Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts

A dilemma: wanting to backfill on some relatively ready to drink aged Bordeaux. With single bottle purchases from retailers and Winebid, etc, I have a fear of poor storage and poor provenance, so I'm less likely to seek out 80's wines unless I'm sure about them. I'm giving up on chasing the escalated prices of 2000, 2005, 2009 and 2010 and don't want wines that young anyway (for the purposes of this exercise).

So I'm limited to the 90's, probably excepting the 1996 because of price escalation.

I am a fan of less modern, classic claret. I'm looking to find a handful of bottles from the 90's that would likely outperform expectations. Where would you steer me, but, more importantly, why? Assume $100 is a firm stop for price per bottle.

For starters, I would look for Pontet Canet from 1994, 1995, 1996. They should all be around your max price point. But they should also provide great pleasure, and fit your flavor profile.

Maybe find some value among 1995 right bankers. Everything I've had (no big names) has been drinking well for at least the past five years.

1996 sociando and 2003 sociando should fit the bill...

1998 right bank is great, left is not too shabby. Du Tertre was my favorite 1998 bargain

If money were no object I'd go after 1990 left bank wines. But quality and hype (deserved IMO) have driven prices way up, and I'd also have concerns about provenance as highly collectibles may change hands frequently.

For more affordable options that check my palate's boxes I would look at 1996 left bank and 1998 right bank. They might have less provenance risk simply because they are younger, but it only takes one careless owner to cook a wine. Even at 20 years some of the 1996s may still need some cellar time to fully blossom if you like mature Bordeaux (thinking of the outstanding Leoville Barton and LLC). The 1998 right bankers are already showing very well (Conseillante, Clinet, Evangile).

There are fine '96 left bank wines still available that are well within your price limits. La Lagune, Sociando Mallet, and Lafon Rochet come to mind. All are around $70 at Flickinger and all are very good. '96 Leoville Barton is excellent and can be bought close to $100, but it will improve with additional aging.

These are great suggestions! Thanks to all for chiming in!

NoahR -

You might be able to work out something with BWEs if they are local to you, or you met up with them at some confab.

I suspect that many long time members realistically have more wine than they will need/consume, and some cellar pruning could be beneficial to all parties.

If you are visiting Northern California capital area or wine country, and have surplus airline cargo capacity, drop a PM !

Shipping is too hard for individuals as I understand it.

It's a piss off not to be able to ship the wine for individuals. I don't know what's the fuss about as long as it is shipped to and received by someone who is above 21....

The 96 Cantemerle and Lafon Rochet are both really good, can be found readily for less than $60 and both are fully mature. I also really like the 96 du Tertre, Branaire Ducru and Brane Cantenac for less than $70. The 96 Sociando is just opening up IMHO, but with a good decant it is ready to enjoy.

AKR: Thanks! Will definitely let you know when next in Northern CA.

Blanquito: how do you think the 96 Cantemerle and Sociando compare stylistically? Have had recent vintages of SM including the 2003 and 2008 which I loved. But both very young.

Cantemerle is a soft Bordeaux that can be compared to wines from Margaux. Sociando Mallet should be compared to northern Medoc wines. I love them both, but they are not interchangeable.

stefan wrote:Cantemerle is a soft Bordeaux that can be compared to wines from Margaux. Sociando Mallet should be compared to northern Medoc wines. I love them both, but they are not interchangeable.

What Stefan said.

I find Sociando most akin to wines from St. Estephe, which makes sense since it's next door. It is of course famed for a "green streak" which I usually find compliments its freshness and complexity (showing more like green tobacco than something unripe and vegetal), but some find this trait off-putting.

Cantemerle can be Margaux-like, or more often for me (in less floral vintages), it resembles a softer St. Julien like Beychevelle or Branaire.

Please don't pile on as I am new here. IMHO 1997 Bordeaux is an amazing vintage to drink NOW. It shows great Bordeaux tipicity with balanced fruit/acidity at great tariffs. Give a try to the following.

Pichon Lalande
Pichon Baron
Pape Clemennt
GPL

Mis dos centavos.

I don't disagree with you at all Carlos.
Some of these so-called "lighter-styled" vintages have performed well over the years.

Jacques was that a 97 Mouton we had the first time I met you for lunch in midtown, or a 99?
I think it was a 97 was it not?
AKR was at that lunch too.

IIRC it was the 1997. Beautiful label.

Sadly La Bonne Soupe has dramatically changed their decor/food/layout etc.

We took the kids there a few years ago, and it was now a polished place, but with American food and a French name. And the food quality has deteriorated a lot since we moved.

Not the hole in the wall, with a back room perfect for wine dinners, old school French country food (the SO banned me from ordering the garclicky salt cod goopy appetizer), and modest corkage.

It seems to me that restaurants are just inherently unstable businesses, and ones that are BYO friendly, even more so, so expecting them to stay the same is unrealistic.

I can't recommend La Bonne Soupe anymore for midtown.

Yup, 1997 and I bought a six pack from Sam in Chicago after that for $87 a bottle, I drank the last bottle a few years ago. Ben Nelson was there too, and I remember bringing a Musar
Memories

We can definitely get caught up in vintage hype, especially as most top vintages need lots more time to shed tannins, which also gives time for the fruit to fade, etc. The real problem with the 97s was the release pricing, as high or higher than 95 and 96 prices in many instances I recall.

Yes, I think there was a range of issues. IIRC it was a short crop, the dollar was a touch weak, and the Bordelais thought they could sell the vintage as if it was 1985 or something. So all in all it seemed too costly contemporaneously. Even when the wines were being closed out, quickly as merchants took losses early, they were not absolute values in my perception. I did enjoy a nice box of Faugeres for $16/per early on though. I just discovered (last month) that a case I had given to my goddaughter then (as it was her birthyear) is still in her fathers possession! I advised they drink it up now.

It's mostly forgotten now, but the 1997 Sauternes/Barsacs were solid, probably the best of that decade. I finished my last ones this year. Even though their prices have flatlined I won't get any more of those, the next decade is just too good.