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Another taste test... - Printable Version

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Another taste test... - bkadue - 12-17-2013

I have two children, born in 2008 and 2010. I want to buy a case for each as gifts on their 21st birthday (will insist on sharing the first bottle of course Big Grin)

I asked the guy for suggestions. He immediately suggested Bordeaux, and gave the following advice:

As for the 2010, he suggested I may want to come back in the spring as "not much 2010 has made it over yet" and I'll find a better selection in the spring.

As for the 2008, he gave me two:

Chateau Cantenac Brown (Margaux) $59.99
Les Pagodes de cos (St-Estephe) $69.99

In order to determine which I'd prefer, I wanted to try a bottle of each, but he suggested they may not be ready. So, I found a 2001 in the Cantenac and a 1998 in the Pagodes.

I haven't tried them yet, but will soon and report back.

I think when push comes to shove I'm going to get cold feet about dropping ~$900 on a case, so I'll probably fall back on a less expensive bottle.

Anybody have any other suggestions? Do California cabs hold up to 25+ years?


RE: Another taste test... - winoweenie - 12-18-2013

Hi BK.... Answering some of your questions. On the Calif 25+ aging Yes there are several that will go the distance, UNFORTUNATELY, they'll set you back more than the 70 of the Bordeaux. One question comes to mind. What type of storage do you have. Hopefully it's temp and humidity controlled otherwise this is just academic as not even Latour will hold up 25 years stored above the stove or even in a closet. I'll think on this an after your answer to my question will try to give you some options. WW


RE: Another taste test... - bkadue - 12-18-2013

Good point, that was actually what I was going to ask about next.

I have a pretty cool and I think quite functional spot for my wine.

My house was built in ~1951 and there is a small "room" that used to hold the pump for the well. The house has been on city water for probably 40+ years, so I converted the well room to a wine cellar.

During the cold MN winter, it gets down to about 50 degrees, and in the summer gets up to about 62. I have no other temp control, nor do I have humidity control. It's probably quite dry in the winter, but fairly humid in the summer.

I'm certain it isn't ideal, but being that it stays cool I assume its serviceable. What do you think?


RE: Another taste test... - winoweenie - 12-19-2013

OK BK here's my take on your problem. I personally think it's a crap-shoot as I've found in my experience that humidity is more important than exact temp control. What happens is the corks keep using the juice to keep moist, then the wine level decreases to the point that the drying corks allow air into the bottle and Whamsy!, the juice spoils. As usual there are exceptions I have even seen first-hand....I found a bottle of 66 Remossinet Burgandy that looked like it was stored in an abandoned fridge . The fill was a 1/2 inch below the neck and the color of the juice was saddle-brown...Turned out this was one of the most exciting bottles I'd experienced. So here's my suggestion. Instead of gambling 900 bucks on a case, buy 2 or 3 MAGNUMS for the kiddies, put them suckers away and then make the lil' ingrates share on opening if they come thru. Think you'll have a better chance with the larger format. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!! WW ( By-The-By, my son lives in Minneapolis. It's by choice so he's kept me from receiving the "Father of the Year " award for his choice of habitat )


RE: Another taste test... - Innkeeper - 12-19-2013

Hi BK and welcome. Both WW and I are old guys. I'm 74 and he's much older. The reason for mentioning this is the experience factor. As WW has alluded there are myriad problems with your project. The first and foremost is that you do not know that when get to legal age they will like wine! I know all four of mine didn't. They do now twenty or thirty years later. I don't know any currently available wines that will be worth a hoot in forty or fifty years from now.

The next biggest problem is that what ever you buy you no idea about the provenance either the seller or yours. Your may move many several times before now and whenever.

Unless it is illegal many people start their kids out with a taste in their early teens, and a little more as they near legal age for drinking in restaurants and other places.

Then when they near legal age and they seems to like the vino, you can get them something very nice to celebrate on the big day.

The best of luck in this adventure; and Merry Christmas.


RE: Another taste test... - bkadue - 12-19-2013

Looks like I've received some sage advice from a couple of prolific posters, and take the suggestions I've heard from both to heart.

That said, I think I'm leaning towards taking the advice of Wino. Innkeeper, I'm certain your advice is the prudent way to go. Buy nothing now, and in 26 years if my 5 year old has an interest in wine I can simply go buy a nice 2008 and enjoy at that time. Hell, there's no guarantee I or my children will even be alive in 15 years, let alone in a position to enjoy any bottles I buy today.

For me, that route lacks the romance I'm looking for. I think it would much more fun to have and to hold a nice magnum for 15 years, before finally enjoying the experience of corking it and drinking. Between now and February 2029, I'll see that bottle a few hundred times, and each time think fondly of when I'll have the opportunity to taste it.

So I'm going to take WW advice. Forget about the case, and instead purchase 2 nice magnums for each child. One for their 21st and one for them to keep. They may go bad, but I'll still have the memory.

Thanks for the input gents.


RE: Another taste test... - Drew - 12-20-2013

Buy a couple of Ridge Geyservilles of 08 and 10 vintages and squirrel them away with good storage. They'll go the distance and will be great for a BBQ and they're produced in California. They'll only set you back around $30 a bottle also.

Drew