Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts

Consider this the poor man’s follow up to the 89 Lynch Bages Price Index: what would you pay for a 22 year-old 1855-classified Bordeaux from the vaunted 2000 vintage?

A few additional bits of pertinent info: you like this wine, a lot (it’s in the 91-93 pts range); it’s mature but only mid-plateau (plenty of runway left); it has been well-stored; you are down to your last bottle of said wine; it (should be) cheap enough to enjoy on a weeknight, delicious enough to delight geeks and non-geeks alike, and quality enough to bring to an offline.

Downsides: is it cheap enough to satisfy “what you would pay”?, you’re “done” buying wine, you have a psychological block as you paid $25 for this same wine in 2001.

Bonus question: what wine am I?

What is your definition of "cheap enough to enjoy on a weeknight"? Under $150?

And which wines from the millennial vintage did you buy en futuro in 2001 or is that too much of a hint?

stefan wrote: ↑Fri Jan 13, 2023 12:25 am What is your definition of "cheap enough to enjoy on a weeknight"? Under $150?

Since I’m ambivalent about buying this wine based on the price, I guess I’m looking to first find out everyone else’s weeknight “buy threshold”, combined with the other info provided. Of course, one man’s weeknight wine could be another’s 89 Lynch Bages, so this is user-specified. For me, the wine in question is really good, but just under the bring-to-a-special-wine-occasion level even for, say, a 2000-horizontal themed event (though it could be fun to insert blind into such a lineup, to see how much it over performs its pedigree).

jckba wrote: ↑Fri Jan 13, 2023 12:33 am And which wines from the millennial vintage did you buy en futuro in 2001 or is that too much of a hint?

Ruling on the field says, TMI for the moment (but subject to revision later).

Another pertinent piece of info for me is how fairly priced vs market is it? I'm a deal hunter so if said wine goes for 100 (say W-S low) but I can get it for 60, that's extra incentive.

Just qualitatively though, based on preferences. I'd say somewhere between $50-$75. No more than $100 given your parameters.

My first thoughts were Sociando and Chasse Spleen but those aren't classified. Next was Beychevelle but thats good enough for a BWE get together for sure. So maybe 2000 Cantenac Brown?

Cantemerle or La Lagune, I say...

if we get two guesses, then my second is 2000 d'Issan. But when that wine is on, it is close to good enough to bring out IMO. Unless it's only first growths and super seconds at the dinner.

Talbot?

Chateau Vin wrote: ↑Fri Jan 13, 2023 3:43 am Cantemerle or La Lagune, I say...

Oh, it was around 25 bucks in 2001?? Then could it be GPL or Gruaud Larose??

Chateau Vin wrote: ↑Fri Jan 13, 2023 5:11 am

Chateau Vin wrote: ↑Fri Jan 13, 2023 3:43 am Cantemerle or La Lagune, I say...

Oh, it was around 25 bucks in 2001?? Then could it be GPL or Gruaud Larose??

I checked my records, I actually got it for $21.99 from WineX.

Some very good ideas, but none on the mark just yet.

Lagrange (St-J)?

I think that you should buy more of that BWE WOTY, the 2000 Château du Tertre.

You always liked it, and probably a great Margaux for 10 more years.

Cantemerle or Du Tertre.

Just to reply to the original question, $75-80

This is a perfect question for me. I just drank my last bottle of 2000 Chasse Spleen, and I drank my last bottle of 2000 Cantemerle a year or two ago. I was thinking about reloading, but I don't think I'd pay over $50 in large part because I paid so little originally. I suspect the market price is more like $75, so I'll just drink other things.

SF Ed

Nicklasss wrote: ↑Fri Jan 13, 2023 12:12 pm I think that you should buy more of that BWE WOTY, the 2000 Château du Tertre.

You always liked it, and probably a great Margaux for 10 more years.

Winner, winner!

Damn. That was my next guess. At least I was on track with Margaux! The 1979 Du Tertre was awesome earlier this year. I also just pulled a 2001 from the cellar to try soon. Never had the 2000 though.

You raise a very good question, especially since you paid $21 originally. The cheapest price I see on Winesearcher is $99. At that price, I'd be looking for something else. It seems that limited supply may driven the price above the actual level of quality. Not that it's not good. But consider the options you have at $100 a bottle.

It will be hard to find 2000 du Tertre in Jacques' 75-80 range.

New definition of "weekday wine":
price < $100. Make the average weekend wine $200, and that is only $1000/week for wine if you are a moderate drinker. I can manage that by adjourning to That Great Tasting Room in the Sky much sooner than the actuaries say that I probably will.

