So what have you bought lately?

[marcs]

I have a physically low alcohol tolerance. I have to spit a lot to make dinners work for me, and I also much prefer old school 12% type wines

[stefan]

Oh, so I am not the only BWEer who spits at dinners.

[JimHow]

Spitting is also a concept that is pretty alien to me. I’m not questioning that it works for you guys but I just don’t see how the full taste bud experience can be satisfied without swallowing the wine. I don’t understand how the experts rate these wines at these mass tastings, the Montreal UGC event was one primary tannic mouth puckering experience after another, fun, no doubt, to be sure, but I don’t gather much from a wine by spitting. That’s why at BWE dinners I usually do small pours and end up drinking no more than 6-10 wines generally. I’ll pour wine out but generally don’t spit.

[marcs]

I also pour out. I swallow at least some of every wine. I definitely don't make it an academic wine critic experience but I just need to be extremely attentive to my alcohol capacity and moderate how much I actually swallow according to that. It's almost like a dial moving up toward a red line.

In a practical sense this means I can't really drink an entire bottle by myself, certainly not on a weeknight, and expect to be in shape to get a good sleep or have a good next morning. Hence why I wish I had more 375s. Others seem to think you can just leave a half finished bottle for a day or two and have it be as good but I haven't found that.

[stefan]

>>
Others seem to think you can just leave a half finished bottle for a day or two and have it be as good but I haven't found that.
>>

Have you used Repours, Marcus? They work very well. I also fridge wines even when I use Repours. On the rare occasions that I know I will not finish a bottle, upon opening the bottle I aerate by pouring what I expect to consume and Repour the bottle immediately.

[Comte Flaneur]

>>
f I had it all to do over the majority of my collection would be 375s
>>

Why, Marcus? 375s take up the same space as 750s unless you have specially designed storage. I like to have a few 375s for the rare occasion that I am drinking by myself and also to see how a wine is coming along, but I don't see any reason to hold a lot of 375s.

Ian, why did you buy so many 375s of 2020 Giscours?

Firstly I was really impressed with this wine when I tasted it at Lords Cricket ground in St John’s Wood in the spring of 2023. But it was sort of marginal purchase and whereas as I bought gems like 2020 Domaine De Chevalier and Duhart Milon (in bottle six packs) I did not pull the trigger on 2020 Giscours at that time. It was next on the list and was listed for ~£250/6 bottles in bond (ex duty and value added tax) iirc.

Now that I am over 60, and in the twilight of my wine buying career, and realise that I have far more wine than I can possibly drink, I am turning to buying more halves, which are a good investment proposition here in the UK. Generally speaking you can specify half bottle formats on en primeur release, but they become much rarer after that, and command a significant premium over bottles, which tends to increase significantly over time.

I don’t mind admitting that I speculated on 2019 Lynch Bages, which in my opinion was conspicuously underpriced on release, by loading up on cases of halves, as well as bottles. As I was mulling buying some 2023 Pichon Lalande in halves this last week I saw that Farr Vintners had a single case of 2020 Giscours in halves at £450 in bond, a discount of something like 15% on the release price (on release halves command a small premium). So that tipped me over the edge.

It is an open question as to whether I will ever drink any of these half bottles of 2020 Giscours, but I have the optionality. I do agree and concede though that halves are a bit of a PITA to store, a slight drawback.

[stefan]

I see.

>>
It is an open question as to whether I will ever drink any of these half bottles of 2020 Giscours
>>

ROTFL

[Winona Chief]

My capacity for alcohol is very limited so I regularly split a 375 with Marjorie - that’s just 1 big glass of wine each. It’s enough to enjoy and understand the wine without being affected very much by the alcohol. I don’t do well with spitting wine so it’s what works best for me.

Chris Bublitz

[DavidG]

Our alcohol tolerance has decreased with age as well. Like stefan, we use Repour, or if it’s not a fragile wine we just put the bottle in the fridge to finish the next day. I like having the wine again the next day, so 750s are fine for us.

[JimHow]

6 x 2017 Niellon Chassange Montrachet 1er Cru La Maltroie

[Ianjaig]

1 x 2010 PLL
2 x 2008 Clos Du Marquis
2 x 2008 Clerc Milon

[JimHow]

12 x 2019 Labegorce
12 x 2020 Labegorce

[DavidG]

Jim, you are a beast!

We’re having some work done in the house and I have to empty the wine cabinets. Good opportunity to take inventory. And a reminder that having a walk-in cellar would have been soooo much better. Then I would have space to fill up and entries forthis thread.

[JimHow]

Mmmm doggie....

[Nicklasss]

Staying away from Bordeaux…

2022 Seguinot-Bordet Chablis Vieilles vignes
2022 Marc Brocard Chablis Vieilles vigne de Sainte-Anne
2022 Bertrand Jeannot Puoilly-Fumé
2022 Sautereau Sancerre
2018 Castello Romitoro Brunello di Montalcino (magnum)
And 1 bottle of the great and fabulous 2019 Cepparello..

I recommend the 2019 Cepparello strongly.

[hautbrionlover]

I have a couple of bottles of the 2019 Cepparello (and the 2018) but I thought it was nowhere near ready?

