Cocks et Feret - Worth the investment?

[TheBordeauxClub]

Greetings to One and All.
Looks like an excellent forum here, thank you for sharing it with me. : )
I'm building up my Bordeaux library and I'm trying to decide whether the current translation of the Cocks et Feret 'Bordeaux Bible' is worth the investment.
( Currently about $110 U.S., used, on Amazon.com )
I've got the last edition of Parkers' Bordeaux Guide, Oz Clarkes' overview, and I've just ordered a copy of James Lawthers' "Finest Wines of Bordeaux".
Do I really need the Cocks et Feret as well? I'd appreciate any thoughts you might have.
Thanks,

Ken

[DavidG]

Need it? Probably not if your goal is to find and drink good Bordeaux. But if you have a passion for the details, it's a great reference for who owns what. I almost bought one, but realized it was easier to just ask AlexR here when I was stumped about an obscure property.

[AlexR]

Hi Ken,

The Cocks and Féret comes out about once every 3 years or so.

Please imagine a very thick, 2,300 page compendium with short, fairly hackneyed profiles of leading châteaux (in fact, the ones who pay!), and just one line for the mutltitude of other estates.

I find Bordeaux and its Wines useful because it has statistical information, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses for many of the estates.
There is also information about each appellation, the region as a whole, and the wine trade (négociants).

However, I do consider this as a specialist sort of reference work, and all the more so for you because only a fraction of wines are available on the American market, although this is not, of course, the case for the great growths.

Bottom line: it is an invaluable opus for gung-ho Bordeaux lovers or people who need it for professional reasons.
It is not for the average wine lover, or the person who tends to drink the great growths more than any other category of Bordeaux because those wines are covered much more completely, and in a much more enjoyable way in other reference works.

One advantage of the Féret is that only a tiny percentage of the information is outdated from one edition to the next i.e., if you dish out for a copy, it'll give you years of use.

Best regards,
Alex R.

[TheBordeauxClub]

Thanks very much for the feedback, Gents.
Sounds like a very useful item to have. I'll add it to my bookshelf soonest.
Appreciate the help. : )

Thanks again.
Ken

[bensonk]

The latest English version of Feret seems to be 2004. I'm not in a hurry to acquire it, so should I wait until the next edition is available. If so, any idea when that might be?
Thanks, Kent Benson

[Chateau Vin]

I second Alex.

The French edition is the 18th edition, but I own the 17th edition of the english version of book. The 18th edition of the english version is about to come in the market, but don't know when it is due. But as Alex mentioned, I don't think it would be much of a difference. I love the book for the details, history, etc. I wouldn't say it is absolutely a must, but I bought it since I was taking part in the Left Bank Bordeaux Cup competition.

[DavidG]

Where can the English edition be purchased? Anyone selling it in the US?

[bensonk]

It's available both new and used at amazon.

[Chateau Vin]

Where can the English edition be purchased? Anyone selling it in the US?

I bought it at amazon for around 120 bucks...But be warned...it has a very thin paper, and there are no pictures, and the whole book is in black and white print. The book is purely for a knowledge base, mainly historical...The book has a description of the chateaux, bit of history and details...There is also information about the geography of the communes, soil makeup, acreage, governing laws, appellations and their history, etc...Some people might find this information a bit dry...but I found it interesting...