2015 vintage discussion

[AKR]

Rimmerman is out with more 2015 BDX offerings, at much cheaper than springtime prices. Maybe its the dollar, or stocks piling up, or 2016 looking ok as well as 2014.

Seems to be limiting people to only a case of each name. That is academic, to me.

[greatbxfreak]

AKR,

Neal Martin is not correct on Petit Village 2015. I agree 100% on TNs from A. Galloni. Mine are similar.

I tasted it on three occasions in 2016 - press tasting arranged by Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux, at Pichon Baron (both in April 2016) and then 5 months later in Copenhagen at Beyerman tasting. Every time it was excellent.

Diane Berrouet is originally from Spain and married to brother of Olivier Berrouet (Petrus).

[AKR]

Rimmerman is out with more 2015 BDX offerings, at much cheaper than springtime prices. Maybe its the dollar, or stocks piling up, or 2016 looking ok as well as 2014.

Seems to be limiting people to only a case of each name. That is academic, to me.

For those who get Garagiste emails, he's offering 2015's again, at very attractive prices, compared to the spring. Capacity limited, so try your best.

15 Leoville Poyferre $70
15 Cantenac Brown $45
15 Valandraud $137
15 de Fieuzal (rouge) $30

I'm going to take a flyer on the C-B. WilliamP poured an awesome 2012 for me and the SO recently.

Updated: nothing doing, they sold out right away on the first two.

[JimHow]

Yes Cantenac Brown is on a roll.

[robert goulet]

2012 Brown Cantenac is solid also

[robert goulet]

Lololol...think I was drunk when I posted this last post
My dyslexic brain saw Brane Canteac in the above posts
by AKR and Jim...not knowing they were discussing Cantenac Brown

...but yes 2012 Cantenac Brown(not Brown Cantenac, lol)
is a winner.

[Blanquito]

I... will... not... buy... any... new... Bordeaux... vintages...***

*2nd-born child birth year exemption for 2016.

[AlohaArtakaHoundsong]

Don't forget Boyd Cantenac. The '89 was excellent with about 15-20 years on it.

I'll take what you say at face but I don't recall any retailer I've dealt with pricing a round of futures below its initial offer, or pricing them off the shelves cheaper than offered as futures, dollar strength or no. Would seem very bad for business.

[AKR]

Yes, I agree but Garagiste didn't really to do much with the 2015's, until now, when the dollar is ~15% stronger.

Presumably they saw a market opportunity where those who led off with prices early are now in a little bit of an awkward position.

[AKR]

So after reading 2016 vintage commentary, for those who might consider laying down wines today, are people tilting more toward 15 or 16?

I have a view (formed only from reading, not tasting) but interested to hear what others comments.

[JimHow]

I bought a couple mixed cases of 2014s.
I bought a couple mixed cases of 2015, including Giscours, Pape Clement, Rausan Segla, SHL, and Tour St. Dildo. I'll probably buy another mixed case or two of 2015s, mostly from the right bank.
And, likewise, I'll probably buy another 4-6 mixed cases of 2016, more from the left bank, it sounds like.

[Blanquito]

So far, I've got 9 bottles of 2015 on order, and zero 2016.

But based on the vintage descriptions, I assume I'll like the 2016s more than the 2015 due to the lower alcohol, cooler vintage traits ascribed to 2016. All things being equal. But things are rarely equal, and any significant price differential between the two years would play the biggest factor in my buying.

[DavidG]

Sounds like 2009/2010 all over again. Both excellent years but different in style. The earlier year riper and softer, the later year crisper and more acidic.

[AKR]

I was poking around yesterday to see where some 2015's I was interested in were pricing out at. A little unexpectedly, some have moved up in the price, and others seem to be either sold out or harder to get. I suppose smart vendors are looking at how 2016 is priced a shade higher than 2015, and repricing their (undelivered) inventory to replacement prices -- assuming 2016 is fungible for 2015 for consumers -- rather than their original cost.

=========

I consoled myself by pulling a 2005 Vina Real 'reserva' [Rioja] to go with ribs & mac+cheese. This the time of the year when Rioja and Chianti get used more around here. Even though the Rioja is lighter in body than Bordeaux, it still has wonderful depth, and interest, and the tannins are resolved enough to drink by itself, yet it has the acidic spine to cut through greasy ribs and our crazy home made cheesy tortiglioni.

This may sound strange, but when I think about it, if one wants to enjoy mature Rioja, that's something that merits a cellar slot, and holding yourself. Its hard to find the stuff later on, and for a variety of reasons, I'd be more skeptical of this at auction. Rioja is a category that was generally not 'investment grade' so it seems less likely that owners would have taken proper care of it, compared to the way a solid OWC of LLC might have received. A couple of CA vendors have taken to prowling around Spain, looking for restaurants struggling under their economic malaise, and buying up their whole cellar stocks for export to the US. The prices they seem to fetch, on wines that are totally unknown, unreviewed etc. seem astonishing, but such is the scarcity of 30-40 year old riservas.

[Comte Flaneur]

Question for Jeff and Alex if they are looking in:

The Pichons Baron and Comtesse seem to be very strong and consistent lately. If one were contemplating buying which vintage to go for '15 or '16 for each. My instincts based on what I read is buy the 15 Baron and 16 Comtesse

Which is the better vintage?