2015 Bdx, buy now or wait?

[jckba]

The current EUR / USD spot rate is $1.2222 but when the 2015 Bdx futures came out 1.5 years ago, the dollar was ~10% stronger than it is now so I am guessing that as importers / wholesalers (BNP, Fruit of the Vine, Twins, Touton etc) go back to buy more, this will undoubtedly result in higher pricing. Also, will the ratings of a particular critic in the post Parker Bdx landscape be able to push prices upwards? But my real question becomes, do I pull the trigger on that case of 2015 Leoville Barton now or do I wait, what do you think?

[jal]

So this comes down to a "predict the market" decision? I think you're probably on the right track but I would not take a gamble that prices will go down or remain stable. Buy now, you may regret not having done so later. If prices do drop, buy more....that's the BWE way

[stefan]

What Jacques advised.

[jal]

You devils are the worst; I just bought 3 bottles

[Comte Flaneur]

JC - I agree with the advice from these wise heads on the forum... my attitude is that when you have a wine of this quality, which is surely undervalued on an absolute, and especially, relative basis, which you probably want to hold for the long haul, who gives a proverbial if the price goes down by 10% in year one? No need to get cute with exchange rates. Just buy it and be done with it.

[Comte Flaneur]

All we need now is for Jim to buy it and drink it and we have a racing certainty for BWE woty 2018!

[JimHow]

Is it in stock anywhere yet?

[jal]

I bought at Wine.com
Delivery in June 2018

[Racer Chris]

2015 Leoville Barton looks like a buy it now knd of wine to me

[Comte Flaneur]

As a result of these two threads (the other being Jacques’s LLC 02 thread) I pulled out a 1996 Leoville Barton tonight with lamb rack. It has some leathery and tea notes on the nose but is a hard-assed wine otherwise. It is not very giving and has an austere palate. Plenty of stuffing but little charm. Not sure where this is headed. It may end up like the 1986, which never showed any charm. It is still tannic and brusque but I am coming round to the view that this wine will never be fetching, or steal your heart. Of course I could be dead wrong and this will last forever, but I am beginning to lose the faith in this. I have more faith in the 1995 right now, but I have less experience of it. The 1994 is giving more pleasure now than the 1996.

[stefan]

The 1996s of which I bought multiple cases are Leoville Barton, Sociando Mallet, and La Lagune. S-M took quite some time to come around. I am still waiting on L-B even if I like it for its class and balance despite its lack of charm. OTOH, L-L was lovely young, lovely as an adolescent, and lovely now. We are into our third case of it. I should have bought more.

[Nicklasss]

Went to the UGC 2015 Bordeaux tasting in Montréal yesterday. Will do a complete report.

But for me, like witten by others, the Margaux is the aoc to buy. Lascombes, Rauzan Segla, Malescot, Giscours, Du Tertre, Brane-Cantenac being all excellent to great. Lots of Margauxberries and flowers.

Pessac Léognan is another strong aoc. Pape Clément and Domaine de Chevalier are top, with different styles.

Canon is a top wine, but the rest of Saint Émilion let me down. Clinet in Pomerol is elegant, fruity, long...

If money is on objection, the two Pichons are great, with a small edge to the Comtesse for it very very long Pauillac graphite finish.

Nic

[Nicklasss]

No risk with Léoville Barton, the top Saint-Julien in the lot. Other Saint-Julien were a bit hard. I liked Lagrange too, but Lagrange never the top, but never a flaw.

Nic

[Tom In DC]

We're headed to the UGC tasting in Denver this week - I think the last one I attended in DC was for the 2012 vintage. I'll report back after tasting...

[JeanFred]

I have tasted the 2015 with Nic, a week ago, I share is opinion.

And I put emphasis on Margaux, The aoc to buy: Rauzan, giscours, Malescot, Brane-Catenac, Lascombes, all excellent!

I have also really liked Pessac for the Freshness and classic claret bordeaux.


JeanFred

[DavidG]

Interesting that neither MacArthur nor Calvert Woodley in DC are offering 2015 Léoville Barton. MacArthur isn’t showing any 2015 Bordeaux at all on their website. Probably all in pending futures orders. I expect prices will be higher on reload after they arrive later this year, no doubt made even worse by the exchange rate.

[stefan]

I opened a 1996 Leoville-Barton tonight to drink with grilled lamb. The tannins are resolved, the bouquet is strong and inviting, and the cassis, coffee, and chocolate flavors are very tasty. The wine is very well balanced and the finish is long.

Storing this wine at 62-66F for most of its life has probably helped it to come around. I did not move it to colder storage because it was so slow to develop, but maybe it is now time to move my last nine or ten bottles to our 55F storage area.

[Antoine]

Do not bother with Bordeaux 2015....go Burgundy 2015...


Glad some people liked Rauzan Segla, Canon, Chevalier as I got some... and Cantenac Brown? Any good?

[Racer Chris]

It looks like two that should be on everyone's 2015 list are Malescot and Siran.

[Chateau Vin]

I have placed orders for 2015, and after tasting the 2015s at the UGC, I have rounded out my 2015 purchases and I am done with it. I concentrated more on Margaux and Pessac as those communes have shone to me. I wanted to buy a few splits of Poujeaux, but couldn't find them...Based on my experience at UGC, my off purchase is Pape Clemente, which I bought before the tasting. Instead, I would have bought Poujeaux or Gazin...

All in all, 1 mixed case of regulars and 2 mixed cases of splits. I am done with my 2015s as I want to be more invested in 2016s as it is my type of vintage with lower alcohols...

Regulars:
Giscours (2), Rauzan Segla (2) and Brane Cantenac (2)
Les Carmes (2)
Clinet (1)
Tour Christophe (3)

Splits:
Giscours (4), Rauzan Segla (2)
SHL (2), DdC (2), Pape Clemente (2) and Les Carmes (2)
Clos del Oratoire (2), Tour Christophe (2), Canon La Gaffeliere (2) and Figeac (1)
Clinet (2) and Gazin (2)

[danzur]

FYI-I picked up 2015 Poujeaux 375's @ JJBuckley last week for $15ish....

[Chateau Vin]

FYI-I picked up 2015 Poujeaux 375's @ JJBuckley last week for $15ish....

I know jjb had them. I sat on it for couple days and they were all gone... So you are the culprit hah?

One place in NY has it, but they don't ship out if state...

[danzur]

375's sure can be elusive....I only grabbed (4) of the Poujeaux, probably should have gotten a few more.

[Chateau Vin]

375's sure can be elusive....I only grabbed (4) of the Poujeaux, probably should have gotten a few more.

I had tasted Poujeaux at the UGC, and I was impressed by it. As a qpr wine, it is all the more appealing. I might still be on the lookout for the splits...

Although I love all bordeaux, st estephe and pauillac are my sweet spots. These communes did well in 2016 and coupled with lower alcohol levels, I am highly enthusiastic about the 2016s...