Which primeurs??

Hello all,

Well, our time in France is winding down (snf snf!) but I've managed to put together a pretty nice cellar to import to Canada, including some lovely wine from the region we're in (Languedoc) including Gauby, Mas Gassac, Mas Champart, Le Grange des Peres, Chateau de la Negly, Canet-Valette and many more. (If any of you are at all interested in a two-year run down of my favourite wines from the region, I'm ready to write such a post!)

I've also made a couple trips out to Bordeaux, where I've been trying to find wines in my price-range that will be happy to sit in a dark, cool place in Toronto for a few years. Winners in this group include Chateau Pressac, Chateau Destieux, Clos de la Sarpe, and Grandes Murailles. I've got some Burgundies, but not a lot, and unfortunately, my Rhone experiences were limited and I never once tried a Cote Rotie, which makes me sad. But at least I know my Condreius now! As for the Loire, it's another planet, although thanks to your advice, we had a brilliant 2007 Foreau Clos Naudin at Guy Savoy. But the rest of the region is a blank. Next time.

SO: it's 2008 primeur season down here, and one thing I've been doing lately is investigating the values that second wines and troisiemes crus afford. I've managed to lay down a little of the Pavillon Rouge 2005 and the Alter Ego 2005, but these 2005s are already getting expensive. However, the 2008 vintage looks very promising, and those primeurs are both available for about 25 euros a bottle right now. I have a friend down here who's willing to cellar my bottles (and I trust him!) so I'm already thinking a case of each is in the offing -- they won't be delivered until 2011, tho! I also like the price for the Chateau Tertre 2008 and the Reserve de Leoville-Barton (although the first wine of Leoville-Barton is also affordable). I'm eyeing the Petit Mouton de Rothchild as well. Do they make it every year??

So, gang, here's my question: as I fade off into the French sunset and brace myself for Canadian winters, which primeurs do you think I should be seeking out while I can? I'm not limited to Bordeaux, of course, and if anyone has a brilliant Cote Rotie suggestion for me, I'd love to have that little blot on my record erased. My budget per bottle is under 40 euros. Unless there's something absolutely unmissable that won't be had for love or money when it's actually out on the market.

I also want to add my gratitude for all the expert advice you folks have given me. I may still be a cellar rat, but now I'm a rat with a better nose and palate. Between you and CellarTracker, I've graduated from novice to amateur, and you have my profound thanks.

Oh, one more question! How do wine reviewers assign scores to wines that haven't even been bottled yet? RP is already calling the 2008 Alter Ego the best expression of that particular wine, but it's still in its barrels ... ? And are these opinions reliable, considering these primeurs still have a way to go before they become "themselves"?

[David M. Bueker]

Michael - you might want to carefully scan some of the last pages of the Parker Feud thread. DO your tastes align with Parker's?

Also, AlexR is a great resource of lesser-known, but still delicious Bordeaux.

David -- I have read through the beginning and the end of the thread, all of which made me grateful I'm still an amateur. I do think my tastes align with RP in certain ways, but I'm not an acolyte of anyone. I try to read widely, but more importantly, I'm trying to rely on my own taste first ...


MR

Michael,
the vast majority of us (even the Bordeauxheads) haven't of course tasted anything. So our opinions are really not more informed than yours.

One major factor to consider is your risk tolerance. In the current economic situation, there is always the possibility that a merchant could go bankrupt (although if you are going to be in Canada, you might be ordering through a provincial authority, making that not a real concern). If you are thinking of ordering in Europe you'll need to figure in transport/duty, of course. So the question is do you order futures at all.

In general, with the exception of Forts de Latour, my experience is that futures ordering of second wines seldom pays, they are generally available on release, and seldom go up much. There are 3 reasons in my opinion to order futures: to ensure supply (especially if odd sizes), to lock in price, and to have a tad more control over provenance. As to price, it's pretty unpredictable- you have to factor in supply and demand, and currency fluctuations.

Personally, I am not ready to put a lot of money out for futures right now. I did break down and buy a mixed case of Pichon Lalande, Lagrange, & Duhart Milon, but I couldn't really provide a convincing argument that I made a rational decision. Just a little hedge against a dollar drop.

If you want to buy, I'd suggest:
1) looking at estates you have liked in past
2) look at notes from a variety of sources, and PAY MORE ATTENTION to descriptors than points.

Good luck

I should also have added that if I buy futures, they will be delivered to a French address and kept cellared here. I plan to return! At the very least, I'll come and collect them and bring them back myself the next time I'm in France (no later than 2011 anyway, which is previewed delivery) which means all I pay is duty. For under 40 bottles, I find as long as they're declared, Canada Customs is usually reasonable about personal use. We've imported under 30 bottles four times in the last two years, declared everything, paid duty twice at about 1/3rd the rate we should have, and the other two times, they waved us through.