June - What have you been buying

[rooman]

Peter

It is interesting to see you go for 3 of each. Obviously it gives you a wider range of wines but I really struggle with less than 6. With 3 I am always stressed over when to open the first one. 6 gives you time to make mistakes, open one long before it is ready. At a push I can do 4. What preferences do other people have?

Mark

[monghead]

Peter

It is interesting to see you go for 3 of each. Obviously it gives you a wider range of wines but I really struggle with less than 6. With 3 I am always stressed over when to open the first one. 6 gives you time to make mistakes, open one long before it is ready. At a push I can do 4. What preferences do other people have?

Mark

Yes, I used to think that way too, until the realities of budget and space hit home.
Like Peter, I now buy 2-3 of each, and at a stretch up to 6 (rarely) for the cellar.
I guess for me, the reality is that there are so many great wines out there I don't mind less of a particular one to enjoy a greater variety of them.
As to the stress of opening too early, I seldom suffer that, as my philosophy is that I rather enjoy a wine reaching it's peak than a wine that is over the hill. Hey, you could always get more of it if super keen.

Cheers,

Monghead.

[Peter NZ]

Peter

It is interesting to see you go for 3 of each. Obviously it gives you a wider range of wines but I really struggle with less than 6. With 3 I am always stressed over when to open the first one. 6 gives you time to make mistakes, open one long before it is ready. At a push I can do 4. What preferences do other people have?

Mark

Yes, I used to think that way too, until the realities of budget and space hit home.
Like Peter, I now buy 2-3 of each, and at a stretch up to 6 (rarely) for the cellar.
I guess for me, the reality is that there are so many great wines out there I don't mind less of a particular one to enjoy a greater variety of them.
As to the stress of opening too early, I seldom suffer that, as my philosophy is that I rather enjoy a wine reaching it's peak than a wine that is over the hill. Hey, you could always get more of it if super keen.

Cheers,

Monghead.

Yep, that accurately summarises me as well -- used to try & buy 6 or 12 (and still do occasionally, having bought 12+ each of the '07 Church Road Reserve Syrahs & Cab Merlot, & the '07 Coleraine) -- but reality was that as my horizon broadened I was just buying too much wine, and that it's not really that often that I end up truly regretting not having bought more of a particular wine ... probably about 1/3rd as often as I find myself mildly resenting 'having' to drink up the last couple of bottles of a wine I bought a dozen of & that's reaching the end of its life ...

Cheers
Peter

[Julio G]

3 x 2009 Sociando Mallet
3 x 2009 Batailley

[Rednick]

Nearly made it through the month,

Smallfry - Red Blend 2009 (GSMCC)
Some Young Punks - Monsters Attack Riesling - 2010

Was supposed to be a quiet month but grabbed a case of the 98 & 99 VP, crazy not to at these prices.

Thanks for the reminder Ian - just what is needed on these cool winter nights

Nick

[rooman]

3 x 2009 Sociando Mallet
3 x 2009 Batailley

For some reason, Batailley does not seem to have been released so far in Australia.

[via collins]

6 x Saltram Pepperjack Stylus 2008 GSM
3 x The Story Henty Estate pinot noir 2009
3 x The Story Westgate shiraz 2008
2 x Curly Flat pinot noir 2006
3 x Mandala chardonnay 2009

Craig, will you be double decanting that dining table at some point?

[Jay60A]

Okay, I could not pass it up - 6 x Pontet Canet 2009.

I have Pauillac, St.Julien, St.Estephe so probably a case of something decent from Margaux and my sanity and credit card may recover.
Rausan Segla I reckon ...

[rooman]

Okay, I could not pass it up - 6 x Pontet Canet 2009.

I have Pauillac, St.Julien, St.Estephe so probably a case of something decent from Margaux and my sanity and credit card may recover.
Rausan Segla I reckon ...

Jay

At the price you get it up there, you would be mad to pass up on it this year. By all account if you are not buying the first growths then this is the wine to pick up, especially when you consider that one bottle of first is worth nearly an entire case of the Pontet.

Mark

[Jay60A]

Perhaps. It's easy to get sucked into the hype though.

I shudder to think of the prices when Penfolds release their next special bin (a 620?). Top wines seem to track as a percentage of Bordeaux FG.

[rooman]

Perhaps. It's easy to get sucked into the hype though.

I shudder to think of the prices when Penfolds release their next special bin (a 620?). Top wines seem to track as a percentage of Bordeaux FG.

