MENTIONED IN THIS POST: -Ausone -Angelus -Cheval Blanc Close to one year after Burgundy’s devastating 2016 frost, Bordeaux went through an equally destructive cold snap that damaged up to 90 percent of the vines on some estates. On April 27, 2017, winemakers in most regions of Bordeaux awakened to temperatures as low as 24.8°F, cold…
MENTIONED IN THIS POST: -Lafite -Latour -Haut-Brion -Margaux -Mouton Rothschild -Leoville Las Cases -Cos d’Estournel -Pontet Canet -Pichon Lalande -Lynch Bages It’s the time of year when the entire wine world is focused on one thing – Bordeaux futures. After several years of decreased demand in the U.S., the 2015 vintage ignited new interest with…
MENTIONED IN THIS POST: –Montrose 2009 –Montrose 2010 When I originally looked into some of the latest releases from Montrose, I assumed that the 2009 was more collectible than the 2010. After all, the 2009 costs about $100 more per bottle than the 2010. But after digging through numerous tasting notes and looking at the…
A single wine can dramatically change in flavor and bouquet as the years wear on and you develop your palate. The first time you try 2010 Château Lafite, you might only taste and smell wine. But as your palate matures, you’ll learn to find more notes, like the scent of oyster that made this estate famous, or the strong black tea flavor hidden in the wine’s layers. If you train your palate well enough, you might even spot the elusive violet top note that the most experienced enthusiasts struggle to find. Learning how to taste wine requires patience and consistent practice, but it will ultimately make your collection more refined and your experiences with wine more enjoyable.
MENTIONED IN THIS POST: -Penfolds -2005 Penfolds Grange -Domaine de la Romanee Conti -2010 Lafite Rothschild While all unicorn wines are rare, not all of them are expensive; Penfolds 2004 Block 42 is both. In 2012, this wine sold for $168,000 per bottle, which at the time made it the most expensive wine sold directly…
MENTIONED IN THIS POST: -Margaux 2009 -Haut-Brion 2010 -Leoville Las Cases 2010 -Lafite -Verite La Muse 2001 -Ausone If you’re serious about wine collecting, chances are that you will invest in wine futures or pre-arrivals at least once. That’s because futures and pre-arrivals often offer the best prices on bottles, and you can secure your…
MENTIONED IN THIS POST: -Beaux Freres -Bryant Family -Opus One -Yquem The last blind wine tasting party that I attended was a casual event, and it was a blast, yet it was also a bit of a disaster. First, the host didn’t separate the wines by style, so I drank a mouthwatering glass of thick,…
MENTIONED IN THIS POST: –2005 Haut-Brion –2011 Pingus –2013 Louis Jadot For his 50th birthday, my friend reserved a table at his favorite restaurant. He brought along his own bottle of 2005 Haut-Brion, and asked the sommelier to uncork it for him. The sommelier poured a thimble-sized splash of it into a glass and offered…
MENTIONED IN THIS POST: –Abreu –Domaine de la Romanee Conti –Screaming Eagle About a decade ago, my teenage cousin got caught breaking into his father’s wine cellar. My cousin had decided to steal just one bottle, thinking my uncle wouldn’t notice. But he made a serious mistake when he carried out his heist: he took…
MENTIONED IN THIS POST: –Chateau Mission Haut-Brion –Chateau Mouton Rothschild –Chateau Lafite Rothschild By Beth Cash It’s one big party in Bordeaux right now; 2016 en primeur has kicked off and consumers are eagerly awaiting critics’ scores and perhaps not-so-eagerly awaiting en primeur price tags. With the largest harvest in over a decade, and with…
A few weeks ago, I opened a bottle of California Zinfandel and found the wine as dull as nails. Since this is a vintage that a good friend raved about, I decided to give it another shot, this time pouring it through my handheld wine aerator. Within moments, the bland Zinfandel transformed into a heady…
MENTIONED IN THIS POST: –DRC –Chateau Angelus –Tenuta Dell’Ornellaia –Azienda Agricola Argiano –Pol Roger –Robert Mondavi Winery –Chateau d’Yquem –Domaine Leroy –Screaming Eagle When you choose the right vintage, wine is the best gift for nearly any occasion because you can customize the varietal, region, and vintage to match the giftee’s taste and personality. The…
