Was really missing your video on this subject! Your channel has become my favorite source of wine content in RUclips. Thank you for such precious content!
Fantastic video that adds another level to videos on Bordeaux on YT. I opened my second to last bottle of Chateaux Margeaux 1988 tonight and it tasted incredible youthful after 35 years. This really proves the aging potential of the best Bordeaux blends.
Mr. Paulinski always learning something new. Thank you for this wonderful video as you have been my primary source for wine content and understanding. Keep up the videos sir!
Hello Matt! Glad to hear you’re enjoying the content. There’s a long line of videos in the queue. Before too long, more will be coming from places I’ll be traveling to.
Bob, this is such a great delivery of vital information beyond the basic repetitive boring knowledge repertoire. There is obviously 20 years of experience and knowledge packed beyond any course seen for free or paid. Please keep it up!
So happy that you featured Chateau De Lamarque! I met the owner at a Grand Cru de Bordeaux open tasting and the 2020 Lamarque was simply fantastic for a youthful Haut-Medoc! The owner was also very humble and a great ambassador for the winery (and it showed in the sales too as he was the first wine of the night to sell out in my city! Even before some other big name producers across the Left and Right Banks!) Thanks for yet another great video!
Your knowledge of wine and the industry are impressive. I've learned tons watching all your videos. Your style is so appreciated compared to others who post bombastic or boring wine videos on this platform, and you present like a college instructor. I'm going to call you Professor Bob from now on! Cheers 🍷
I guess knowledge comes from being in this biz for 40+ years! This may be surprising, but I rarely watch any other RUclips wine channels. I prefer to just do my thing and hopefully establish my own niche. As for Professor Bob, I’ve certainly been called worse! 😂
Hi Bob, I recently discovered your channel and subscribed. This video was very good - succinct and informative. Especially useful is the list of wines. Would appreciate it if you can make similar videos on all the 18 noble grape varieties. Thank you!
Great video. I’ve had a personal rediscovery of Bordeaux in the last 12-15 months, finding that a lot more value exists there than I would have imagined. You mentioned some, but there are quite a number of producers I’ve found to really deliver between $35 and $60 (although, that is not the only price range from which I have purchased) from many of the most notable villages that really deliver. Thankfully, a string of good vintages has made it easy to jump in.
It’s similar for me. Years ago, I loaded my cellar with Bordeaux, then I burned out on it. Didn’t drink much of it for some years, now I’m back into it again. I don’t see value in the top properties, but lesser known options are sensational wines.
Completely agree. I may never have the pleasure of tasting first growths, or Petrus, Cheval Blanc, etc., but beneath that level the value proposition at the moment is vastly superior to some other regions producing wines with similar grapes. Napa, in particular.
I'm just getting into this. Amazing what's involved and the differences in the regions. Thanks for sharing and the education. Why didn't high school fascinate me this much? LOL. Cheers.
Good stuff as always. I really appreciate your content, and the concise and straightforward but certainly not soulless perspective and accompanying info. Always a great view! Cheers!
Another great video, I always learn something new. You put a lot of effort into the recommendations , greatly appreciated! Keep the videos coming. Salute
Hi Bob, great review of the region. I spent a few days Bordeaux last last September with my friend who was studying at Kafa Formations (wine school in the City of Bordeaux). Went on a few tours at some of the 1855 classification chateaus, saw the harvest, sorting, etc. Very cool. For my 50th anniversary, I was given a bottle of Chateau Kirwan made in the year I was born. Don't know when I should open it... The fact that you Bob amassed such a huge collection of wines and know open then and share your experiences with us is really cool. One question, though. It seems like you don't often use decanting. Wonder why not. Would love to hear you opinion in that. Maybe your already have a video on that, and I just haven't seen it. Thank you and Cheers!
Hi Dmitri, thanks for the comment. I agree, visiting the classic chateaux is a ton of fun. Which vintage do you have? A ‘73? If so, it’s an ok vintage for a Margaux, not a top year. Sounds like it’s been stored well, that will help. Expect a good deal of color fade, medium bodied, plenty of tertiary notes. It should be a fun bottle. Let me know if I have the vintage right. As for decanting, I have strong opinions on it. Decanting often causes more damage than good. I only decant when a wine has lots of sediment or if it’s youthful and will benefit from aeration. Many old wines are fragile, too much air will and it’ll go into decline quickly. I hope that helps.
