Aging and Fine Wine, It’s not what you think.

[William P]

A response to my comment about the 2015 vintage led to this post. This is not meant to be depressing or elitist, it’s merely a summary of where I am and maybe others are or soon headed.

I thought I had enough wine sitting in the cellar but after a few years of drinking but not buying, I’ve concluded that my small cellar will not see me through to the end (hopefully). Thus I come to a new stage in life, I’m retired, counting my dollars, and projecting the years left. Therefore, I will continue buying but strategically.
In the past I’ve heavily bought the super vintages. I know this is frowned upon by our friend Alex but it worked for me as I have some wonderfully long lived wines and they are sitting pretty. Presently, I don’t need a 2010 or even the 2015/2016 at this stage of my life. I don’t want to cellar a wine for 25 years. Great vintages tend to be impenetrable early and the hype causes price inflation. Two factors that are important now. Also, I doubt I can afford auctions.

So I’ve changed my buying strategy. First, I am buying less wine. My doctor “advises” that I slow my consumption. (Lesson one for the youth of today, you are not bullet proof, you only think you are.) As a result of my new strategy, I will keep the bottle count constant (200). In other words, I’ll only replace what I drink. Next, I’m buying the “less” popular vintages like 2014 and 2012. With the evolution of winemaking, better wines are being made from “lesser” years. Further because of the lack of hype, the prices are considerably lower in these lesser years. Last but not least, these wines are accessible earlier while still have aging potential. This is the best of both worlds.

Life is good, wine makes it better.

Bill

[Winona Chief]

2012 and 2014 are both good vintages for red Bordeaux - good choices for short and moderate term aging. The 2012s have been very good for early drinking, and I think the 2014s will age well.

Chris Bublitz

[AlexR]

Hi Bill,

I don't frown on buying the "super vintages" (I have a lot in my cellar too!), only buying exclusively those vintages.

I can surely relate to your cellar management strategy, which seems pretty intelligent to me.

All the best,
Alex

[Comte Flaneur]

Bill I agree with Chris...the 2012 vintage is right in your wheelhouse. As I have said before, it is another 1985 in the making. It middling vintage by today’s higher standards, a great one by yesterday’s standards.

[JimHow]

Your strategy is similar to mine, Bill, although I have about 700 bottles in my cellar and I do intend to invest in 2015-2016.
Who knows how my opinion might change but right now I intend for 2014-2015-2016 to be my last major vintage investments.

[jal]

That has been my strategy for the last few years, Bill, though I have been unable to articulate it as well as you. And I have now about 250-275 bottles total.
But drinking a 2012 Barde Haut or, on a good evening, a 2010 du Tertre is nice and dandy, however, when Jim and David come to town and there are 1989 Lynch Bages and 1978 Leoville LasCases on the table, I couldn't stop thinking how much more enjoyable these wines are to what I've been drinking lately. Secondary and tertiary flavors, complexity, earthiness, balance and charm are much more apparent in older vintages and these wines are obviously best when purchased on release and cellared a long time.
I haven't really decided how to proceed, maybe buy more older Bordeaux on auction (20th century only) for special occasions, age my existing 21st century Bordeaux, and drink cheaper stuff like Rioja, Beaujolais, Chianti or Burgundy Village, midweek. Maybe also start aging top vintages again and renting storage space.
First world problems....
Any suggestions?

[DavidG]

Nice post Bill and good advice.

My cellar is down to about 650 bottles, mostly stuff that is built for the long haul. Some is ready, some is getting there, and I even have some 2016 Bordeaux on order that may outlive me. I jettisoned most of the daily drinkers, other than those too pedestrian to entice the auctioneers. So mostly special bottles remain, which aligns well with considering more days pretty special as I age.

I’m also drinking less these days and think I’ve got enough to last. But who knows? If I find, as you have, that my stash is dwindling faster than I am, I will adopt your strategy of buying more approachable and more affordable wines. Whatever the equivalent of 2012 or 2014 Bordeaux may be at that time. I may even take to buying at auction if I find I need more of those wonderfully aged complex wines like Jacques describes. But if my palate and nose become less sensitive, I may find myself preferring young ripe wines, maybe even California rocket juice. There seems to be no shortage of them.

[JimHow]

I do also want to get more Champagne in my cellar.

[tiesface]

Good advice here. Thanks for sharing.

I am still building an initial collection, at around 750 bottles with 1/3 being 2015-2016s

My strategy has been to focus on long term purchases, largely driven by price and my age.

I've found I have enough daily drinkers for now, but I will likely hit a time when I need to backfill with midterm type bottles. Your post has me considering hitting the 2012s and 2014s again soon before there is a price hike. There are some other 1996/2001/2004/2006 out there worth considering.

[RPCV]

Thanks for starting this....the downsizing thread is an extension, for me. My last deep purchase in Bordeaux was 2005. I bought a few 2009 and less 2010 and now focus on vintages like 01, 02, 06, 08, 12 and 14. The 2014 Bordeaux that I have tasted make me very happy as I have found this to be a hybrid vintage; accessible and age-worthy. Champagne gets a lot of my wallet these days and I am a sucker for good chablis...2014 rocks.

[Comte Flaneur]

2014 white burgundy rocks. Period.

[William P]

Ian, has the dreaded white burg pox been resolved or is buying still a roll of the dice?

Bill

[JimHow]

Yeah we had a simple 2014 Jadot Merseault at a wine tasting at my house a few months ago, it was the wine of the night.

[stefan]

White Burgundy is still a crap shoot, Bill. Consequently, I buy mostly village wines and 1er Crus that do not require long aging.

[William P]

Thanks Bill.

[jal]

2014 white burgundy rocks. Period.

Agree. But this is for buy and drink, not buy and hold.