Blanquito wrote: ↑Fri Jan 13, 2023 2:27 pm

Nicklasss wrote: ↑Fri Jan 13, 2023 12:12 pm I think that you should buy more of that BWE WOTY, the 2000 Château du Tertre.

You always liked it, and probably a great Margaux for 10 more years.

Winner, winner!

I've been here long enough to know half well my BWE siblings. Looking forward to have a great time in March, in your company Patrick.

Nicklasss wrote: ↑Fri Jan 13, 2023 5:52 pm

Blanquito wrote: ↑Fri Jan 13, 2023 2:27 pm

Nicklasss wrote: ↑Fri Jan 13, 2023 12:12 pm I think that you should buy more of that BWE WOTY, the 2000 Château du Tertre.

You always liked it, and probably a great Margaux for 10 more years.

Winner, winner!

I've been here long enough to know half well my BWE siblings. Looking forward to have a great time in March, in your company Patrick.

Insider knowledge always helps!

And yes, can't wait to see you and the gang again in London. 3-4 years is too long!

Ok, enough vagueness. Not including sales tax, I have an option for the 2000 du Tertre for $70.20 each. Buy?

Let's put it this way-- I'd buy a lot of it if it cost $50... $70 is perfectly priced to induce ambivalence.

Here's my most recent note on the wine, from April 2022:
Sexy, exotic bouquet, lifted with perfume and floral scents. Spicy, tangy, semi-savory. Mid-weight and silky at this stage, bright with plenty of sweetness. Reminds me of an old school Rioja with some oak, spicy (cloves, orange peel) yet sweet fruit, all sewn up with lemony acids. Really quite irresistible. Another terrific bottle of this, I’m down to last one now. 93+ pts.

The answer will be unanimous on BWE
Buy! Buy like the wind.
But you knew that already Patrick, lol

Sew, er, buy, Patricio... Buy like the wind....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80e981e04Lw

I don't understand why you even needed to ask at that price.

jal wrote: ↑Fri Jan 13, 2023 7:16 pm The answer will be unanimous on BWE
Buy! Buy like the wind.
But you knew that already Patrick, lol

I guess I should have known! (That was the “extra stupid” part of the question, buy, buy you fool!)

What Jacques said.

Do you really need enabling for this purchase, or did you buy before you created this thread?

For those who don't know, 2000 du Tertre was a BWE co-wine of the year along with 2000 Pichon Baron back in 2005.

stefan wrote: ↑Fri Jan 13, 2023 11:42 pm What Jacques said.

Do you really need enabling for this purchase, or did you buy before you created this thread?

I still haven’t bought it! Still dithering.

By the way, BWE strikes again: One reason I was so cryptic is I didn’t want to pump the price on the 00 du Tertre (it’s up on an auction site right now), and literally within minutes of the reveal on BWE, someone bid on all 7 bottles!

I tried to snag some but got outbid.

I am about to give up on auctions. In the last one in which I participated I made bids totaling $4400 on won two bottles for a total of $158.

stefan wrote: ↑Sat Jan 14, 2023 12:14 am I am about to give up on auctions. In the last one in which I participated I made bids totaling $4400 on won two bottles for a total of $158.

Indeed. Prices are stoopid.

That said, I’ve scored some great deals — even after tax, premium and shipping — in recent years at Zachy’s auctions despite its clunky interface and process (almost always have to buy full case lots, very expense shipping). But the pickings can be slim.

Benchmark Wine Current mature Bordeaux Retail Offering includes (wait for it):

Chateau du Tertre 2000 ~ $178 WA91

Yikes!

---Gary Rust

BWE strikes again….

Wow, the $77.80 I paid (including the buyer's premium) recently looks like a steal.

I would definitely pay that 78 bucks. Thats around where I would draw the line. Maybe 100 all in if I had had it and loved it before.

I had the 2001 recently and it as really pretty, classic Margaux fruit/nose and great to taste but did fall off in the glass a bit. I had to switch from my Grassl 1855 to a Gabriel Glas, which helped. Likely time to drink up on those. I'm betting that doesn't happen at all with the structure of the 2000 vintage though.

2000 classified Bordeaux wines are pretty expensive now, but $178 for Gloria looks excessive. Calon Segur can still be bought for $160. We drank a bottle last night with lamb chops. It is a great classic northern Medoc, with cassis, currents and solid fruit to support tannins that stand up the chops. This wine, while young, is in prime time for me. 94 points. (I stored it near 64F since release to accelerate its aging.)