20/6/2023: Spot Offers: Parcels and Bottles from Old and New World

Today's mailer is about these listings that were on marketplace for a while, actually some of them started in early June. But because of the string of offers (Burgundy and Bordeaux) that were pre-planned for this month, I had to push this mailer to a later date. These new listings include assortments never seen before, including new world wines from New Zealand and California. There will be some in parcels (of 6 or 12 bottles), and NOT available as loose purchases. Nevertheless, all the wines are duty paid so prices listed are final and nett. Have a splendid Tuesday!.......RS

 

15/6/2023: The BIGGEST Chateau Lafite Offer This Year | Ex-Chateau

At some point of our life, we come across a couple of wine offers, that attracts us in a special way. I am sure most of us would encounter this in our lives. Well, today is the day....

When these Ex-Chateau Lafite bottles were offered to Marketplace for sale, from a collector and member whom I had known for years, I know it is going to be one of the (if not the) greatest offers for this year. Knowing this wine collector has all his bottles either Ex-Chateau or Ex-Domaine, makes today's offer even sweeter. I know there will never be another offer like this.

Chateau Lafite needs no further introduction, nor will these vintages listed today. I had personally inspected all the OWCs, bottles, MAGNUMS, DBL-MAGNUMS.....and this collection is just as impeccable as you can imagine. Most of the vintages I had tasted at some point in my career, they are all nothing short of spectacular. Every one of the bottles, I was able to trace its provenance. The oldest vintage starts with big formats from 1989 (DM), then 1990 (DM & M), 1995 (M), 1998 (DM & M). For the regular bottles: 2003, 2007 and 2010.

Without further ado.....welcome to this week's Chateau Lafite Offer!........RS

 

13/6/2023: Bordeaux Week | Classified Growths You Should not Miss

Time is a factor that is relevant to wines, or sometimes they may not stand on its side.....When it comes to time for wines to mature, do we need to be savvy? You bet.

You cannot beat a river into submission, just like how you cannot force the wine into maturity. It takes time and patience. Then we need a lot of tasting, understanding vintages., reading notes, and personal judgement, in order to know about the wine. Critics can provide you an idea on when to drink the wine, but everyone's palate is different hence, it is wise to make your own decision.

Recently, a friend (and customer) shared that he opened two bottles of a late 80's Pauillac, and he was quite disappointed it did not drink as well as he thought it will be. The first bottle was unfortunately corked, so from the same case of wine he had, he decided to open a second bottle. The second bottle drank perfectly after 15 mins of aeration, then downhill after an hour or so. From this experience, he remarked that he should have opened them years ago instead of delaying, and the bottle would show better. Then, my question to him was: when was the last time he drank the same wine. It turns out the last time he tried it was a decade ago, as he read from critics that this is a wine that can last half a century. IMHO, critics may provide some information on the longevity of a wine, but always trust your own palate by tasting your bottles over time. We cannot "read" or "decipher" a bottle just by looking. Even coravining the bottles meant that eventually, you will need to finish the bottle. However, tasting it is always the best option. Would you rather taste a bottle, when it has past its peak, or taste through its evolution?

This week is Bordeaux week, and we start with a huge assortments of classified growths. As I was going through the tasting notes for some of the wines, there are a number of wines in today's list, that are going for the long haul. I guess some of them will be good to taste now, then see through its evolution for the next decade and more. Most importantly (like how you happen to guess correctly, that blind bottle in a blind tasting)....trust your instinct, and your palate!.......RS

9/6/2023: Huge 90s Burgundy Collection | Grand Crus and Premiers

An impromptu offer I cannot resist, and thus I am making Friday interesting! When this collection of 90s Red Burgundies were confirm for sale by a member (just few days ago), I decided this is too good not to share....and I should blast this out ASAP. Since we have a consistent following of Burgs here, why not have one more offer this week?

Most of the listings today are of limited quantities, but come from popular producers, and these are some of the best Grand and Premier Crus. Honestly, I think many merchants would love to procure a list like this to sell. The member whom are releasing these wines, have an awesome record of provenance for all his bottles. A couple of buyers whom bought his older bottles before (on marketplace), always gave me good feedback on his wine's provenance.

