The feeding frenzy - '05 Bordeaux

[David M. Bueker]

And so it has begun - the WA 2005 Bordeaux in bottle scores are out. It's like watching piranha - greedy and glutonous ones at that. It's a lot like watching Mr. Creosote in Monty Python's "The Meaning of Life." Gross.

And so it has begun - the WA 2005 Bordeaux in bottle scores are out. It's like watching piranha - greedy and glutonous ones at that. It's a lot like watching Mr. Creosote in Monty Python's "The Meaning of Life." Gross.

I feel nauseous just reading your text, let alone actually going and watching the trophy hunt.

Does this mean I won't be able to afford even Cru Bourg now?

Oh well...lots of 2004s still on the market-at half the price.

wild horses couldn't keep me from some of these '05 beauties. sorry, this vintage is the real deal. and there are bargains. the wall street journal #1 wine - and a very good one it is - was $13 or so and less some places. still good stuff under $20 - and very good stuff under $30 and terrific stuff under $40. go for it. you'll never regret it.

I can't resist giving a link to a book called 'Feeding frenzy' by American Stuart Stevens - came out some years ago, about driving around Europe in an old Mustang trying to eating in every 3-star Michelin restaurant in a very short period of time... hilarious, some of you might know/remember it.
http://www.amazon.com/Feeding-Frenzy-Stuart-Stevens/dp/product-description/0345425545

I've got a cellarful of Bordeaux and I'll soon be turning 55.
No more top end Bordeaux buying for me.

*Who* will be buying those great 2005s?
The Chinese? The Golden Boys? Drug traffickers?
Certainly not me!
There is such a thing as value for money!

All I would ask is that no one says "a pox on Bordeaux" as a result of the prima donna wines.

Because, taken altogether, the great growths of Bordeaux (and "assimilated" wines) constitute well less than 5% of the region's production.

There is a lot of excellent mid-range Bordeaux out there.
And it makes for rather satisfying consolation.

Best regards,
Alex R.

[David M. Bueker]

I just say a pox on point chasers.

hey alex - i'm turning 66 and i have no one except friends to leave my cellar to. i hope to drink it all. and i'm still buying the '05's. lets say they take 15 years to taste good. shouldn't be a problem. you'll only be 70! i'll be over 80. what do you intend to drink in your dotage? i mean, i'm a glass is still half full sort of guy - are you glass is almost empty sort of guy? one should have a hope of some sort.

hey alex - i'm turning 66 and i have no one except friends to leave my cellar to. i hope to drink it all. and i'm still buying the '05's. lets say they take 15 years to taste good. shouldn't be a problem. you'll only be 70! i'll be over 80. what do you intend to drink in your dotage? one should have a hope of some sort.

Not only that, but some are fun to drink right now. I opened a Fleur Cardinale that was quite delicious. Sure, there are plenty of tannins, but the fruit is so there, and we loved it with our filet mignon. After that one bottle, I went out and picked up a few more for cellaring. I don't want to be without any '05s, even though I may not live long enough to drink them at their peak.

My friend Fedor will open tonight 2005 BEAUSEJOUR DUFFAU LAGAROSSE. Stay tuned for my TN at the week-end.......

2005 Duffau-Lagarosse?
Now?
Surely you jest?
You might enjoy 2005 Latour next weekend
Alex R.

And so it has begun - the WA 2005 Bordeaux in bottle scores are out. It's like watching piranha - greedy and glutonous ones at that. It's a lot like watching Mr. Creosote in Monty Python's "The Meaning of Life." Gross.

That is one of MP's great sketches. I just tried my first big name '05 today, Chasse-Spleen, and was quite impressed. I hope the others that find their way here will be as pleasing.

wild horses couldn't keep me from some of these '05 beauties. sorry, this vintage is the real deal. and there are bargains. the wall street journal #1 wine - and a very good one it is - was $13 or so and less some places. still good stuff under $20 - and very good stuff under $30 and terrific stuff under $40. go for it. you'll never regret it.

I too like picking up what I perceive to be bargains in a heralded vintage such as '05 Bordeaux, but I am interested to know folks opinion on this point, is it the general perception that these wines will become extraordinary in several years and far outshine wines from other vintages that had comparable reviews and scores upon release?
In other words, is the '05 Cap de Faugeres that I recently purchased for $17. per bottle (Parker 89) going to be better than the '01 Rocher Belleview Figeac that I paid about the same price for a few years ago and which is now rated a "90" wine by Parker with a very appealing review? Is the main appeal that the '05 is looked upon as being more certain to be a much improved wine with a stellar review in a few years? Tom

If you are new to this game and want to build a Bordeaux cellar, go to it, it ain't going to get any cheaper.

If you have a good basis of older vintages in your cellar, the money could better be spent acquiring older good vintages of the same wines, often for no more than the price of the 2005s. 1995, 1996, 2000 should all match or beat the price and for a few bucks more, some of the 1990s are drinking really well now....

I shall not be buying any 2005s.

[David M. Bueker]

I looked at my Bordeaux in the cellar, cross-checked it with my drinking habits, bought 3 2005 "cheapies" for near-term consumption (essentially to replace my depleted 2000 La Prade & 2001 Cap de Faugeres) and called it a day.