Fantastic content I just found your video when searching for Bordeaux… We are going in a few months and are trying to organize some bookings for tastings and château visits. It’s very overwhelming not knowing much about the area. If you have any recommendations, we would greatly appreciate it. Thank you, keep up the good work. I love your videos. 🍷
Hello Beth, thanks for the kind words. As for your trip to Bordeaux, all stops should be pre-planned. I suggest two, definitely no more than three chateaux visits per day. A visit to St Emilion in the Right Bank is worthwhile. Great wines and the town is beautiful, good restaurants as well. Nearby Pomerol is some of the top wines of the region, but very small production. The place has a very different vibe versus the other regions. With the Left Bank, you can’t go wrong with St Estephe, Margaux, Pauillac or St Julien. In my last visit, I went to Chateau Beychevelle and Chateau Cantenax Brown, both excellent stops. Also, Graves and Pessac Leognan are worthwhile stops near the city of Bordeaux. I hope that helps. 🍷
Just found your great channel. I’m pretty new wine hobbyist and I for some reason haven’t been able to find much wine from Bordeaux which I’m blown away by. My favourite so far has been 2016 Barons De Rothschild Legende Medoc which in my opinion is better than some other much more expensive Bordeaux I’ve tasted. I’ll check out if I can find some of your recommendations in Finland. Cheers.
Hi Henri, I’m glad you found my channel. Hopefully, you subscribed! You’re probably aware of this, but just in case, do know of variations by places of origin. The Right Bank will generally be a softer, more accessible style when youthful. You have access to an excellent wine range in Finland, I’m sure something from Fronsac, Canon Fronsac, Lalonde de Pomerol or Montagne St Emilion can be found. Cheers! 🍷
Thanks for this, Bob. Claret is dear to my heart and I probably own and drink more red Bordeaux than anything. My go-to is your 'Better' category. I am currently drinking Beaumont and Lacoste Borie '14, while my 15s, 16s, 18s, 19s and 20s come round. The former is a Cru Bourgeois and the latter the second wine of Grand Puy Lacoste. '14 in my view is a much underrated vintage (as are 11 and 12). I have a few bottles of 'Best' - some classed growth 2005s, which I will keep a little longer.
Hi Steven, same for me, I drink in the “better” range more than anything else. For the “best”, i’m usually drinking 20+ years old wine. I haven’t had Beaumont in years, Lacoste Borie is solid.
@@bobpaulinskimasterofwine My wine merchant has Ch. Gloria, 2012 at £42 (about $50) per bottle. It will be drinking beautifully now. Can't make up my mind but I think I will probably end up buying a couple of bottles.
I love this three-tiered approach to Bordeaux! I agree that the "better" category has some real value gems. One difficulty that I have in the "better" and "best" categories is differentiating which producers have a classic light-handed approach vs making more modern extracted "international" style wines. I had a 2009 Malescot St Exupery recently, and it tasted like a Napa Cabernet! Big, dense, dark, and not very Bordeaux-like at all to my palate. It was high quality, but kind of a bummer. If I wanted that I could have bought Caymus! Any recommendations to determine a producers approach before dropping $$$?
Thanks for the good word. Malescot St Exupery has undergone much change in recent years. The last one that I tried was a 2017. It was a big style, especially for Margaux. There is no easy way to determine a producers approach other than doing research for each individual property. That said, a bit that can help is to check the alcohol level. It’s often posted with an alcohol range, but if I can determine if the level is high for its type, I usually avoid it. Too often, the wine will be over extracted and out of balance.
Thanks again for your videos. I don’t have a lot of Bordeaux, probably a couple of dozen bottles back to about the 1990 vintage. If I’ve learned anything I would say drink them sooner than later. I opened a 1990 Lynch Bages a few years ago and was disappointed. I couldn’t help but wonder how it would have been 5 or 10 years younger. I’m now focused on drinking my older wines and using it as an excuse to stay out of the wine stores, a difficult task. Also one of my fonder memories was my first big wine purchase as a new wine drinker back around 1993, a case of 1990 Chateau du Cruzeau. I think it was about $10 or $12 a bottle. It’s about $25 or $30 now for current vintages which I think is reasonable for the quality. Maybe I’ll seek out a bottle for the sake of nostalgia.