I will make this quick, and will list all the wines below, while you will need to scroll down to see prices. There will be two white Burgs to start:

 

2001 Etienne Sauzet Chevalier Montrachet Grand Cru

2002 Etienne Sauzet Chevalier Montrachet Grand Cru

then

1993 Emmanuel Rouget Echezeaux Grand Cru

1993 Mongeard Mugneret Grands Echezeaux, Grand Cru

1993 Robert Arnoux Vosne Romanee 1er Cru, Les Suchots

1995 Robert Arnoux Vosne Romanee 1er Cru, Les Suchots

1996 Robert Arnoux Vosne Romanee 1er Cru, Les Suchots

1995 Meo Camuzet Clos de Vougeot, Grand Cru

1995 Georges Mugneret Ruchottes Chambertin, Grand Cru

1995 Philippe Charlopin Parizot Clos St Denis, Grand Cru

1996 Jean Grivot Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru, Les Pruliers

1998 Bruno Clair Chambertin Clos de Beze, Grand Cru

1996 Faiveley Corton, Clos des Cortons Faiveley Monopole, Grand Cru

1997 Faiveley Corton, Clos des Cortons Faiveley Monopole, Grand Cru

1998 Faiveley Corton, Clos des Cortons Faiveley Monopole, Grand Cru

1999 Faiveley Mazis Chambertin, Grand Cru

 

Have a wonderful Friday!

 

7/6/2023: Burgundy Week: Bizot reappears with a Francois Lamarche La Grande Rue | and more

This week is without a doubt, the best week with these rare Burgundy offers. Today, we will feature a second Burgundy offer, and because we have lots of new and interesting listings to share; on Friday there will be an additional offer for a BIG lot of 90s Burgundy! All I can is: for today and Friday, both offers will feature lots of "familiar and reputable names" that all Burgundy collectors can resonate with. Next week, we will then switch to a Bordeaux-week, as the biggest (and once in a lifetime) Chateau Lafite parcel drops, follow by another huge offer: Assortments of well-drinking, notable classified growths. Both the Bordeaux parcels also come from long-time members of Wine Bond whom had stored their wines with us since we started. June is going strong with these offers, so look out for them.

 

Today's assortments come from different producers. For frequent shoppers, you may also noticed marketplace are seeing more wines listed by case/s (OWC). If you are looking for an unopened case of fine wines, this is the best place to buy from.  Bizot's rare bottles return this month with more bottles (3 each) of the 2017 Vosne Romanee and 2014 Vosne Romanee Jachees. The Bizot listing will be here till end June. Two OWC offers: 6 bottles of the 2012 Olivier Bernstein Clos Vougeot at an irresistible price, then a full 12 bot (OWC) case of the 1999 Francois Lamarche La Grande Rue. A single bottle of the 2004 Comtes Lafon Meursault Les Charmes and 2 bottles of the 2014 Meo Camuzet Vosne Romanee complete today's offers. Friday's 90s Burgundy offers beckon........RS

 

5/6/2023: 2003 Burgundy Premier and Grand Crus | 20 Years On...

2003 is certainly a vintage which many do not see its potential upon release. I swear I was one of them, and probably drank them too quickly. Back in 2004-2005, when reading the weather and harvest report of 2003, many would have turned their back on this vintage and thought....nah, it is going to be another heated vintage. Nevertheless, release prices were good so it was wise to buy some Premier and Grand Crus, just to see how they age after a decade. If you were one of those buyers: Congratulations, and it is time to reap the rewards. 2003 will be one of the the foundation to wine-making for future generations, considering global warming is a real problem for viticulture. We'd think 2003 recorded some of the highest temperature....wait till we see this year's weather report. Re-accessing 2003 Burgundies today, 20 years later, is such an awakening. Not only did the wines turn out great, with fruits nicely integrated in its acidity and tannins, the heat is hardly there. Can you imagine, 20 years on, the Premier Crus are at its peak, while the Grand Crus are pushing forward for another 5-8 years. This was totally unexpected. Tannins, ripeness (fruit) and acidity are the hallmark of 2003, and the winemaker making the right decisions will be harnessing these traits to make a great 2003, a good example will be Nicolas Potel.

Back in the early 2000s, everyone was looking for the next big thing, and Nicolas Potel was one of them. I came across Potel's wines as he was making wines from multiple sites of Premier and Grand Crus. His Grand Cru sites include Corton, Chambertin, Bonnes Mares and Echezeaux, and he was making wines at the highest level. He already had a local distributor for "Nicolas Potel" wines back then, so I just kept our friendship, not so much a business associate (nor was I trying to). However, the "Nicolas Potel" name was short-lived as he sold this business (including the name) to Cottin Freres in 2007, whom after a few years, sold their wine business to Maison Henri Maire (from Jura). It became a complicated situation between Nicolas Potel and Cottin Freres, and sadly, I never got to taste Potel's 2007-2008 vintages. Years later, when he started Domaine Bellene and Maison Roche de Bellene (from the help of some friends in Burgundy), I reconnected with him to become his local distributor. I will never forget tasting some of his "Bellene" wines from the early to mid 2010s. The wines are as impressive as before: vibrant, balance and had the same terroir touch.