[Ianjaig]

1 x GPL 1999
2 x GPL 2002

Both at auction and at pretty reasonable prices, the (02’s in particular) as there weren’t many bidders. Did miss out of an 04 VCC which didn’t go for much (Damn!) as I was distracted trying to land some 1999 La Lagune which I also missed out on (went for a silly price).

[Nicklasss]

2 bottles of the marvellous 2021 Domaine Lebrun Pouilly-Fumé.

[stefan]

12 Domaine Drouhin 2022 Pinot Noir Laurène

[Claudius2]

Guys
I’ve been buying more 2020 Bordeaux.
It is a late EP offer and I’ve bought La Lagune, Gloria, Du Ferrand, Clos de Marquis, Berluquet and St Pierre.

I also bought some Penfolds Bin 389 2020 - this is the first time I’ve bought this wine for some decades. I thought I should try it again. I have not generally been a lover of Shiraz and Cabernet blended together but I’ve been impressed by a few other such blends lately - Wynns and Katnook.

Cheers
Mark

[Ianjaig]

2 x Ch Corbin 2019.

[Ianjaig]

2 x 2021 Felton Block 6 Chardonnay
1 x Grand Puy Lacoste 1995
3 x La Lagune 1995
1 x Gruaud Larose 2001

All from Auction.

[Claudius2]

Guys
I’ve continued to load up on 2020 Bordeaux, the total now being 21 Chateaux.
Recently added two more St Emilions - Larcis Ducasse and Pavie Macquin.
I rarely buy prestige Champagne as I’m very happy to drink decent NV wines, but did pick up some 2012 Dom Perignon and 2008 Tattinger Comte de Champagne at auction.

Cheers
Mark

[JimHow]

12 x 2020 Meyney

[barsacpinci]

2014 Leoville Poyferre
2019 Marquis d’Alesme Becker
2021 de Fieuzal Blanc
2010 de Fargues
And for drinking at the beach a simple delicious 2022 Vernice Falanghina

[stefan]

From the recent Goodfellow release:

6 2022 Tsai Vineyard Chardonnay @40
6 2022 Temperance Hill Vineyard Chardonnay @40
5 2022 Heritage No. 21, Whistling Ridge Pinot Noir @60
5 2022 Long Acre, Whistling Ridge Pinot Noir @48
5 2022 Heritage No. 20, Temperance Hill Pinot Noir @60
5 2022 West Field, Temperance Hill Pinot Noir @48
4 2022 Pumphouse Block, Temperance Hill Pinot Noir @48

[Claudius2]

Bought some auction wines.
Temped to buy 2016 Mouton and/or Lafite but backed out.
However I bought some 2016 Gazin, 2019 Canon, Lynch Bages and Ducru Beaucaillou.
6xOWC of each. Prices have come down here.
Also a few Volnays and NSG and a case of Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru from 2021.
Cheers
Mark

[JimHow]

Well done. Very well done indeed.

[Nicklasss]

Nice Claudius!

I’ve just bought two bottles of a nice red Bourgogne. Just waiting confirmation i’ll get it. It is even more difficult to buy medium fancy wines here in Québec than on North Korea…

[Nicklasss]

Superb qpr!

[DavidG]

I like the iris on the label.

[Nicklasss]

2 bottles of the 2021 Rebourgeon-Mure Pommard 1er Cru Clos des Arvelets

[Claudius2]

Nice Claudius!

I’ve just bought two bottles of a nice red Bourgogne. Just waiting confirmation i’ll get it. It is even more difficult to buy medium fancy wines here in Québec than on North Korea…

It’s strange.
A few years ago I said no more En Primeur buys yet I ordered 12 Chateaux from the 2023 vintage, and have now bought quite a lot of both 2019 and 2020.

I am just starting on 2009 and 2010 (sipping on a 2010 Grand Corbin Despagne which is pretty good but not great) and it will take me a long time to get through them all.

The wine market here is less even and predictable and recently prices have fallen considerably. I’m now grabbing bargains when I can as a lot of wine that was destined for China ended up here. It is a bit of a local joke - good cheap wine courtesy of Xi Jinping. I like the wine a lot more than him….

Cheers
Mark

[Nicklasss]

4 bottles of the excellent and extraordinary 2022 Clos de la Roilette Cuvée Tardive.

Thank you for answering claudius. Sometimes i feel i’m texting myself on BWE, as it is incredibly quiet these days.

[stefan]

3 1998 Latour Martillac, Passac-Leognan
1 1998 Rayne Vigneau, Sauternes
2 2005 Coutet, Sauternes
2 1988 Doisy-Védrines, Barsac (375ml)

[Ognik]

Pauillac!!!
Lynch Bages 2020
Pichon Baron 2019 and 2020

[JimHow]

6 x 2015 Pichon Lalande
6 x 2015 Pichon Baron

Someone saved me from myself, I had my eye on eight bottles of 2015 Lafite that were there on sale before I left for vacation but are now gone. Good! I'm done with my wine purchases for 2024!

[stefan]

2 1988 Doisy-Vedrine (375)
1 1998 Doisy-Verine
4 2009 Sigalas Rabaud
4 2016 Cantmerle
6 2016 La Lagune
6 2016 Lilian Ladouys
4 1975 Rieussec

[JimHow]

Two of the great estates of Bordeaux....

[ericp]

Well done JIm! Saratoga?