If you are new to this game and want to build a Bordeaux cellar, go to it, it ain't going to get any cheaper.

If you have a good basis of older vintages in your cellar, the money could better be spent acquiring older good vintages of the same wines, often for no more than the price of the 2005s. 1995, 1996, 2000 should all match or beat the price and for a few bucks more, some of the 1990s are drinking really well now....

I shall not be buying any 2005s.

Hell, Bill, I've been buying classed growth Bdx from the '70s at prices better than you'll find for the '05s. I picked up a magnum of '75 Latour for less than I could get a 750 of '05 Lynch-Bages. However, on the premise that a rising tide lifts all boats, I did pick up a couple of cases of '05s from the satellite appellations and Bdx Superieure as futures for about $10/bottle. That's where my '05 purchases stop, though.

Mark Lipton

Hell, Bill, I've been buying classed growth Bdx from the '70s at prices better than you'll find for the '05s. I picked up a magnum of '75 Latour for less than I could get a 750 of '05 Lynch-Bages.

As you may (or may not) know, I am a reactionary cuss and highly value the wines of the 1975 vintage, and the Latour is a nice wine.

Don't tell anyone else, but the Las Cases, which many said would never come around, HAS started coming around. You heard it here!

I have a friend with nearly three million dollars of discretionary cash who is taking medication for depression caused by feeling poor. She doesn't feel that she can afford 2005 Bordeaux. Elsewhere millions of people can't afford food. They don’t feel anything but pain. Billionaires who fly around in their own jets are riding bicycles because they feel it is the green thing to do. Something seems goofy.

Elsewhere millions of people can't afford food. They don’t feel anything but pain. Billionaires who fly around in their own jets are riding bicycles because they feel it is the green thing to do. Something seems goofy.

We get our share of women (sorry, but these fussy do-gooders are more often than not women) who show up at charity events and Greenpeace benefits to raise money to help our planet. Many of them are driving chromed Hummers. Most of them see no contradiction in that.......

[Jenise]

Elsewhere millions of people can't afford food. They don’t feel anything but pain. Billionaires who fly around in their own jets are riding bicycles because they feel it is the green thing to do. Something seems goofy.

We get our share of women (sorry, but these fussy do-gooders are more often than not women) who show up at charity events and Greenpeace benefits to raise money to help our planet. Many of them are driving chromed Hummers. Most of them see no contradiction in that.......

I love the celebrities who show up at the more posh events, arriving at the venue by limousine and if it's in another city, getting to the limousine by private jet. Yeah, that's helping!

Didn't Arnold (aka the Governator) sell one or two of his Hummers when he realized the hypocrisy of it all?

[Jenise]

Didn't Arnold (aka the Governator) sell one or two of his Hummers when he realized the hypocrisy of it all?

Someone from California will have to confirm, but I would think he had to. He owned five, right? Not that this means he's polluting 5X of what one would as you can only drive one car at a time, but yeah it doesn't show much intention to cut back!

wild horses couldn't keep me from some of these '05 beauties. sorry, this vintage is the real deal. and there are bargains. the wall street journal #1 wine - and a very good one it is - was $13 or so and less some places. still good stuff under $20 - and very good stuff under $30 and terrific stuff under $40. go for it. you'll never regret it.

I too like picking up what I perceive to be bargains in a heralded vintage such as '05 Bordeaux, but I am interested to know folks opinion on this point, is it the general perception that these wines will become extraordinary in several years and far outshine wines from other vintages that had comparable reviews and scores upon release?
In other words, is the '05 Cap de Faugeres that I recently purchased for $17. per bottle (Parker 89) going to be better than the '01 Rocher Belleview Figeac that I paid about the same price for a few years ago and which is now rated a "90" wine by Parker with a very appealing review? Is the main appeal that the '05 is looked upon as being more certain to be a much improved wine with a stellar review in a few years? Tom

You know Tom, obviously, judging by the overwhelming response, that is a ridiculous question. Tom

I'm a wine collector, emphasis on Bordeaux. I buy them to drink, not to sell, not to look at. I figure I've got 35-40 more good years of wine drinking ahead of me. Along comes a vintage that every writer and critic EVERY ONE from Parker to Spectator to Tanzer to Robinson calls the best of our lifetimes. What, I'm going to sit it out? Am I pissed that my Pontet Canet costs $70 instead of $55? Branaire is $55 instead of $45? GPL is $70 instead of $50? Of course. Would I like to yell at the chateau owners and call them money grubbing pigs and boycott the vintage? Perhaps. But seriously, among the 2005's I've purchased, the price premium from other recent top vintages has not been severe enough to sideline me. Compared to the cost of aging the wine ($2 a bottle/year) the extra $10-20 a bottle isn't going to stop me. I've cut back on big names and have been very careful about what I bought, and I'm happy about my purchases.

For what it's worth, I've tried a few 2005's so far and I've been very impressed. I think there should be some wonderful wine among some lesser known, less-expensive Bordeaux. Those are what I'm currently seeking out. Yes, that's right, I'm padding my cellar with more 2005's.

Party at my house in 2023.