Today's offers will feature a bunch of 2003s anyone should not miss! Coming from one of the best Burgundy collector I know, these 2003s come with perfect provenance. A big part of today's offers will include the "now defunct" Nicolas Potel labels, all Grand Crus namely: Bonnes Mares, Clos St Denis, Chambertin, Clos-de-Beze and Latricieres Chambertin. If you scroll down to see the offers, I think you will find these prices....simply irresistible. There are also some 2003 Fourriers available, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Crus Goulots and Champeaux. To add onto the list of well-drinking 2003s, two Volnay 1er Crus namely: Comtes Lafon's Santenots du Milieu, and Michel Lafarge's Clos des Chenes.

 

29/5/2023: One Last Run and Recap for All Offers in May | Expiring listings and Re-postings

May is definitely the most interesting month thus far, with these multiple postings of Bugundies and Bordeaux. We had overwhelming response this month, especially with the 2017 Bordeaux (which I personally think is delicious), so a BIG thank you to all our members for the continuous support! These interesting listings, sadly, will be expiring in two days. Unlike traditional wine merchants, whose wine listings can stay for a longer period on their own online store, Wine Bond's marketplace operates differently and listings only last for a month. Of course, from time to time we get requests from our members to extend their listings but these are on a case to case basis and does not always happen.

To add to May's extensive list, there had been some re-postings of wines by our regular sellers as well. Look for the the last few rows in today's mailer, there are some: Sassicaia, Ornelleia, Mugnier NSG Clos de la Marechale, Cheval Blanc, Ausone and a Maison Leroy Fonteny (all with new lower prices). There's just 48 hours before most of these listings disappear, so don't hesitate now and start buying them one last time. Have a great week ahead!......RS

 

24/5/2023: Assortments: Burgundy MAGNUMS | Clos des Goisses | Aldo Conterno Granbussia

A final Burgundy offer to close the month of May. The vintage of 2017 for Burgundy is quite different from Bordeaux, but 2017 Burgs are excellent. This is a vintage about quality, and assurance that Burgundians can bounce back and make an impact. As compared to a low-yielding 2016, the 2017 vintage is a like a "salvation" or "redemption" for Burgundy winemakers. To me, there are some similarities in weather, when I compare the 2017 to previous vintages like the 1993, 2009 and 2015. Ironically, if we compare 2017 and 2009, majority of the weather patterns over March to August were similar but the wines of 2017 are nothing like the 2009. For the 2017, it is a creature of its own. The 2017 Burgs are low in alcohol, rich in fruits, has excellent minerality, and uber fresh in the first few years (if you decide to drink them early). There is good balance in most of the wines, and In terms of age-ability, Premier and Grand Crus can go a long way. There is good potential in the 2017s.

Today's offers will feature two 2017 Pommards 1er Cru by Domaine de Courcel (winemaker Yves Confuron is a good friend whom I kept in contact for many years), then one each of the 2018 Domaine de la Vougeraie Vosne Romanee Champs Perdrix, and 2019 JJ Confuron Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru. They are all in MAGNUMS....how cool is that? Again, if you scroll down, these MAGNUMS are rare and hard to find, but all priced to sell. Along with these Burgundy MAGNUMS, there will also be some bottles of the 2011 Philipponat Clos des Goisses and an OWC of the 2001 Aldo Conterno Barolo Riserva Granbussia.

Next week, we will have a recap of all the postings in May (available quantities left), and also include some repostings, just in case anyone missed out any re-offers over the last few months.......RS

 

22/5/2023: 2017 Bordeaux Collection from A Private Collector | MAGNUMS Included

The 2017 Bordeaux wine vintage is what I define, a redemption vintage for all the “sevens”. If we look back at Bordeaux vintages ending with “7” for the past 40 years, it had been difficult on those years namely: 2007, 1997, 1987, 1977. Well, 2017 is about to change that and certainly in a good way, because 2017s are simply delicious and to me, it ranks alongside vintages like: 2001, 1998, 1996 and 1985. With that said, I think 2017 has all the traits of these different vintages, but is a class of its own. It has the elegance, balance, ripeness, refined tannins of the 2001 and 1985. The structure, acidity of the 1996, and the classical and concentrated fruits + earth notes of the 1998. It’s like 2017 was built as an “all-rounder”.

The fact is 2017 was not an easy vintage, but there was certainly salvation during summer, and before harvest. Even though yields were down, the fruits were small, thick-skinned, but had good skin to juice ratio. Harvest started as early as first week of September for most, and ended almost first week of October. It was what many would term: A winemaker’s vintage.