It is interesting to try and work through the hype. I know you chat from time to time on the UK wine site. I have been following the beating of brows and gnashing of teeth up there on the 09 prices compared to the 05 prices. The other day however I went back and searched for 05 Bdx EP threads. I am sure you can guess where this is going. The same people were in the same turmoil over the 05 prices vis-a-vis the 00 prices. My personal view is that there is nothing egalitarian about top end wines. There never has been. It is a little like the price of coffee at the cafe tables on the Champs-Elysées: if you can't afford the prices no point sitting there and bithcing about the prices, move on because someone else will pay the price and be happy to sit at your seat.

Personally I won't spend the money on first (never have and doubt I ever will) or (this year) even second growths. But others who are doing well will and the wines will move. So I don't see prices popping like a bubbles not so long as demand is expanding and supply is limited. I also don't believe once Asia acquires a taste for the product that they will ever move on. Hence the money is well spent to acquire the wines at this stage because I do not see them ever dropping back. The last point I think that is worth making is that even if one can't pariticipate in the sramble for the classified growths, there is some stunning value at around the $50 for those who still wish to pick up some cru bourgeois wines from this vintage.

[Red]

Wines picked up from a trip to the Yarra last week

08 Gembrook Hill Pinot Noir
08 Coldstream hills Pinot Noir
09 Coldstream Hills Chardonnay
06 Seville Estate Chardonnay
07 Seville Estate Pinot Noir

Seperate to that

06 Rosby Cabernet Sauvignon

[rens]

Peter

It is interesting to see you go for 3 of each. Obviously it gives you a wider range of wines but I really struggle with less than 6. With 3 I am always stressed over when to open the first one. 6 gives you time to make mistakes, open one long before it is ready. At a push I can do 4. What preferences do other people have?

Mark

Yes, I used to think that way too, until the realities of budget and space hit home.
Like Peter, I now buy 2-3 of each, and at a stretch up to 6 (rarely) for the cellar.
I guess for me, the reality is that there are so many great wines out there I don't mind less of a particular one to enjoy a greater variety of them.
As to the stress of opening too early, I seldom suffer that, as my philosophy is that I rather enjoy a wine reaching it's peak than a wine that is over the hill. Hey, you could always get more of it if super keen.

Cheers,

Monghead.

Interesting...
I would often buy 6 or 12 when I first started, but as has been said I start to run out of space and I find 4 is my usual number. With 4 I can usually have one early. Then depending on my estimated timeline/life of the wine, there after I consume the other 3 over that time.

[monghead]

Here I go with the twos again.....

2x 2007 Croft VP
2x 2007 Bouchard l'enfant jesus
2x 1996 Bouchard l'enfant jesus halves

Cheers,

Monghead.

[Julio G]

3 x 2009 Sociando Mallet
3 x 2009 Batailley

For some reason, Batailley does not seem to have been released so far in Australia.

Batailley is the best PQR of the vintage IMO.

[Jay60A]

Perhaps. It's easy to get sucked into the hype though.

I shudder to think of the prices when Penfolds release their next special bin (a 620?). Top wines seem to track as a percentage of Bordeaux FG.

It is interesting to try and work through the hype. I know you chat from time to time on the UK wine site. I have been following the beating of brows and gnashing of teeth up there on the 09 prices compared to the 05 prices. The other day however I went back and searched for 05 Bdx EP threads. I am sure you can guess where this is going. The same people were in the same turmoil over the 05 prices vis-a-vis the 00 prices. My personal view is that there is nothing egalitarian about top end wines. There never has been. It is a little like the price of coffee at the cafe tables on the Champs-Elysées: if you can't afford the prices no point sitting there and bithcing about the prices, move on because someone else will pay the price and be happy to sit at your seat.

Personally I won't spend the money on first (never have and doubt I ever will) or (this year) even second growths. But others who are doing well will and the wines will move. So I don't see prices popping like a bubbles not so long as demand is expanding and supply is limited. I also don't believe once Asia acquires a taste for the product that they will ever move on. Hence the money is well spent to acquire the wines at this stage because I do not see them ever dropping back. The last point I think that is worth making is that even if one can't pariticipate in the sramble for the classified growths, there is some stunning value at around the $50 for those who still wish to pick up some cru bourgeois wines from this vintage.

Yeah, I agree. I lived in Asia for six years and have inlaws in Hong Kong. Asia will redefine the Bordeaux prices and no moaning and groaning will change that, nor do I think it is a bubble ... HK supermarkets carry a strong wine selection now, and this will spread into China more broadly than just Shanghai and Beijing over the next 10-20 years. However I have to face that I now cannot self-justify the QPR on some of the wines I might otherwise have bought.

I'm pretty stoic and will buy some good gear where the prices are still reasonable versus peers.

[pizzler]

I reversed myself and bought some 2009 Bordeaux futures, but only Sauternes...Climens, Raymond-Lafon, Coutet, Rieussec, Lafaurie-Peyraguey, Nairac, Guiraud, Doisy-Daëne, and Suduiraut. Hard to argue with consensus great reviews and prices that aren't much higher than they were in 2005.