Hi Brian, thanks for sharing your comments. I agree with you, I’d much rather drink a wine a bit earlier versus cellaring it for too long. Too bad about the Lynch Bages, it should’ve been a rock star. As for de Cruzeau, long been a source for value.
I'm sorry to hear about the 90 Lynch Bages. I just had a great bottle of this wine. Good fill, and fully mature. People at the tasting where I served it loved it. Aside from storage conditions, it can be luck. If you have several bottles of an old wine, maturity can be all over the place. I just has a 98 Barolo from Marcarini that seemed a little past. So try your old wines and be ready for some surprises.
My phone was leaning against a bottle of 2016 Malescot (that I was drinking) whilst watching this. No joke 😂. Wondering why you recommend the 2017 Malescot in the comments over the 2016? I would also add the 2019 Talbot! Cheers.
Hi Dominic, what’s the chance of that happening? 😂 I recommend the ‘17 because I have tried it and enjoyed it. I’m sure the ‘16 was also solid, but I’ve not tasted it. As for Talbot, consistently a great source for value. Cheers. 🍷
Speaking of "The Best" (perhaps "Better than the Best" 🙃) how would you order (most to least favorable) the following wines for someone who enjoys modern style Reds on the youthful side but is gaining an appreciation for Left Bank wines and is willing to splurge (all 3 found at ~$160-200): a) 2015 Leoville Las Cases b) 2016 Pichon Lalande c) 2018 Ducru Beaucaillou FYI, I am excited about your mention of the 2019 Chateau Pavie Macquin as it's one of my first wines that I got to cellar (i.e. premium wine meant for some aging). You mentioned that in this category, they can age up to a decade. However, I heard that this St. Emilion Premier Grand Cru-B wine is recommended to be aged for AT LEAST a Decade... 😁
Tough question, but my recommendation is to go with the wines in the listed order. You can’t go wrong with any of them, but Ducru is a bit less exciting in my opinion. As for the St Emilion, the wines often drink well with little age, but have excellent longevity in the top years. A decade with the right storage is a safe bet.
Bordeaux's are great wines. But, the prices as you state can get very high. I have had a couple of the best list. Chateau Gloria, (the first Bordeaux I tasted) and recently Echo de Lynch Bages which I am sure I paid way under $60 because I have 4 bottles on hand, after tasting one. I have tried the Chateau Clairac as well. It pairs well with hamburgers.
Hi Ron, as for the costs, the range is $20 to $60. Quite broad, but many are more at the lower end of the range. It’s tough to quote prices when the audience is spread around the world.
@@bobpaulinskimasterofwine I got the Echo at Costco. I think I paid $40. But it really shines above the $40s. The Cru Lynch Bages is one of the top Bordeaux producers I have had, so I may be biased towards the Echo. Like I am about Mouton-cadet because I have had a Lafite Rothschild.
Thanks Samuel! That’s not a one size fits all response, but typically I’d go with the 2nd Growth over the second wine of the 1st Growth. My logic is this, many of the 2nd Growths are nearly on pare with the 1st Growths. Also, the second wines are often from younger vineyards, often spend less time in oak and often do not have as good aging potential.
Value is relative to each individual. That said, the prices are multiples higher than the increase in costs versus many other wines. For me, I’d rather buy a full case of many other wines versus having a single bottle of a First Growth.
I feel I've not given Bordeaux nearly as much attention as I should have. I'm yet to try anything north of 20EUR from the Right Bank, while I've been tasting Premier Crus and even Grand Cru from a Burgundy tasting series; it's not fair to Bordeaux, and I think my personal taste has got the better of me. I've been looking at Pontet Canet and Cos d'Estournel to get a climpse of higher end Right Bank; any recommendations?