 

Today, from a private collection, we have an amazing 2017 Bordeaux offer, with a neat parcel of MAGNUMS included. I had good impression with most of the 2017s during the UGC tasting years ago, especially with the left banks of Pauillac, St-Julien and St-Estephe. I must say, they have very good mid-term aging potential. The wines on offer today are also relatively competitive priced, so Bordeaux wine lovers and drinkers should not miss them. I am sure collectors will be well-rewarded with the 2017s in a few years’ time. Don't miss any of these, and have a fruitful week ahead!......RS

 

18/5/2023: Back by Popular Demand: Kvetna Auriga Universal and Pinot Noir Glasses ***Limited Boxes Available***

You've seen it at Wine Bond BBQ on 5 May....Kvetna's glasses. I bet no one realised the Universal glass, was a hand-made one...I reiterate: A Hand Made Mouth Blown One Piece Wine Glass.  In fact, both the Universal and Pinot Noir glasses were on display during our BBQ, but only the Universal Glass was used for its versatility. The Pinot Noir glass which was on display near my tasting booth,  was also an exceptional glass especially with Burgundies.

Other than heightening the nuances when using Kvetna glasses, they are also very hardy. Since 2022, Kvetna had infused their Auriga wine glasses with titanium. Before the titanium infusion, I actually ran some tests on the pioneer batches and they are not as shabby even though the glass is featherweight. With these infusion, not only are they more hardy, they also maintain consistency in weight (in fact lighter) than a certain "more popular" brand. I think Kvetna Universal glass did all the wines justice during our BBQ. The best showing (if anyone agrees with me), was the 2013 Leoville Barton MAGNUM with the Kvetna Universal glass.

Back by popular demand, these Kvetna glass offers are back for those whom missed out during our BBQ. Please see our offers below, as we still have some limited boxes of both the Universal and Pinot Noir glasses, plus we will maintain the special prices until end of this month. Offer valid whilst stocks last, so don't miss!

 

9/5/2023: Spot Offer: Two bottles of Bizot's Vosne Romanee | Ex-Domaine

CULT....Rare....Can you...or rather should you believe the current prices of Burgundy wines today? Especially the renowned producers many connoissuers are hunting. In fact, if not for COVID, there wouldn't be, what I term "an adjustment" of prices over the last three years. Some say this is the year when prices may bounce back...really? Maybe it is still early days. Today, I look at Bizot prices, and honestly, I think gone are the days when I can open a bottle of Bizot's Vosne Romanee.

Just two bottles of Bizot's wines are on marketplace today. A single bottle each of the 2017 Vosne Romanee and 2014 Vosne Romanee Les Jachees.

 

Vosne Romanee

Plantings from 1930s. Village parcels from a blend of four different plots: Les Communes, Les Jardins, Les Colombieres, and Les Saules.

 

Vosne Romanee "Les Jachees"

From vines planted in 1930, this may be the most celebrated Vosne Romanee parcel, just below his Echezeaux parcel. It is village appellation and Domaine Bizot is the only one to bottle this separately. It is also the biggest parcel of the Domaine. Roughly one quarter of Les Jachees is owned by Domaine Bizot, 0.63 ha of 2.5 ha.

 

5/5/2023: Olivier Bernstein: Special Prices for Wine Bond Anniversary | from 5-12 May only

We start early today, and launch the Olivier Bernstein offers, with special prices in celebration with Wine Bond anniversary and BBQ. For our members whom could not attend our BBQ tonight, these listings are now live on marketplace and available.

In today's offers, we have the full range of Pinot Noir from village to Premier and Grand Crus. For the first time, these Grand Crus include: Clos Vougeot, Bonnes Mares, Clos de la Roche, Charmes Chambertin, Mazis Chaambertin and Chambertin Clos-de-Beze. Vintages are mainly from the spectacular 2009 and 2010. Olivier Bernstein is amongst the most successful producers in Burgundy so you should not miss if you had not tried his wines. For those who are attending the BBQ this evening, see you all later!.......RS

 

3/5/2023: The Exceptional Collection: H. Jayer | A. Rousseau | Leroy | JF Mugnier and more

Greatness....how do we define greatness? To me, a perfect example is the single bottle of 1986 Henri Jayer Les Beaumonts in today's offer.

Fifth of May is here soon. Prior to Wine Bond Anniversary BBQ, we will have two Burgundy offers, specially to kick-start the month of May. One exceptional collection today, then on Friday: a launch of Olivier Bernstein collection (mainly 2009 and 10) at "SPECIAL" prices, in celebration of Wine Bond anniversary. The Bernstein cuvees will include different parcels of wines from villages to 1er and Grand Crus. All coming from a single collector, the Bernstein offers will only be around for a week from 5 to 12 May.