Also bought some 2009 Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc Cellar Selection, 2008 Pyramid Valley Sémillon Late Harvest Hille Vineyard, and 2006 Mitolo Shiraz G.A.M.

[monghead]

Just a few more...

3x 2008 Escarpment Kiwa Pinot Noir
3x 2008 Escarpment Pahi Pinot Noir
3x 2008 Escarpment Te Rehua Pinot Noir
2x 2004 Marchesi Di Gresy Martinenga Barbaresco
2x 2007 Croft VP halves

[Ricardo]

1 dozen Dukes Vineyard 07 Shiraz and 1 doz Dukes 07 Cabernet Savignon. 94 point Haliday for $24 per bottle. Got a phone call from the Duke thanking me for my order and have tatsed the Shiraz - very yummy. Wifey doesnt normally like Shiraz but commented well on this one. Dont have the educated pallet to describe the taste but it is very nice.

[Craig(NZ)]

Craig, will you be double decanting that dining table at some point?

No but plenty of double decanting at the dining table and should last me till the day i die!!

[mychurch]

I bought some more Bordeaux 09 and ended up with

6 * Batailly (Magnums)
6 * Barde Haut (Magnums)
6 * St Pierre (Magnums)
12 * Clinet (Magnums)
2 * Hossana
2 * Montrose
2 * Leoville Poyferre
2 * Clinet
2 * Barde Haut
12 * Raymond Lafon

Would have bought cases of Montrose, LP and also VCC had they been more reasonable priced, but i think I'll be able to get the bottles without much trouble in the future, probably at a better price....If not, well I still have a few tasting bottles.

[Peter NZ]

Time to call it quits on '09 Bordeaux:

6 x Suduiraut
6 x Raymond Lafon
12 x Guiraud
3 x Duhart Milon Rothschild
3 x Lagrange (st Julien)
3 x Cantenac Brown
3 x Grand Puy Lacoste
3 x Pontet Canet
3 x Rauzan Segla
3 x Beychevelle
3 x Haut Batailley
3 x Beausejour Becot

Cheers
Peter

As Craig said, excellent list. I have been tossing up as to whether to grab some of the Grand Puy Lacoste. In the end, I added 6 of the Dom Chevailer rouge today instead. Of course I would love some of the Rauzan Segla and the Haut Batailley and ..............

Have added 3 each of the Dom Chevalier Rouge & La Lagune ... that's really it now.

No more Bordeaux, but couldn't resist 6 x Seppelt St Peters '06 at NZD 32 ...

[monghead]

No more Bordeaux, but couldn't resist 6 x Seppelt St Peters '06 at NZD 32 ...

What?!!!!! That is almost half price of what we get it for on this side of the pond!!!

[monghead]

Managed to get a few more...

3x 2004 Argiano Brunello de Montalcino
2x 1991 Wynns Centenary Shiraz Cabernet

[griff]

Managed to get a few more...

3x 2004 Argiano Brunello de Montalcino
2x 1991 Wynns Centenary Shiraz Cabernet

I think the Wynns would be your cup of tea. I hope they are cellared well and have taint free corks of course.

cheers

Carl

[monghead]

Managed to get a few more...

3x 2004 Argiano Brunello de Montalcino
2x 1991 Wynns Centenary Shiraz Cabernet

I think the Wynns would be your cup of tea. I hope they are cellared well and have taint free corks of course.

cheers

Carl

Yes, picked these up at auction with the recent good press about them. Crossing my fingers that they had a good home in the last 16-18 years...

Monghead.

[TiggerK]

Got a couple of the 1991's recently myself monghead, collective fingers crossed they're in good shape. Taking one to NZ in a few weeks, will let you know!

[Michael McNally]

Snap!

I bought a 1991 Wynns off a retailer here in Brisbane last week. They were flogging off a lot of back vintage stuff and the Wynns caught my eye after the raves here. Level well into neck and the retail manager told me it had been in climate controlled cellarage since purchase (which I took with a pinch of salt). Hope it's in good nick. Essentially a punt.

I could even bring it to the next offline.......

Other purchases in June:
6 x 2008 Majella Cabernet
3 x 2009 Head Red Shiraz Viognier
3 x 2009 Head Old Vine Grenache

Cheers

Michael

[monghead]

We're not easily persuaded at all are we?

[odyssey]

:lol: We're not easily persuaded at all are we?

Was hoping to pick up a couple of the 91s myself but I haven't been able to find any (Tim did you pick up the two that were on Langtons Exchange?)

If anyone spots any around sydney or online and isn't planning to buy them (yeah right) please drop me a PM.

Cheers