Drinking Burgundy doesn’t sound bad to me! As for Ponet Canet and Cos, both are iconic left bank producers, very different from each other. From the Right Bank, look to Pomerol and St Emilion. The latter is much larger with many more option. From Pomerol, I’m a fan of Nenin, Clos Rene and de Sales for pricing that’s not too crazy. From St Emilion, Corbin, Grand Ponet or Grand Mayne are solid examples. I hope that helps.
@@bobpaulinskimasterofwine Wow, thanks for the large variety of options! I will try both Cos and Pontet Canet. From StÉmilion I've tried Château Soutard Cadet -absolutely great-, and from Pomerol I've tried mid(-) priced alternatives, but will definitely be on the look for those! Thanks!
@@bobpaulinskimasterofwine I fonud a way to get my hands on Clos Rene and Grand Mayne in Spain, both 2015 for better comparison. However, I think my financial responsibility should lead me to saving the total 100 bucks for the DipWSET and for the mortgage I'm close to getting 🥲 adult life I guess
@@juanmanuelmunozhernandez7032 Both are very nice wines. I've been to Spain a couple of times over the last year. So many fantastic wines. Finding French wine outside of Champagne is not easy. I'm sure the wines came with a hefty premium.
i had a 1995 St.Exupery for christmas, i found it too oxidated , wasnt worth the money in my opinion.(i like older wines from bordeaux or italy) the seller was private and said he always kept it in his cellar, the cork was ok-ish(broke in the middle, was very wet. it had much more browning that your 1996 aswell, maybe it was a bad vintage ?
I don't agree with you that most Bordeaux should be drunk early. I would think that it mostly applies to merlot-based wines when we talk about quick availability. the left side for bordeaux, even the mediocre cabernet based wines can develop for at least a decade without problems. you must go home and try for yourself, instead of just reading about what some annoying American thinks about them, you need to prepare better!!
Personal preference comes into play. Plenty of subjectivity on the this topic. After forty years of traveling to and tasting countless wines from Bordeaux, I’ll stay with my opinion.
You should make clear that there is a big lie spreaded over the internet: That Burgundy is better than Bordeaux. No you wine geeks, you are too geeky, Bordeaux is the best!!!!!!!
Thanks for commenting. At the very least, there are many more very disappointing Burgundy versus Bordeaux. In Burgundy, price seems to have little to do with quality. I’m a fan of both, but buying Burgundy is much more risky.
Was really missing your video on this subject! Your channel has become my favorite source of wine content in RUclips. Thank you for such precious content!
Felipe, your message made my day. Thank you very much!
Thank you for this video. I am beginning an adventure into the world of French wines. I have put a bottle of Chateau Bellevue in my shopping cart.
Hello Rodney, that you for commenting. Learning French wine could take a lifetime, the diversity is nearly endless. Cheers. 🍷
Fantastic video that adds another level to videos on Bordeaux on YT. I opened my second to last bottle of Chateaux Margeaux 1988 tonight and it tasted incredible youthful after 35 years. This really proves the aging potential of the best Bordeaux blends.
Thanks for the kind words. ‘88 is an excellent vintage, generally very long-lived. I’m guessing your Margaux was stored well, it’s so important.
That very extensive wine lists in your video descriptions is what I didn’t know I needed 🤩 Thank you very much!
😂 I’m glad you enjoyed the video.
Mr. Paulinski always learning something new. Thank you for this wonderful video as you have been my primary source for wine content and understanding. Keep up the videos sir!
Hello Matt! Glad to hear you’re enjoying the content. There’s a long line of videos in the queue. Before too long, more will be coming from places I’ll be traveling to.
Thank you for finding a different and meaningful approach on Bordeaux. Very helpful
Thank you Michael. I’m glad to read you found it helpful. 🍷
Bob, this is such a great delivery of vital information beyond the basic repetitive boring knowledge repertoire. There is obviously 20 years of experience and knowledge packed beyond any course seen for free or paid. Please keep it up!
Rob, I try to mix it up from the usual content found on YT. Who wants to listen to more of the same! Thank you.
So happy that you featured Chateau De Lamarque! I met the owner at a Grand Cru de Bordeaux open tasting and the 2020 Lamarque was simply fantastic for a youthful Haut-Medoc! The owner was also very humble and a great ambassador for the winery (and it showed in the sales too as he was the first wine of the night to sell out in my city! Even before some other big name producers across the Left and Right Banks!)
