2009 (along with 2005 and 2010) is being touted as the Bordeaux vintage of the decade.  And as silly as that might sound, it’s really pretty awesome.  We all get to drink a bunch of great Bordeaux and we have three vintages to pick from!  The 2005 vintage is pretty much gone (though LA Wine Co has a few left) and with a four year gap between ’05 and ’09, Bordeaux lovers have been a little short on great values (though you can always buy expensive wine from any vintage).

This wine is 100% Merlot and tastes like a perfect mix of California richness and French finesse.  Winemaker Jeff Carrel crafted it in a modern style that makes it perfectly drinkable today, though it will likely drink great for the next 5-7 years.  This is a serious wine that I would be thrilled with as a daily drinker and any Bordeaux lover could confidently serve as a house wine.  I would put it right up there with the 91 point 2008 Chateau Tirepe la Cote I wrote up in July.

Hopefully this is an indication of the values that are soon to come from the 2009 Bordeaux vintage.  If so, I might just start my Bordeaux collection soon.  I’m guaranteed at least two collectible vintages, right?

Buy Here: 2009 Chateau de Bel Bordeaux $15.95

After an extended break due to a new job (and the crazy hours that come with it), we’re back with enough wine deals to make your head spin – literally and figuratively.  Thanks for sticking with Nickel and Dime Wine.  I guarantee your patience will pay off!

Cheap Bordeaux is usually just that: cheap.  Yields are so high on bulk Bordeaux grapes that the wine can taste like a watered down form of something that might have been otherwise drinkable.  So when I see a wine from the Bordeaux Superior appellation with a 91 point score from the Bordeaux Man himself, Robert Parker, I start to pay attention.  Bordeaux Superior is reserved for grapes grown outside of more prestigious appellations like Margaux, Pomerol and Saint-Emilion.  It’s, in a word, generic.

The 2008 Chateau Tirepe la Cote is anything but generic.  Parker gave it 89-91 points and at that, it has to be one of the best Bordeaux values of the vintage if not the decade.  This wine is particularly concentrated with a beautiful ruby color and a sweet nose of oak and bright cherry.  The finish defines the wine as decidedly high-end with impressive length and focus.  If you like Bordeaux, you would be crazy not to buy at least a case to use as a daily drinker.  The only risk is a wine this good might make some of your more pricey stuff look bad…

Buy Here: 2008 Chateua Tire Pe la Cote $15.95

Robert Parker 89 – 91 points

“A blockbuster effort from a humble appellation, this sleeper of the vintage exhibits a deep ruby/purple color as well as sweet creme de cassis, licorice, and incense characteristics, and a remarkably medium to full-bodied, concentrated style for a wine of this pedigree and lowly price. It can be enjoyed during its first 5-7 years of life.”

All I can say to myself as I’m drinking this wine is “wow”.  This is an incredibly good wine and it’s under $10 a bottle.  As I drink more and more wine, it becomes harder to be impressed by a given wine.  That’s what makes this wine an absolutely staggering value.

This wine comes from the largest and least prestigious Bordeaux appellation called Bordeaux Superieur.  But, especially in Bordeaux, lack of appellation prestige means lack of appellation pricing.  Put a Pomerol designation on this label and watch the price multiply by 10x. Minimum.  Savvy wine buyers the world over know to look outside the famous and thus, price inflated appellations, for the real values.

Blackberry and bing cherry dominate the nose and palate of this wine, with a hint of toasty oak bringing everything together.  This wine’s texture is silky and downright impressive with a density characteristic of a wine 5x the price.  A high percentage of Cabernet Franc results in a medium length finish that rounds out a polished wine.

2009 is the third Bordeaux vintage of the decade (along with 2000 and 2005), and whether you believe the hype or not, you will be missing out if you don’t give this early release a try.  It drinks great now and has the tannin structure to improve for another year or two so don’t be shy.

Buy Here: 2009 Chateau de Macard $9.95

Wine Spectator 90 points

“Ripe and dense, but fresh, with silky-textured plum, blackberry and blueberry fruit carried by sweet spice and maduro tobacco notes. The fleshy finish shows nice drive. Should open up more with brief cellaring. Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2011. 5,000 cases made.”

I’m acquainted with a gentleman named Ric Elias, who was on flight 1549 that ditched in the Hudson River, saved only by the brilliant flying of Captain “Sully” Sullenberger.  He no longer saves his best wines, instead saying “I collect bad wines.  Because if the person is there and the wine is ready, I’m opening it”.  I experienced that mantra this week and I was lucky enough to be the person that was there.

Watch Ric’s video here.  It’s pretty powerful stuff.