Today offers are perfect examples of exceptional bottles that can be found at Wine Bond marketplace, once in a while. These bottles are as rare they get, especially when most of them come from the 90s vintage. From a single listing of Henri Jayer to Armand Rousseau's Grand Crus, different bottlings of Maison and Domaine Leroy, then JF Mugnier's Musigny and Bonnes Mares,....Also, a couple of other rare Burgundy assortments complete this offer, so don't miss any of these. I will list all the cuvees below with their available quantities. Scroll down the email to see their prices:

 

1986 Henri Jayer Vosne Romanee Les Beaumonts (1)

1995 Armand Rousseau Charmes Chambertin, Grand Cru (1)

1993 Armand Rousseau Clos de la Roche, Grand Cru (3)

1995 Armand Rousseau Clos de la Roche, Grand Cru (1)

1999 Maison Leroy Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Fonteny (2)

1994 Domaine Leroy Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru, Les Boudots (1)

2000 Domaine Leroy Vosne-Romanee Les Genaivrieres (1)

1995 Jacques Frederic Mugnier Musigny, Grand Cru (1)

1996 Jacques Frederic Mugnier Bonnes Mares, Grand Cru (1)

1996 Dominique Laurent Grands Echezeaux, Grand Cru (1)

1995 Faiveley Corton, Clos des Cortons Faiveley Monopole, Grand Cru (1)

1995 Jean Louis Trapet Chambertin, Grand Cru (2)

1997 Dugat-Py Charmes Chambertin, Grand Cru (1)

1999 Robert Arnoux Vosne Romanee 1er Cru, Les Suchots (1)

 

For members whom are interested in the rare bottles (Jayer and Rousseau) listed above, and would like photos of the actual bottles, please whatsapp me directly.......RS

Looking forward to catch up with everyone on Friday!

 

27/4/2023: Spot Offer: An Assortment from A Single Collector | Rousseau ~ DRC and more

RARITIES....That's what some of today's offers are about. It is not every day when we see Rousseau and DRC listed, but today is the day. These postings came at the perfect time and it will be a sin not to share them in one more mailer this month. I have consolidated these in a spot offer. Here we go....

The 99 Armand Rousseau Clos St Jacques is simply a magnificent wine. There were multiple times over the last decade when I drank it with different clients, it gets better every time (full steam ahead)....I can only ponder how looooong more, this superb 1999 CSJ will last? Only one bottle available today.  The 2003 Armand Rousseau Chambertin Clos de Beze on the other hand, has mellowed over the years. The underlying heat (of the 2003) vanished substantially, and with close to twenty years behind, the fruits and terroir characters are highly expressive now. A lot of 2003s are in fact over-performers today. If you still have bottles in your cellar, you will be in for a surprise. Again, only one bottle available.

2004 Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Grands Echezeaux is ready now. This classical vintage was probably the last vintage when Burgundy prices remain "sane", until 2005 came in and shouted "Boomshakalaka!"...2004 is in fact a good vintage to drink if you had been following DRC's during the period between 2000-2008. My last encounter with a 2004 Burgundy was in fact recently: A Chambolle Musigny Les Fuees, full of asian spices, underlying red fruits and earthly characters, a delicious wine. Again, today there is just one bottle of the 2004 DRC Grands Echezeaux available.

Other assortments today include: Six bottles of the 2016 Yann Durieux Les Ponts Blancs. For those whom are fans of Prieure Roch will know the talented Mr Durieux. Even though his bottles are bottled VDF (Vin de France), make no mistake, this perfectionist IS the future! Then, one parcel of the perfect 2018 Penfolds Grange has landed. At the six bottles parcel price (scroll below), all Grange fans should own this, if it is not yet in your collection. The rest of the wines in this offer are: 2018 Daguneau Blanc Fume de Pouilly, 2000 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne ROSE, and a single bottle of Elmer T Lee Single Barrel Sour Mash Straight Kentucky Bourbon.

If you have an empty bottle lying somewhere this morning, bravo! If not, start creating empty bottle/s, cos every empty bottle always come with a good story, whomever you drink it with.....It is almost the end of the week.....wines are calling....have a fulfilling Thursday :).......RS

 

25/4/2023: Burgundy Assortments: Dugat-Py ~ Coquard-Loison-Fleurot ~ F Lamarche ~ JF Mugnier ~ G Roumier

THE LAST RIDE BOTTLE....Maybe it might be too early to mention, but it was a conversation I had when I caught up with some friends from the trade. We were talking about the last, definitive bottle.....you know what I mean.....