Thanks for yet another great video!
Wow, that’s the chance of that? I’ve been a fan of de Lamarque for many years. Long been a great source for value.
Thanks for this beautiful video and thanks even more for taking the time to write the massive list of wines you popped down in the description :-)
Thank you. Yes, it’s a laundry list!
Your knowledge of wine and the industry are impressive. I've learned tons watching all your videos. Your style is so appreciated compared to others who post bombastic or boring wine videos on this platform, and you present like a college instructor. I'm going to call you Professor Bob from now on! Cheers 🍷
I guess knowledge comes from being in this biz for 40+ years! This may be surprising, but I rarely watch any other RUclips wine channels. I prefer to just do my thing and hopefully establish my own niche. As for Professor Bob, I’ve certainly been called worse! 😂
Fisrt time I see your chanel. Just subscribed. Very good comments.
Glad to hear it! Cheers! 🍷
Awesome explanation. Great options in Bordeaux…. Red, white, sweet and sparkling. Thx
Thanks Carl!
Hi Bob, I recently discovered your channel and subscribed. This video was very good - succinct and informative. Especially useful is the list of wines. Would appreciate it if you can make similar videos on all the 18 noble grape varieties. Thank you!
Thanks for the comment. I’m glad you found my channel. I’m working on a long format video the covers all things Bordeaux.
Great video. I’ve had a personal rediscovery of Bordeaux in the last 12-15 months, finding that a lot more value exists there than I would have imagined. You mentioned some, but there are quite a number of producers I’ve found to really deliver between $35 and $60 (although, that is not the only price range from which I have purchased) from many of the most notable villages that really deliver.
Thankfully, a string of good vintages has made it easy to jump in.
It’s similar for me. Years ago, I loaded my cellar with Bordeaux, then I burned out on it. Didn’t drink much of it for some years, now I’m back into it again. I don’t see value in the top properties, but lesser known options are sensational wines.
Completely agree. I may never have the pleasure of tasting first growths, or Petrus, Cheval Blanc, etc., but beneath that level the value proposition at the moment is vastly superior to some other regions producing wines with similar grapes. Napa, in particular.
@@gogreenmsu03 Napa is quite insane.
Great video. The Prices you mentioned for Malescot Skt Exupery seemed very high. Im happy i bought it en Primuer 2019 at only 45$. Awesome wine.
Thank you. Very nice! It is a wonderful wine. 🍷
I'm just getting into this. Amazing what's involved and the differences in the regions. Thanks for sharing and the education. Why didn't high school fascinate me this much? LOL. Cheers.
I felt the same way in high school! Glad to hear you’re getting into this. 🍷
Another knowledge bomb :) while I enjoy a glass, or two, of 2019 Bernardus Chardonnay and some Italian dry salami.
Knowledge bomb? I like that, may use it in a future video. Thanks and enjoy your vino!
Good stuff as always. I really appreciate your content, and the concise and straightforward but certainly not soulless perspective and accompanying info. Always a great view! Cheers!
Thanks for that, much appreciated! Cheers!
killing it with the content recetly Bob, keep it up!
I appreciate it!
Nice video. Love my Bordeaux. My favorite is Giscours.
Thanks. Giscours is a beauty. 🍷
Thanks for the overview - so easy to go astray with all the choices!
meres, etc,
Jayce, thanks for posting a comment. Too many options is a good thing! 🍷
Another great video, I always learn something new. You put a lot of effort into the recommendations , greatly appreciated! Keep the videos coming. Salute
Thanks James. Good Bordeaux is worth the effort! Cheers! 🍷
Yay! Another great video from Bob the MW🎉
Thanks Natasha! Glad you enjoyed it.
Hi Bob, great review of the region. I spent a few days Bordeaux last last September with my friend who was studying at Kafa Formations (wine school in the City of Bordeaux). Went on a few tours at some of the 1855 classification chateaus, saw the harvest, sorting, etc. Very cool. For my 50th anniversary, I was given a bottle of Chateau Kirwan made in the year I was born. Don't know when I should open it... The fact that you Bob amassed such a huge collection of wines and know open then and share your experiences with us is really cool. One question, though. It seems like you don't often use decanting. Wonder why not. Would love to hear you opinion in that. Maybe your already have a video on that, and I just haven't seen it. Thank you and Cheers!
