Value and Quality

I was fortunate enough to travel to Bordeaux again this year and have two strong takeaways from this trip. First, I need to go every year and taste the wines to find my own voice of the vintage. I learned a considerable amount in 2021 and discovered a vintage of tremendous enjoyment, even if the critics didn’t agree with me. I know that not all vintages will be winners, but having that context is powerful. The other reason is that I can speak firsthand about the wines and bring that knowledge directly to all of you.

So, what created such an exciting vintage? Thanks to a very wet off-season starting in late October 2022, the vineyards were nicely saturated going into what was a very warm year. Despite the warmth, there was a lot of cloud cover, so the grapes didn’t get too much sun and were far more balanced than in other warm years. The result was highly balanced wines with alcohol levels between 12.5% and 14%. The best wines are incredibly elegant and sophisticated. All the wines we bought were not only well-rated by the critics but also by me!

While this is our third year in a row of selling futures, this one has been highly significant due to the rate at which we have been selling the wines. It’s been breakneck and involves waking up earlier than usual to ensure I can secure what our clients need. The most obvious element of this vintage has been the pricing, which is a massive win for consumers. We have seen considerable price drops, and wines like Leoville Barton, Leoville Poyferre, and Pontet Canet are all under $100 per bottle. A number of marquee wines are even under $50 a bottle, and huge values like Fieuzal (with a massive score from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate) are only $29. For those who love top wines, how about 1st Growth Haut Brion under $400? (and an absolutely terrific wine to match).

There are a few wines that haven’t been released yet, but if you don’t see it on the list, PLEASE reach out to me. There is a strong chance that I can get you what you need!