I thought about it actually, at least there is a bottle (or two) that I had decided, for now. Many of my friends thought mine will be a bottle of Burgundy, some starry Grand Cru from the commune of Vosne-Romanee or Gevrey Chambertin. Names like these pop up: 1975 DRC La Tache, 1993 Armand Rousseau Chambertin, 1996 Coche Dury Corton-Charlemagne, 2002 Comte Liger Belair La Romanee (the inaugural and non-commercial release). But believe it or not, my "LAST RIDE BOTTLE" is split between a Scotch and a Sauternes. It is either a glass of 1976 Chateau d'Yquem in its perfect maturity, or a 1976 Macallan 30 Years. Yeah, call it cliché.....but what better way to go out on my vintage!

Today's offers feature these great producers whom I follow closely, some of the cuvees have been considered in some of my LAST RIDE selectives. The cuvees today include: Francois Lamarche La Grande Rue, Dugat-Py Mazis and Charmes Chambertin, Marquis d'Angerville Volany Taillepieds (in MAGNUM), JF Mugnier Chambolle, Roumier Chambolle, Trapet Chambertin. The special one for today is actually Coquard-Loison-Fleurot, a rare producer whose wines are hardly found overseas. This is a producer making excellent Grand Crus. Their wines are hardly seen outside of France until couple of years ago. Having been growers for generations, the Fleurot family started bottling some of their own wines from mid 2000s, then more communes were bottled over the years. Credit goes to Thomas Colladot who return to the Domaine in 2010 after learning with Sebastian of Domaine Sylvain Cathiard. Being close friends, both of them share many wine-making philosophies and beliefs together. The wines of Coquard-Loison-Fleurot showcase terroir character, fruit purity, and freshness. Another "next big thing" to emerge from Burgundy. Don't miss his 2015 Echezeaux (parcel of 6) on offer today.

Along with Coquard-Loison-Fleurot, these Burgundies (some new, some re-posts) emerge for our last offer in April. Don't miss any of them, as this will conclude our April offers. A big collection of wines on marketplace will also be expiring end of April, so click in to buy if you spot something interesting. I will catch up everyone during Wine Bond BBQ on 5 May! See you.........RS

 

20/4/2023: Champagnes for April: Krug ~ Cristal ~ Dom Perignon ~ Taittinger ~ Salon

Some Champagne offers are inevitable this month, as these vintage gems appear again. Well, it seems like it is getting harder to find these vintage Champagnes nowadays. Today, our list of offer gets better and stronger....

Are Champagne prices going up? You bet, for these prestige labels. For 2022, Champagnes prices had been rising steadily on average by around 15% (from 2021). Despite a slight drop in prices in the last quarter of 2022 (for some), the first quarter of 2023 sees a rise again, between 3-5% for some of these highly sought-after labels. With new vintage release from Cristal, Bollinger (La Grande Annee), Dom Perignon, Krug and Taittinger (Comtes), the release prices seems to be heading one way, and it is UP. In fact, these prestige cuvees are either sold out quickly, or sold on allocation. This in turn, has an alternate effect on past vintage prices, as Champagne collectors try to buy up whatever they can get their hands on. It is a real situation which many of us are facing today, and honestly, it is here to stay. With many collectors and Wine investment companies diversifying their portfolio: from Bordeaux to Burgundy to Champagne, the competition is getting stronger.  Prestige labels of these Champagnes may well become a commodity that is out of reach to some of us if the trend continues. Wine importers even resort to buying bottles from parallel or alternate markets/countries. Honestly, it may be impossible (in the near future) to walk into a retail wine shop to pick up a bottle of Dom for their latest release. How will Champagne collectors react to this shift in prices and supply in the future? Lets see....

 

Today's offer will feature some really awesome back vintages from these notable houses I mentioned earlier. Again, I think the prices listed today, along with the strong vintages, could spark interest if you are a Champagne collector. I will list the cuvees below with the quantities in ( ), but continue scrolling to see their prices:

 

1998 Krug (1)

2000 Krug (5)

2002 Krug (2)

2006 Krug (1)

2008 Krug (1) (note: torn back label)

2005 Cristal (2)

2012 Cristal (2)

2014 Cristal (6)

2008 Dom Perignon (2)

2012 Dom Perignon (6)

2002 Dom Perignon P2 (2)

2008 Dom Perignon Chef de Cave Legacy (1)

2008 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne (4)

2012 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne (5)

1990 Salon (3)

1996 Salon (2)

1997 Salon (3)

1999 Salon (2)

2006 Salon (2)

 

17/4/2023: Buon Vino: Gaja . Azelia . Salvioni and Others

Today's Italy wine offers happen to go out slightly later. Well, we had, sort of a bug, and I had to sort out the new additions to marketplace. Amidst these (and thankfully), the bug issues were all resolved in time for us to release this offer.