Hi Dmitri, thanks for the comment. I agree, visiting the classic chateaux is a ton of fun. Which vintage do you have? A ‘73? If so, it’s an ok vintage for a Margaux, not a top year. Sounds like it’s been stored well, that will help. Expect a good deal of color fade, medium bodied, plenty of tertiary notes. It should be a fun bottle. Let me know if I have the vintage right. As for decanting, I have strong opinions on it. Decanting often causes more damage than good. I only decant when a wine has lots of sediment or if it’s youthful and will benefit from aeration. Many old wines are fragile, too much air will and it’ll go into decline quickly. I hope that helps.
No words, just love ❤. Bordeaux=❤
Same here, got to love Bordeaux!
Fantastic content I just found your video when searching for Bordeaux… We are going in a few months and are trying to organize some bookings for tastings and château visits. It’s very overwhelming not knowing much about the area. If you have any recommendations, we would greatly appreciate it. Thank you, keep up the good work. I love your videos. 🍷
Hello Beth, thanks for the kind words. As for your trip to Bordeaux, all stops should be pre-planned. I suggest two, definitely no more than three chateaux visits per day. A visit to St Emilion in the Right Bank is worthwhile. Great wines and the town is beautiful, good restaurants as well. Nearby Pomerol is some of the top wines of the region, but very small production. The place has a very different vibe versus the other regions. With the Left Bank, you can’t go wrong with St Estephe, Margaux, Pauillac or St Julien. In my last visit, I went to Chateau Beychevelle and Chateau Cantenax Brown, both excellent stops. Also, Graves and Pessac Leognan are worthwhile stops near the city of Bordeaux. I hope that helps. 🍷
Just found your great channel. I’m pretty new wine hobbyist and I for some reason haven’t been able to find much wine from Bordeaux which I’m blown away by. My favourite so far has been 2016 Barons De Rothschild Legende Medoc which in my opinion is better than some other much more expensive Bordeaux I’ve tasted. I’ll check out if I can find some of your recommendations in Finland. Cheers.
Hi Henri, I’m glad you found my channel. Hopefully, you subscribed! You’re probably aware of this, but just in case, do know of variations by places of origin. The Right Bank will generally be a softer, more accessible style when youthful. You have access to an excellent wine range in Finland, I’m sure something from Fronsac, Canon Fronsac, Lalonde de Pomerol or Montagne St Emilion can be found. Cheers! 🍷
Great content. Thank you!
Thanks Michelle! It’s always nice to hear a good word. Much appreciated. 🍷
Thanks for this, Bob. Claret is dear to my heart and I probably own and drink more red Bordeaux than anything. My go-to is your 'Better' category. I am currently drinking Beaumont and Lacoste Borie '14, while my 15s, 16s, 18s, 19s and 20s come round. The former is a Cru Bourgeois and the latter the second wine of Grand Puy Lacoste. '14 in my view is a much underrated vintage (as are 11 and 12).
I have a few bottles of 'Best' - some classed growth 2005s, which I will keep a little longer.
Hi Steven, same for me, I drink in the “better” range more than anything else. For the “best”, i’m usually drinking 20+ years old wine. I haven’t had Beaumont in years, Lacoste Borie is solid.
@@bobpaulinskimasterofwine My wine merchant has Ch. Gloria, 2012 at £42 (about $50) per bottle. It will be drinking beautifully now. Can't make up my mind but I think I will probably end up buying a couple of bottles.
@@stevenholt4936 Gloria has been an excellent value property for years. You can’t go wrong with it. Cheers!
I love this three-tiered approach to Bordeaux! I agree that the "better" category has some real value gems. One difficulty that I have in the "better" and "best" categories is differentiating which producers have a classic light-handed approach vs making more modern extracted "international" style wines. I had a 2009 Malescot St Exupery recently, and it tasted like a Napa Cabernet! Big, dense, dark, and not very Bordeaux-like at all to my palate. It was high quality, but kind of a bummer. If I wanted that I could have bought Caymus! Any recommendations to determine a producers approach before dropping $$$?
