Futures

[RickBin389]

I am kicking around the idea of buying futures this year.... can anyone with expertise lend input on this??? Not the trophies - Ii am looking for bargain 2,3,&4 growth wines.

[Bucko]

Can you narrow that down a bit? That is like saying I want to buy a new car, can anyone help (no offense meant). Do you want only Bordeaux? Vintage? Favorite region of Bordeaux e.g. Pauillac? Style of wine e.g. big and bold, elegant, etc.?

Bucko

[RickBin389]

my apologies...
I primarily want pauillac, margaux & pomerol Bordeaux's......i am looking for good investments (good farmers, winemakers, owners, etc.) that will provide a good R.O.I. - style doe's not seem to be as important as appeal when dealing with futures ( as far as I can tell)...only about 10% will be for personal gratification, the remainder will be retailed...
I need ideas on good seconds & thirds, maybe some over looked bargains .....has anyone picked up a hot winemaker lately??? has one region had more consistent weather??? any info would be appreciated.

[Bucko]

The most underrated wine for the quality and price that I know of is Pape Clement - a wonderful wine that can be had on futures for less than a great many CA Cabs that do not compare. Duhart Milon is another good value wine, as is La Dame de Montrose.

Bucko

[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!

[preemptive]

Go for the 98 Pomerols and St. Emilions. Some Graves r fine too. Check out the followings:
Beausejour Becot, La Fleur de Gay, La fleur Petrus, Bourgneuf and La Gommerie. Their futures are available now. Forget about the Paulliacs and Margauxs, prices won't go anywhere for these regions.