We have a nice but small collection of Gaja and Azelia, then a Salvioni Brunello to compliment them along with some repostings. Please see below for the wines available in today's offers:

 

***NEW***

1997 Gaja Barbaresco 1500ml MAGNUM

2006 Gaja Sperss

2000 Azelia Barolo San Rocco

2004 Azelia Barolo San Rocco

2007 Azelia Barolo San Rocco

2000 Azelia Barolo Bricco Fiasco

2007 Salvioni Brunello di Montalcino

 

Repostings include an awesome list of Brunellos from some wonderful vintages and renowned producers (Ciacci, Collemattoni, San Filippo, Castelgiocondo), again at unbeatable prices. There are also two vintages of Cappellano's Barbera d'Alba, up on marketplace again. Don't miss all these offers.

While today is just the start of a new week, a Champagne offer is looming later this week with: Krug, Dom Perignon, Salon and Taittinger. Stay tuned....

 

13/4/2023: H Boillot . J Drouhin . Bouchard . Leflaive . L Jadot | Grand Cru Assortment

We end these French wine offers (Bordeaux and Burgundy) with these assortments from Burgundy, and yes, this list contain mainly Grand Cru! These, and previous offers in the last two weeks, are some of the most pristine bottles I had seen. In fact, this collector acquires his wine collection, either ex-Chateau or ex-Domaine, and this makes all the difference. It is as though you walk into the winery and pick up a bottle.

There are some familiar names, but the producers are not just the ones you should pay attention to, but the communes and vintages.

 

Starting with the whites:

Meursault 1er Cru Sous le Dos d'Ane (2013 Leflaive)

Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Cailleret (2014 Domaine de Montille)

Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru (2010 Bouchard, 2015 Bruno Clair)

Batard Montrachet Grand Cru (2012 Louis Jadot)

 

Then moving to the reds:

Clos Vougeot Grand Cru (2013 H Boillot)

Chambertin Clos-de-Beze Grand Cru (2013 H Boillot, 2012 and 15 J Drouhin, 2010 Bouchard)

Bonnes Mares Grand Cru (2015 Bruno Clair)

Grands Echezeaux Grand Cru (2015 Louis Jadot)

 

The beast we all know as "Chambertin Clos-de-Beze" is the highlight in today's offer. In fact, CDB can be a classy and elegant wine after years of aging, while some gain weight. For example: Drouhin's wines evolve beautifully over time, while Bouchard's CDB is a weighty kind. Today there are some offers for 2010, 12, 13 and 15, across three producers, and these are all wonderful wines and vintages to own.

We complete the four French wine offers today. There will be more offers coming next week with a Italian offer and more assortments till end April. And before I forget: for our members attending Wine Bond BBQ on 5 May (and if you love Burgundy like me).....we may have some Olivier Bernstein wines for tasting!.......RS

 

10/4/2023: Thibault Liger-Belair | Superlative Burgundy

Thibault Liger-Belair is one excellent producer, whom many connoisseurs overlook whenever it comes to wines from Nuits-St-Georges. Other than Thibault's Richebourg Grand Cru and his NSG cuvees including 1er Cru Les-St-Georges (which are both highly sought after), many do not know that he actually makes some mean Cortons (and Corton-Charlemagne). Following up from my previous mailer about the Corton Hill, this is another producer whom has been making waves with his Corton Grand Crus. In fact, Thibault Liger-Belair's Cortons did not hit my radar till I tried vintages from the late 2000s. And like what they say "The rest is history!"

Today, these Thibault Liger-Belair offers come from a single collector, and even though some of Thibault's wines are missing in today offers, there are some amazing Grand Crus available at really attractive prices. Starting with the Corton-Charlemagne Languettes Grand Cru (2017) for the Chardonnay, the only white in today's offers. And for the Pinot Noirs, we start with a village Vosne Romanee Aux Reas (2017), then Grand Crus: Clos Vougeot (2012) and Charmes Chambertin (2011). The last two Cortons are my favourites: Corton Clos du Roi (2017), and two vintages of Corton Renardes (2011 and 2012). Vintages like the 2012 and 2017, are going to be so intense, you'd want to consider laying them down for a while. Nevertheless, these superlative cuvees should not be missed on this fresh Monday. Have a great week ahead!

 

5/3/2023: Exceptional Faiveley Collection | White and Red Grand Cru

Domaine Faiveley, a historic winemaking family that dates back to 1825. This family-owned winery located in the heart of Burgundy, is all about their rich history. The winery owns over 120 hectares of vineyards across some of the most prestigious appellations in Burgundy today, including ten hectares of Grand Crus. What they represent, is more than just another wine-making family. The prestigious name of Faiveley, is highly regarded by fellow wine producers in Burgundy.

The current owner Erwan Faiveley, is the seventh generation to run the winery. He took over the family business in 2005 and has continued the tradition of producing exceptional wines from some of the most prestigious vineyards in Burgundy. Under his leadership, the winery has expanded its holdings and invested in new technologies while remaining true to its commitment to quality and tradition.