Thanks for the good word. Malescot St Exupery has undergone much change in recent years. The last one that I tried was a 2017. It was a big style, especially for Margaux. There is no easy way to determine a producers approach other than doing research for each individual property. That said, a bit that can help is to check the alcohol level. It’s often posted with an alcohol range, but if I can determine if the level is high for its type, I usually avoid it. Too often, the wine will be over extracted and out of balance.
Thanks again for your videos. I don’t have a lot of Bordeaux, probably a couple of dozen bottles back to about the 1990 vintage. If I’ve learned anything I would say drink them sooner than later. I opened a 1990 Lynch Bages a few years ago and was disappointed. I couldn’t help but wonder how it would have been 5 or 10 years younger. I’m now focused on drinking my older wines and using it as an excuse to stay out of the wine stores, a difficult task. Also one of my fonder memories was my first big wine purchase as a new wine drinker back around 1993, a case of 1990 Chateau du Cruzeau. I think it was about $10 or $12 a bottle. It’s about $25 or $30 now for current vintages which I think is reasonable for the quality. Maybe I’ll seek out a bottle for the sake of nostalgia.
Hi Brian, thanks for sharing your comments. I agree with you, I’d much rather drink a wine a bit earlier versus cellaring it for too long. Too bad about the Lynch Bages, it should’ve been a rock star. As for de Cruzeau, long been a source for value.
I'm sorry to hear about the 90 Lynch Bages. I just had a great bottle of this wine. Good fill, and fully mature. People at the tasting where I served it loved it. Aside from storage conditions, it can be luck. If you have several bottles of an old wine, maturity can be all over the place. I just has a 98 Barolo from Marcarini that seemed a little past. So try your old wines and be ready for some surprises.
Wow, thx for opening up that 96 Margaux for us.
That was drinking well! 🍷
My phone was leaning against a bottle of 2016 Malescot (that I was drinking) whilst watching this. No joke 😂. Wondering why you recommend the 2017 Malescot in the comments over the 2016? I would also add the 2019 Talbot! Cheers.
Hi Dominic, what’s the chance of that happening? 😂 I recommend the ‘17 because I have tried it and enjoyed it. I’m sure the ‘16 was also solid, but I’ve not tasted it. As for Talbot, consistently a great source for value. Cheers. 🍷
Speaking of "The Best" (perhaps "Better than the Best" 🙃) how would you order (most to least favorable) the following wines for someone who enjoys modern style Reds on the youthful side but is gaining an appreciation for Left Bank wines and is willing to splurge (all 3 found at ~$160-200):
a) 2015 Leoville Las Cases
b) 2016 Pichon Lalande
c) 2018 Ducru Beaucaillou
FYI, I am excited about your mention of the 2019 Chateau Pavie Macquin as it's one of my first wines that I got to cellar (i.e. premium wine meant for some aging). You mentioned that in this category, they can age up to a decade. However, I heard that this St. Emilion Premier Grand Cru-B wine is recommended to be aged for AT LEAST a Decade... 😁
Tough question, but my recommendation is to go with the wines in the listed order. You can’t go wrong with any of them, but Ducru is a bit less exciting in my opinion. As for the St Emilion, the wines often drink well with little age, but have excellent longevity in the top years. A decade with the right storage is a safe bet.
Thank you so much for your insights,@@bobpaulinskimasterofwine!
@@mickeylee2624Let me know how it goes. Cheers. 🍷
Will do,@@bobpaulinskimasterofwine!🙏🙏
Bordeaux's are great wines. But, the prices as you state can get very high. I have had a couple of the best list. Chateau Gloria, (the first Bordeaux I tasted) and recently Echo de Lynch Bages which I am sure I paid way under $60 because I have 4 bottles on hand, after tasting one. I have tried the Chateau Clairac as well. It pairs well with hamburgers.
Hi Ron, as for the costs, the range is $20 to $60. Quite broad, but many are more at the lower end of the range. It’s tough to quote prices when the audience is spread around the world.
