| By Subhash Arora
Unprecedented superlatives are being used to describe the Bordeaux 2005 vintage, which is regarded as one of the best in many decades. Congruent with the quality, the prices too have skyrocketed, even outpacing the quality of the wines because of the huge demand. Certain chateaux, as delWine has been reporting, have declaring a jump of more than 300% over the 2004 price levels.
Should one just express frustration and anger and sit back? Not if you follow my advice. Wine experts universally agree that in the best years, even the second wines of classified growths are excellent and that the Second Growths can produce better quality than the First Growths of the normal years.
From the Indian consumer's point of view, I would argue that the prices of First or even Second Growths are prohibitive for most of us. Besides, the wines need decades of aging in proper storage conditions before they show off their best and this may not be practical for us. Now is the time to buy en primeur . For the uninitiated, this means committing to buy the wine that is still in the barrel, and likely to be released in two to four years, by paying part of the money upfront and the rest along with taxes at the time of release.
Berry Bros. & Rudd of London are one of the wine merchants offering this service. Though their prices are usually 10-15% higher than what their counterparts charge in the US and UK, they're reliable and for en primeur they offer the flexibility of not paying the taxes upfront.
If at the time of release, one can take the bottles out of EU, taxes can be saved. Bringing a case of wine for an Indian couple on a trip abroad is quite feasible. So, I have restricted my recommendations to buying through BBR after studying other international retailers like Wine Library and Zachys.
I recommend you buy en primeur the seconds of the First Growths or Second Growths. They cost a fraction, some of them less than a tenth of chateaux wines, which are reported to be heavenly. Second wines do not mean rejects. They are made from grapes that may not meet the strict specifications of Classified Growths, but are made according to the same exacting standards and are meant to be drunk relatively young.
For the 2005 vintage, even the second wines are amenable to aging for 10-25 years. My recommendations are limited to the Medoc region, though the Right Bank wines are also available. All prices, ex-Bond without taxes, are per bottle in British Pounds.
1. Ch. Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac 312.50
Le Petit Mouton 37.50
2. Ch. Lafite Rothschild, Pauillac 350.00
Carruades de Lafite 37.50
3. Ch. Haut Brion, Pessac Leognan 387.50
Le Bahans du Ch. Haut Brion 35.00
4. Ch. Latour, Pauillac 475.00
Les Forts du Latour 57.50
5. Ch. Margaux 475.00
Pavillon Rouge de Ch Margaux 40.00
The following Second Growths offer an excellent value as well:
1. Ch Gruaud Larose, St. Jullien 33.00
2. Ch Lascombes, Margaux 37.50
3. Ch.Rauzan Gassies, Margaux 40.00
4. Ch. Rauzan Segla, Margaux 43.50
I have not recommended Cos d'Estournel, which has produced an excellent wine at par with the First Growths, and the two Pichon Lalandes because they're beyond my selected cap of under Rs 4,000 (Les Forts is an exception because it belongs to a First Growth).
I'd like to add here that for a budget buyer, the second wines of the Second Growths may also offer excellent value. Of course, they may be available at not- much- higher prices when released. As examples, consider:
1. Sarget de Gruaud Larose (3.0 lit bottle) 48.00
2. Les Pagodes de Cos, St. Estephe (1.50 lit bottle) 40.00
Let the world fret about the outrageous prices of Bordeaux 2005. You can be in the company of First Class passengers by spending the equivalent of discounted Economy Class fares.
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