In my personal experience with Domaine Faiveley's Grand Crus, a few appellations always stand out as exceptional. One of them is the Corton-Charlemagne, made from grapes grown in the Corton hill, which is known for its limestone soils and south-east exposure. My love for Corton-Charlemagne actually goes back to my very first visit to Corton Hill, but believe it or not, it was not a visit to any Domaine producing Corton wines, but a Maison, namely Pierre Andre (Chateau de Corton Andre). This is an exceptional producer whom specialises in making Corton Grand Crus, and other Aloxe-Corton village and Premier Crus. A drive around the Corton Hill, walking through the vineyards with different facings is an inspiring experience. Simply hold the limestone soil in your hands, take a sniff, and one will understand the underlying tones of richness and minerals in Corton-Charlemagne and Corton Blanc, or those same nuances that are in the red Cortons. Faiveley's Corton-Charlemagne goes through up to 18 months of barrel age. The wine is rich with good toasty and mineral notes. For me, it is also one of the most exceptional Grand Crus from the Faiveley portfolio.

Another notable Grand Cru produced by Domaine Faiveley is the Chambertin-Clos de Bèze. This Grand Cru needs no further introduction, with its limited production of this minuscule plot. It is the same for their Mazis-Chambertin, which is uber-limited every year (less than 1.5 hectares). Both these Grand Crus go through 18-24 months of ageing, and are true representations of the appellation Gevrey-Chambertin. Power with elegance.

Today's offers will see a huge assortment of Grand Crus from Faiveley, and feature more than my likes of Corton-Charlemagne (2011, 14), Chambertin-Clos de Bèze (2011) or Mazis Chambertin (2011). For the whites, we will also have the Bienvenue-Batard Montrachet (2010, 11), Batard Montrachet (2011,14,17) and Chevalier-Montrachet (2014). For the reds, some Clos de Vougeot (2009, 10) and a very impressive and "must own" Clos St Denis (2015). Again, when I was sharing with a Wine Bond member yesterday, my money is on the 2015 and 16 for the Burgundies (these two vintages I tasted many times) are exceptional and may even surpass the 2005 and 09. With strong vintages in today's offers, like 2014 and 17 for their whites, and 2009, 10 and 15 for the reds, the offers today are exceptional, and should be in the collection of every Burgundy connoisseur.

 

3/3/2023: Bordeaux from 2006-2015 | Lynch Bages . Pontet Canet . Leoville Las Cases . Palmer and more

And so we start April, with some much needed Bordeaux for Marketplace. Talking about Bordeaux, I managed to catch the Netflix Movie "Toscana" over the weekend. For those who like a movie about: A meticulous Chef, fine-dining, food: this heart-warming, romance drama, has some really good scenes on food preparation, local produce, mise-en-place and wines. Any movie that has part of an opening scene, with snippets of wines like: Chateau Petrus, Lucien Le Moine Montrachet and Alter Ego de Chateau Palmer, basically win my heart already.  If you are a food and wine fanatic like me, try and catch this Netflix movie.

These "to-have and to-drink" Bordeaux will kick-start April. Most of the vintages are ready to drink, while some should lay down for another half decade and more (there are lots of 2015 today). We start with just one white Bordeaux, the 2018 Cos d'Estournel Blanc, a delicious and highly-rated white that is perfect to drink now, or hold for a few more years for its evolution. Next, three strong vintages of Lynch Bages, the 2006, 09 and 10. These Lynch Bages prices are so appealing, I want to get some for myself! The 2009 and 10 are great buys by the way. Two vintages of Leoville Las Cases, the 2011 and 2015. I think 2015 is going to be one of the greatest vintages from Bordeaux from the past decade, and like the 2005, these need time to come around (be well-rewarded when they do). Like the Leoville Las Cases, these 2015s in today's offers are worth keeping for the long-haul: Chateau Palmer, Figeac, L'Eglise-Clinet and L'Evangile. When I attended the "Union des Grand Crus de Bordeaux Tasting" in the last few years: other than the 2015, the other vintage which I really like is the 2016. In the 2016, I found consistencies in most of the Left Bank, while the 2015 were overall balance throughout the Left and Right Banks. These three Pauillacs complete our offers today, and display consistency through all vintages: 2011 Pichon Baron, with the 2010 Pontet Canet and the 2011 Pontet Canet in MAGNUMS.

After today's Bordeaux offer, other offers coming in April will include a Huge Faiveley collection, followed by more Burgundies, mainly all Grand Crus, from renowned producers. Don't miss all the Burgundy offers for April. Hope everyone is having a great start to the week on this rainy Monday........RS