I was in Kansas City on business and had the pleasure of sharing a glass of wine with a new friend, Fred, at his house.  He just did an extensive and very cool renovation of a 1970′s modern, part of which included a large wine cellar.  As I was admiring his collection, I noticed a bunch of old bottles, one of which Fred (my new hero) insisted we open.

That wine was a 1962 Chateau Latour.  I honestly didn’t think I would ever taste a first growth Bordeaux, let alone a 50 year old bottle.  I also have to admit that before we opened it, I believed the bottle would be over the hill.  How could a bottle of wine half a century old still be good?  The fill was mid shoulder and the capsule was oxidized, but there was absolutely no sign of seepage.  The instant that the “cork removal genius” Rich, opened the wine, I knew it was good.  How good?  Spectacularly so.

The wine is still dark, with only the bricking of a much younger wine.  The nose is fresh with tons of fruit left – absolutely shocking for a 49 year old bottle of wine.  The same goes for the palate.  After an hour in the decanter, it became even more deep with dark fruit, rich tannin and a shockingly full body.  This is why people collect Bordeaux.  I get it now.

We can all learn something about life and wine from Fred and Ric.  If the moment is right, open that special bottle.  And if it isn’t, let’s ask “why not”?

Today’s post is written by Brian Hewitt, guest blogger, wine lover/collector and father of your’s truly.

Let’s face it, consistently picking a knock-out Bordeaux is more of a challenge than picking a killer California cab. Bordeaux is nearly eight times the size of Napa Valley, so naturally, there is a wider range of styles produced there. Add in the significant variation from vintage to vintage and picking a winner can be a challenge.  Knowing this, my usual plan is to try it first on someone else’s nickel. I violated my own rule for a weekend trip to Scottsdale, bought a single bottle of 2005 Chateau Fleur Cardinale and am running back for more.

My average price per bottle is creeping higher (we can argue about the long term impact of that later) but I still think about it before spending $59.95 on a bottle of wine. When I do, I expect a return on the investment. This Saint-Emilion Gran Cru is a hit at that price, start to finish. It opens with a classic complex Bordeaux nose but that is just the beginning. Subtle vanilla and blackberry notes lead to a pronounced yet pleasing dry finish and finish and finish….

Wine Spectator slates this one for post 2016 consumption. There is no doubt it will continue to improve with time. Somebody better put it under lock or there’s no way mine will last that long.

Buy Here: 2005 Chateau Fleur Cardinale Saint-Emilion Grand Cru $59.95

Robert Parker 95 points

“A stunning sleeper of the vintage, quality at this property has soared under the relatively new owners, Dominique and Florence Decosters. The 2005, a blend of 70% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, was fashioned from yields of 33 hectoliters per hectare. This concentrated wine possesses a gorgeous bouquet of smoke, black currant liqueur, lead pencil shavings, cedar, and Asian spices. In the mouth, it displays a chocolaty richness, a beautiful texture, an expansive, multilayered mouthfeel, and a 45-second finish. A fabulous effort, it will be drinkable in 4-5 years, and should last for over two decades.”

Of note, this wine also received 93 points from Wine Spectator and 92+ from IWC.

All the buzz right now is around 2009 Bordeaux.  Somehow, it’s the third “vintage of the decade” (along with 2000 and 2005), and won’t even be released until next year.  I have no doubt that the ’09 vintage is absolutely awesome, but until it came around, ’05 was the best Bordeaux vintage since 1983, and with some great ’05 Bordeaux still on the market, I have to ask why worry about 2009.  Many of the ’05′s are starting to mature, showing well after 5 years of age.

93 Points

One particularly good value, which I’ve written about before, is Chateau La Vieille Cure from Bordeaux’s Fronsac appellation.  I bought this on futures three years ago and finally opened my first bottle this weekend.  Wow.  Rich, ripe and dense, it’s almost black in the glass, with enough structure to support extended aging but enough fruit to taste great now.  At $35.95, it’s cheaper right now than it was when I bought it on futures, which kind of summarizes how obsolete wine futures are for all but the very best Bordeaux.  Get this one while you still can.  I’m really surprised it’s still around.

Buy Here

92 Points

Another exceptional value is the 2005 Chateau Moulin Haut-Laroque, also hailing from the Fronsac appellation.  Much less famous than neighboring Pomerol, Fronsoc wines are gaining a reputation for Pomerol-like concentration at much less concentrated prices.  Robert Parker gave this wine 92 points, and at under $30, it might be the best value going. I haven’t tasted this one, but plan to very soon.

