Futures

[Van The Man]

Rick -

Here's my advice to you....

Don't buy any current '97 futures from anywhere in Bordeaux for investment purposes. These wines are not going to be good investment wines because they will not be up in quality. '97 will be, at worst, like '93, '87 '84, maybe '92, at best, like some of the average '94s. The quality just isn't there.

'98 will be marginally better, resembling '94 for the most part.

My advice would be to wait for the wines to be released and then try a few and buy some based on what you want to drink, not sell over the next 10 years.

If you are bent on buying Bordeaux for investment purposes, buy only 1st Growth Bordeaux which will run you $125 to $150 a bottle for Chateau Margaux, Chateau Latour, Chateau Lafite Rothschild, Chateau Mouton Rothschild and Chateau Haut Brion. Sometimes in tough vintages, right bank wines (Pomerol and St. Emilion) can be and are better than their left bank counterparts since these wines are made with Merlot which does ripen a bit easier than Cabernet Sauvignon.

If you want specifics on the left bank for '97, I believe the rumors have Pauillac and St. Estephe and possibly St. Julien coming in strong. This means the "super seconds" might be decent wines.

My advice is to skip '97 for investment purposes and buy only to drink.

Good luck!