Once upon a time not so long ago, ex-château Bordeaux was in the midst of a historical identity crisis. After centuries of being lauded as one of the finest wine regions in the world, fraud and a market bubble forced its winemakers to make a drastic move: forgo en primeur sales in favor of ex-château.
As rich in history as they are in flavor and complexity, this producer’s red and white blends are a must-have for any connoisseur interested in adding some quality Bordeaux wine to their collection. It can be difficult to know where to start when so many of their wines have received such high acclaim, but our guide below to Château Haut-Brion’s best vintages of all time provides an excellent place to begin your search.
On October 18, 2019, the U.S. imposed a 25-percent tariff on a variety of goods, including wine, imported from the UK as well as three countries of the EU. These countries were found guilty of providing illegal government subsidies to the multinational aerospace company Airbus by the World Trade Organization (WTO). By subsidizing Airbus, the three countries where the corporation’s shares are traded—France, Spain, and Germany—distorted the marketplace for airliner manufacturing in general and the Boeing Company in particular.
You love to drink great wine. And, as the years have gone by, you have naturally—and, perhaps, deliberately—developed a more discerning palate. You might even go so far as to call yourself an oenophile: you’re devoted to learning more and have grown to appreciate how wine is produced. You also put careful consideration into how, where, and when the wine you purchase is consumed. The next step as a true connoisseur is to build a wine collection—both for your future enjoyment and to provide the option of selling some bottles for a profit. Investing in Bordeaux wine is a great place to start.
The 2009 and 2010 vintages are just two examples of great Bordeaux from a region that has had several excellent years recently. However, this pair of years specifically is known for winning high marks with critics and tantalizing the palates of even the most discerning wine enthusiasts. In the years that immediately followed their production, some predicted that there would be debate for decades over which was the best vintage of the two. That made comparing 2009 vs. 2010 Bordeaux a difficult task at best.
Bordeaux is a formidable red in more ways than one. Championed as one of the greatest of reds when it comes to taste, aroma, texture, and color, Bordeaux is a wine that other wines aspire to become: complex, memorable, and, quite simply, delicious. Whether a first-growth Bordeaux or a fifth, the region itself commands respect—and rightly so.
Colgin Cellars’ wines are supremely rare and exclusive. The Napa Valley winery sells fewer than 2,800 cases of wine per year to a handful of upscale restaurants and 8,000 members on its selective mailing list. Getting your hands on these complex and delectable red wines isn’t easy, particularly if you’re on the hunt for one of Colgin’s many 100-point vintages. These top-rated wines are highly sought-after among serious wine enthusiasts and tend to sell out very quickly on the secondary market.
Sauternes and Tokaj wines are some of the most sought-after in the world. Both regions are famous for producing sweet, concentrated white wines that can age for decades–some can even age for centuries under the right conditions. These wines share similarities–botrytized grapes are used in both regions, for example–yet comparing Sauternes vs. Tokaji reveals that these are two very different wines. For one thing, they don’t have the same flavor profile. Fine Sauternes is known for tasting rich and honeyed, while Tokaji Aszú is often much fruitier and more acidic.
In 2016, wine critic Jane Anson had the opportunity to try 44 different Sassicaia vintages in a single day. By the end of the tasting, she was “approaching sensory overload,” but she never got tired of the wine. Anson said the Sassicaia vintages displayed an excellent balance that kept them from being overpowering. She said, “[It’s] almost impossible to imagine another European Cabernet-based wine, tasted through this many vintages, managing to pull off this gentle physicality.” In particular, Anson enjoyed the 2014, 2010, 2006, 2001, 1996, and 1985 vintages, as they were especially refined, complex, and aromatic.
Wine Enthusiast’s Michael Schachner says, “To say the Priorat has boomed is an understatement.” The Priorat wine region has become very fashionable over the past few years–and for good reason. This area is home to some of the best wine producers in the world and the most popular bottles are gaining significantly in value on the secondary market. If you want to start your own Priorat wine collection, this guide will help you get started.
Cult wines are among the most popular and expensive bottles in the world, making them tempting investments for every type of collector. I’ve known collectors who have made tens of thousands of dollars by selling their cult wine collections on the secondary market. Whether you buy wine for investment purposes or to enjoy it yourself, seeking out cult wines can be worthwhile if you’ve done your research. The challenge is that these wines are exceptionally rare and valuable, often making it difficult to obtain the best vintages or get the best value for the quality. This guide can help you navigate some of these challenges and build a fantastic collection of the right cult wines for you.
If you’re looking to expand your Champagne collection, investing in wines from either Taittinger or Bollinger is a wise decision. But how do these producers compare? Which estate is the better investment? While Taittinger is elegant and dances on the palate, Bollinger tends to be richer and more powerful. Because they both produce consistently top-quality wine, your preference for either Taittinger or Bollinger will come down to personal taste, vintage, label quality, and how long you plan on storing your bottles. Weighing all of these factors will help you find the wine that speaks most strongly to you.