@@bobpaulinskimasterofwine I got the Echo at Costco. I think I paid $40. But it really shines above the $40s. The Cru Lynch Bages is one of the top Bordeaux producers I have had, so I may be biased towards the Echo. Like I am about Mouton-cadet because I have had a Lafite Rothschild.
Great video Bob. How do second wines of a 1st growth typically compare to a 2nd growth?
Thanks Samuel! That’s not a one size fits all response, but typically I’d go with the 2nd Growth over the second wine of the 1st Growth. My logic is this, many of the 2nd Growths are nearly on pare with the 1st Growths. Also, the second wines are often from younger vineyards, often spend less time in oak and often do not have as good aging potential.
@@pandaman1968 I’ve always found it amazing that older vintages can represent great value. 🍷
What do you think about the price of first growths. Do you think it's a good value or overrated?
Value is relative to each individual. That said, the prices are multiples higher than the increase in costs versus many other wines. For me, I’d rather buy a full case of many other wines versus having a single bottle of a First Growth.
Dont forget about saint-estephe appelation!!
I’ll not forget about St Estephe! Great wines.
I feel I've not given Bordeaux nearly as much attention as I should have. I'm yet to try anything north of 20EUR from the Right Bank, while I've been tasting Premier Crus and even Grand Cru from a Burgundy tasting series; it's not fair to Bordeaux, and I think my personal taste has got the better of me. I've been looking at Pontet Canet and Cos d'Estournel to get a climpse of higher end Right Bank; any recommendations?
Drinking Burgundy doesn’t sound bad to me! As for Ponet Canet and Cos, both are iconic left bank producers, very different from each other. From the Right Bank, look to Pomerol and St Emilion. The latter is much larger with many more option. From Pomerol, I’m a fan of Nenin, Clos Rene and de Sales for pricing that’s not too crazy. From St Emilion, Corbin, Grand Ponet or Grand Mayne are solid examples. I hope that helps.
@@bobpaulinskimasterofwine Wow, thanks for the large variety of options! I will try both Cos and Pontet Canet. From StÉmilion I've tried Château Soutard Cadet -absolutely great-, and from Pomerol I've tried mid(-) priced alternatives, but will definitely be on the look for those! Thanks!
@@juanmanuelmunozhernandez7032 What f you’re up for it, let me know what you decide on.
@@bobpaulinskimasterofwine I fonud a way to get my hands on Clos Rene and Grand Mayne in Spain, both 2015 for better comparison. However, I think my financial responsibility should lead me to saving the total 100 bucks for the DipWSET and for the mortgage I'm close to getting 🥲 adult life I guess
@@juanmanuelmunozhernandez7032 Both are very nice wines. I've been to Spain a couple of times over the last year. So many fantastic wines. Finding French wine outside of Champagne is not easy. I'm sure the wines came with a hefty premium.
i had a 1995 St.Exupery for christmas, i found it too oxidated , wasnt worth the money in my opinion.(i like older wines from bordeaux or italy)
the seller was private and said he always kept it in his cellar, the cork was ok-ish(broke in the middle, was very wet.
it had much more browning that your 1996 aswell, maybe it was a bad vintage ?
Thanks for commenting. 1995 for Bordeaux is a very good vintage. Sounds like it was poorly stored.
How do you put calon segur in the better category? And where can you find it for $60? I would back the truck up.
Oops. Should Le C de…Good catch!
🙂
Another of my early RUclips videos.
I don't agree with you that most Bordeaux should be drunk early. I would think that it mostly applies to merlot-based wines when we talk about quick availability. the left side for bordeaux, even the mediocre cabernet based wines can develop for at least a decade without problems. you must go home and try for yourself, instead of just reading about what some annoying American thinks about them, you need to prepare better!!
Personal preference comes into play. Plenty of subjectivity on the this topic. After forty years of traveling to and tasting countless wines from Bordeaux, I’ll stay with my opinion.
You should make clear that there is a big lie spreaded over the internet: That Burgundy is better than Bordeaux. No you wine geeks, you are too geeky, Bordeaux is the best!!!!!!!
Thanks for commenting. At the very least, there are many more very disappointing Burgundy versus Bordeaux. In Burgundy, price seems to have little to do with quality. I’m a fan of both, but buying Burgundy is much more risky.