim, I also found the 09 Vieille Cure excessively rough and alcoholic. It lacked finesse IMO. Others at the table agreed.

marcs

Thanks for being honest. I always get the feeling that a lot of these reviews/scores on very old wines are driven by *wanting* the wine to be good. Either that or the wine has been 'reconditioned' or is just a fake. If you just went by internet postings you would think it was routine for 20th centur...

marcs

I got half a case of 2010 Leoville Poyferre at $90 a bottle from Premier Cru...now that felt like a buy! (Assuming I ever get it of course).

marcs

I think this list is just a testimony to the human desire to construct patterns, even when there are none. 2003 has nothing in common with 1993 which in turn has nothing in common with 1983. I also love the 2s...1982 (one of the greatest vintages ever), 1992 (one of the worst vintages ever), 2002 (s...

marcs

I find a lot of Feiring's writing, especially about natural wines, to be annoying, self-aggrandizing tripe, but that was a good article. I'll agree with you that Feiring often writes annoying, self-aggrandizing tripe, but disagree with you that this article is any better. She's dismissive of the qu...

marcs

This makes me glad that I bought during the PC sale, when prices for the same wines were about 35 percent lower (e.g. $70 less on Ducru and Cos). But I was disappointed to see that Suckling panned the Leoville Poyferre (only 95 points) and wasn't at all enthusiastic about Cos or Montrose (just 97 po...

marcs

Great map. But it raises the question -- just geographically, if St. E and Pomerol aren't Bordeaux, then maybe Graves and Pessac-Leognan shouldn't be either. Or is the argument that it's only 'true' Bordeaux if it's cab-dominated? Or if it was exported from the Port of Bordeaux in the 17th century?

marcs

I love the 1999s. My first classed growth purchase was the 1999 Lynch Bages and that wine has always been terrific, wonderful in its youth and never shut down. I was at a Leoville/Langoa Barton wine dinner last night and the 1999 Leoville Barton was my wine of the night. In my experience the left ba...

marcs

Jim, Premier Cru has the 2010 Clos Fourtet futures for $70 a bottle...if you're willing to take that risk

.

marcs

David G. and other interested folks: see here --

http://www.pearsonswine.com/accessories ... w7901224b1

marcs

I too have invested fairly heavily in the Premier Cru sale on 2010 futures (about three cases in total which is a lot for me). Those prices were irresistible -- the only chance I have seen recently to get truly top-quality (first growth quality in a classic year) Bordeaux for $150 a bottle and less....

marcs

Marc I didnt like the 2000 Pichon Baron in its infancy before it shut down hard, and this helped color my negative view of the vintage more generally. But what is emerging on the other side is really special. Of course it is nowhere near ready, hence the 5-7 year advice, which is probably a minimum...

marcs

Blowing my own horn, but let's not forget my sneak preview of Jim's novel:

http://www.bordeauxwineenthusiasts.com/ ... 54&p=16399

marcs

2000 PB was amazing for about 7-8 years but now it seems like a lot of the great left bank 2000s are in a kind of a cranky mood. That is leading some to reassess the vintage but I think/hope/(pray?) that they will emerge by 2015-20. They were too amazing young to just turn it off completely. Any tho...

marcs

Any Ducru Beaucaillou at the tasting? Contemplating going long on the 2010 DB.

marcs

I have done almost no direct verticals between 2000 and 2001, but in the one I did do -- 2000 vs. 2001 Pichon Baron -- the 2000 PB was clearly far superior. Strange to see so many Bordeaux veterans here making the classic move of rushing to downgrade a vintage based on tasting it in adolesence. In m...

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