Buy Here

91 Points

Finally, at $23.95 the RP 91 point Chateau d’Aiguile Querre competes with the other two wines for best 2005 Bordeaux value.  I haven’t tried this one yet, but plan to this week, as Parker’s description sounds very appealing: “Full-bodied with superb richness, a layered texture, a multidimensional mouthfeel, and a finish that lasts nearly 40 seconds, it can easily compete with some of the vintages top crus.”

Buy Here

That was our countdown from 93.  Maybe next time we’ll count up…

The title of this post is a quote by the famous wine importer Kermit Lynch.  I’ve been on the fence as to whether or not I believe in blind tasting, but recently have come to believe, that much like strip poker, you aren’t getting the whole experience if you judge a wine blind.

Robert Parker has taken a lot of heat recently because he tastes blind “whenever possible”, which is likely not very often since he conducts both barrel and bottle tastings at the winery.  In 2009, Parker conducted a 2005 Bordeaux blind tasting during which he misidentified most wines and proclaimed wines he had previously given lower scores to be his favorites of the night.  On the other hand, Wine Spectator tastes all of their wine blind but, in my opinion, part of the wine experience is knowing the producer, their reputation and their story.  Sure, it perpetuates the popularity of trophy wines that are only popular because of their names.  I won’t name any specific producers but one example rhymes with, wait, no words rhyme with Silver…  Oh well.  Still, there are more examples of big names that have maintained or improved quality despite (or maybe because of) their popularity.  When wines are tasted blind, the taster can’t take into account the producer’s history and reputation, both important factors in determining a wine’s quality.  If a given winery has been producing age worthy, top notch wines for the last 20 years, that should be a factor in the review.

Here’s the ultimate question:  Would you enjoy your favorite bottle of wine as much if you didn’t know who made it?  For me the answer is no, though I do enjoy a blind tasting from time to time because you never know how it’s going to turn out.  Kind of like a game of strip poker really.  I wonder Lynch’s perspective on blind strip poker…

The Bordeaux marketing machine heralded the 2005 vintage as the best since ’82, and with good reason.  The wines are historically concentrated, highly age-worthy and balanced despite their high alcohol levels.  Many of the best 2005 Bordeaux values are long since sold out, but some values remain for the savvy shopper.  Case in point, the 2005 Chateau Domaine de Courteillac which is drinkable now, likely to improve with age, and, most importantly, is a great value.

This wine pours a deep, nearly opaque red.  The nose is still somewhat closed but its potential shows in the mouth where this Bordeaux is particularly silky with firm, but approachable tannins and a middle length finish.  Some of the 25% new oak shows through, making it clear that this is a serious Bordeaux.

I have a good bit of 2005 Bordeaux in my cellar, but haven’t drunk much because it needs so much time to become drinkable.  So it’s nice to taste a 2005 that’s approachable at the ‘young’ age of 5.  Many Americans (sometimes myself included) don’t have the patience, or the storage facilities to wait for Bordeaux to mature.  If you’ve been waiting to buy 2005 Bordeaux or you have a bunch that isn’t ready to drink, pick up a few bottles of this great example.  It received 90 points from Wine Spectator and 87 from Robert Parker.  In lesser vintages, wines like this would be going for double the price.  Easily.

Buy Here: 2005 Chateau Domaine de Courteillac Bordeaux $17.95

Wine Spectator 90 points

“Dark in color, exhibiting beautiful aromas of blackberry, coffee and milk chocolate. Full-bodied, with silky tannins and a light toasty oak and citrus fruit aftertaste. Balanced and pretty. Best after 2013. 10,830 cases made.”

If you’ve been holding off on buying 2005 Bordeaux, first of all where have you been?  But more importantly, now is your chance to buy a highly rated ’05 for under $30.  I bought this wine as a future for around $40 on the recommendation of a friend who is a big Bordeaux collector.  I felt good about that price given the 93 point Robert Parker rating, but at under $30 I would have bought much more.  There is not much 2005 Bordeaux left on the market and with 2009 looking like the next “all star” vintage, buy up on this great value to drink for the four years you’ll have to wait for the 2009 to mature.  I’ll open my first in three or four years.

Robert Parker 93 points

“La Vieille Cure’s amazing 2005 is even better than their terrific 2003 and 2000. The 2005 boasts an inky/ruby color as well as a gorgeously sweet perfume of charcoal, black cherries, black currants, and spring flowers as well as an underlying mineral component. Superb concentration, full-bodied power, wonderful symmetry, purity, and texture, and a multidimensional mouthfeel are all found in this fabulous sleeper of the vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2020+”

Chateau La Vielle Cure $29.95