Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts

DavidG

2004 Grand Puy Ducasse

Just adding a searchable vintage and name to the thread so the note isn't invisible to the search engine.

DavidG

Jim if you are heading down I-95 this winter we are only 10 minutes out of your way...

DavidG

I had a few 2000 Charmail. Really liked them. Good QPR. Not sure why I didn't buy more in subsequent vintages.

DavidG

Ron Wallace = Rare, LLC (in Colorado, not Rare Wine Co in Calfornia). In 2007, Wallace plead guilty to mail and wire fraud for running a Bordeaux futures scam to the tune of $11 million.

DavidG

The best advice is to buy a bottle of both and try them side by side before you make a final decision.

DavidG

I'm glad I cashed out too. I was convinced to bail when people started posting hard facts about lawsuits and tax liens. The innuendo alone was plentiful but not sufficient for me to pull the trigger. Arv, why would PC hire a debt consolidator in Beaune to negotiate with mostly stateside clients? See...

DavidG

Ponsot's remarks seemed odd. I think he's right that they don't have the wines when they offer them. But I bet he does not know the history of or control every bottle he's ever sold. Same with Bordeaux. You wont see Ponsot or most of the other rarities in-stock at PC because when they do get them in...

DavidG

I've had 2006 Gloria and think it would be drinking well. I've never had the 2012 Faugeres but based on TNs from 3 palates I know and trust on CT, I would go with the Faugeres.

DavidG

For another data point on drinking window, Parker says 2020-2050. Which seems in line with Blanquito's recommendation. And suggests that Jim should be loving it now.

DavidG

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DavidG

April 14-17 is cherry blossom time.

DavidG

No, that would be sarcasm.

I will be in DC that weekend attending our Academy's mid-year forum and lobbying meeting.

DavidG

I'm getting there with you Rob...

DavidG

What Patrick said.

DavidG

I ordered two pre-arrival bottles of 2001 Yquem a couple of weeks ago, just before the proverbial merde hit the ventilateur. Last Wednesday I called to see what my options were, and was told Quelle chance! It is in! They will ship 2-day air on Monday. An email follows an hour later: No it is not in....

DavidG

There are direct importers on the East Coast. Macarthur's in DC is one, and they get a number of the less-expensive wines every year. I think Total Wine does this as well. Arv you are spot on with the comment about believing in the merchant. I'm more likely to enjoy a wine recommended by one of the ...

DavidG

"...they are taking money for pre-arrival wines they haven't purchased. PC employees have said so." David, do you know this? At the very least PC should have sourced wines at a certain price and bought them when they have PA orders in. This is how other merchants operate. They have not sa...

DavidG

I don't follow Wine Berserkers but I've still never heard a strong answer to my question: How is what PC does substantially different from what Rare did? A year ago I would have said (and did say) that the difference is that PC always delivers. Just sloooowly. But it does seem clear that they are t...

DavidG

Barsac/Sauternes was the one commune that produced good wines in 1980, an otherwise crap year for Bordeaux. That said, a 1980 might be pretty long in the tooth.

DavidG

I always enjoy your day-trip reports, Alex, even if we don't get the wines here. Love the local color. Makes me wish I were there.

DavidG

Could be, but even a half-day off work would cost more than I'd recover. And I haven't even explored the option of trading for in-stock wine or just taking the 15% "restocking" haircut.

DavidG

I'm not into them enough to make a small claims court appearance worthwhile. Even if I didn't have to fly out to California, taking a half day off of work just for the hearing would cost me more than the two bottles of wine are worth.

DavidG

Thanks, Arv. This is news I can use. The PC debate has raged on and off for years. They made it through the recession and even bought a new building. I was a happy (and patient!) customer for a long time, always (eventually) getting everything I ordered. I was a pretty staunch supporter but gave up ...

DavidG

Stefan - very nice!
Blanquito - sometimes the enemy of good is better. If it aint broke...

DavidG

The 1995 and 1996 Pichon Lalande are wonderful wines. The best since 1982. Will they surpass1982? Possible, but I don't think so. The 1982 at 10, 15 and 20 years of age was better, at least in my memory, than the 1995 or 1996 at similar ages. Part of my preference for the 1982 may also be the burnis...

DavidG

The BD shoots... (if Jimmy can do it, so can I!) ...and Blanquito makes the save. (It woulda been more fun without the voice of reason.) Price aside, Patrick have you tried one of these yet? I know Jim's penchant for young Bordeaux. You tend to like them with a bit of age. Is this a wine that needs ...

DavidG

Wow, over a case and a half and the wine is just a few years old! It goes for about $50 around here. Is that good, bad or ugly?

DavidG

I'm also relatively light on 2003s, but Cos and Calon are among them. So are Pichon Lalande and Pontet Canet. I think Cos was quite controversial among the critics in 2003.

DavidG

Nice report Ian. I am always rooting for Pichon Lalande since the 1982 was one of my wine epiphanies. They've had some excellent years but none approaching the '82, and in many years not up to par with their friendly competitors Pichon Baron.

DavidG

Mixed 1/2-case of 2013 Ojai Vineyard Pinot Noirs.

DavidG

I'll take Jamet over Jasmin. Like Ogier too. But wouldn't turn my nose up at Jasmin.

DavidG

Agree with Hound. If it didn't work for you, it didn't work. Could be the decrease in acid due to precipitation that made it less enjoyable. I haven't frozen a wine in over a decade, but found it a pretty good preservative most of the time.

DavidG

Yumm, love Jasmin CR. Haven't had one in a while.

DavidG

Saving in a half-bottle immediately on opening helps, but the simple act of transferring the wine dissolves some oxygen in it. Freezing wine is different than freezing foods. You don't have cells releasing autolytic enzymes. Try it, Arv, you might be pleasantly surprised.

DavidG

You're right, Arv. I've got some late-80s wines that I've cellared since release, but I wouldn't be buying them now. Others have enjoyed great success buying older wines at auction but I'm not interested. That's why I described nostalgia for them. Time to move on and find more contemporary favorites.

DavidG

Stefan's advice is good. Sometimes the wine will seem a bit less acidic after freezing, but for the most part freezing is an excellent preservation method that can keep the wine fresh for weeks to months. Much more expensive alternatives are the Coravin and Pungo devices, which use argon gas and a n...

DavidG

2000, 2005, 2009, 2010: an embarrassment of riches! I wouldn't toss any of them out of the cellar! And as Arv says, there are some nice wines in 2003 and 2008 as well. Timing-wise, my palate aligns with Neal Martin on the 2005s: they are getting there, but the best is yet to come from the top 100-20...

DavidG

As a generalization, I prefer SB from the Loire to white Bordeaux. HBB is an obvious exception. There are probably others.

DavidG

I loved the Haut Brion Blanc that Steve Hirshberg brought. Don't know if that ruined me for Bordeaux blanc in general or if the category just doesn't appeal to me, but I'm with Jim and Arv. Other than that one bottle, no love lost here for the type.

DavidG

I'm certain I was far from his best student, but he and a few others along the way we're truly inspiring. They shared some common traits: a love for their field, inquisitive minds, the courage to try something new, and a joy in sharing their knowledge. They were great role models.

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