John, you hit the ball out of the park with the comments about Suckling !!! You made me laugh hard. Maybe some will not appreciate your comments, but many of us wine collectors have our reserves towards James Suckling scores as he gives almost all wines 95+ points. Anyways, I own a lot of Troplong Mondot and currently have 16 bottles of the 15 vintage and 12 bottles of the 2019 which I bought en primeur for $90. I was not going to buy 2020 Troplong, but maybe I should get a few. I cannot make a Top 5 collectible wine list, it is impossible. Some other wine I enjoy collecting would be : Leoville Poyferre, Chateau Canon, Ch. Clinet, Feytit Clinet ( which I think might be one of the greatest values in all Bdx), and from CA Maybach Materium, Carte Blanche, and Blankiet Rive Droite. Have a nice Sunday !
Thank you. Yes, the 2020 Troplong Mondot would be a great choice too! Completely agree about the other names on your list. I have mentioned a number of them in other videos - Feytit Clinet, for example. This was certainly not intended to be an exhaustive list - just some that caught my eye recently. Tasted at Blankiet back in February and enjoyed the Rive Droite very much!
I’m surprised that Les Carmes Haut Brian 20’ got a perfect score. I was at the estate last year and had it but wasn’t completely blown away with it. HUUUGE fan of the new style of Troplong Mandot…
Yes, it actually has two so far! It definitely needs more time, but should be phenomenal in due course. Completely agree re: Troplong! Such an outstanding producer and a compelling value to boot.
Just got a 19 troplong mondot to open with my dad one day (kind of pricey @ $120 so for a special occasion). Just curious more on your thoughts regarding it and what I should expect. Kinda wondering if I should pick up more, potentially a different vintage too?
@@jcbd9415 That is an outstanding wine! The 2020 is similar quality, 2021 down a bit, and the 2022 figures to be perhaps even a bit better. It will be much more enjoyable in 9-10 years, but you could potentially open it after another 5 years. It is full bodied and concentrated, with layers of flavor. There are prominent tannins, but they are refined; not grippy. It has plenty of fruit, but also a mineral or rocky descriptor. It will definitely benefit from a couple hours in the decanter and will pair well with red meat.
@@AttorneySomm Cool, big thanks! Got into wine just at the end of last year (I'm on the younger side). I love your recommendations and videos, gives me the wine buzz without needing to buy/open myself!
I completely agree about buying on release if possible. Much as I'd love to buy some greats at auction I don't earn that sort of money. However, I do have some very desirable wine in my collection because I I've been sitting on my bottles for a long time. I also enjoy spirits and I have been approached by well known retailers asking me to sell them some of my collection. I never bought as investment but the prices have rocketed and it's very hard to come by some old stock. Wine has always been an investors paradise though and you can always find at auction. Much as I love wine (been drinking it for decades) I always have a down to earth concept about value. My friends and colleagues are astonished by my purchases and none of them are connoisseurs. I love the entire concept of wine but I accept that it is a drink in the final analysis. However, I'll blow out if the temptation/value is in accord. Just to let you now John, so much Spanish wine (and European wine) is made for the export market, especially the States, and finding it in Europe is not always easy and often way more expensive than you pay for it on your side of the pond. Contador 2020 is twice or three times as expensive over here as we speak. I wish the reverse were true for your wines but they can be frustratingly difficult to procure over here. Excellent and enjoyable review as always. Cheers. WT
Thanks very much for weighing in and sharing your experiences! That is interesting re: Contador and good to know. I agree with your approach. I did not purchase my wines to re-sell, but on occasion some of them have gotten to comical prices where I could not justify drinking them. Hope that you enjoy the rest of your weekend! Cheers!
Thanks for the recommendations. Do you have a problem with Mr. Sucklings reviews? Some may tend to be high but others fall inline with what other reviewers are scoring. At the end of the day all scores are subjective unless you know something we don’t know.
No not at all. I understand he passes out many more 100 point scores than most so thought it was worth noting that a wine received a perfect score from another source.
Thanks for the reply. You aren’t the only UA-camr that has mentioned his scoring so I was just wondering. I try to use a mix of scores which I feel you have to do when collecting. But Suckling just like Wine Advocate(Robert Parker) has become more of a brand than individual reviewer scores. They like Decanter and Wine Enthusiasts have teams of people reviewing wines. Janis Robinson and Jeb Dunnuck are two off the head I think that still does individual scoring.
@@pgreen0001 Yes, in most instances, I will include all available scores for a wine for which I'm aware. I know that viewers preferences for certain critics varies, so I like to just present the information for what it is worth. Cheers!
Excellent list! I live in Europe and will be hunting down a few of these. I'm collecting purely for personal enjoyment, but out of curiousity, would there be a resale market for these wines if stored properly for 5-10 years?
Thank you! There is often some appreciation on 100 point Bordeaux and they should be easy to re-sell with some gains if stored well. And definitely the 2016 Biondi Santi Riserva should head north. That one probably has the highest ceiling.
@@AttorneySomm Thank you for this! Price appreciation should never be a goal for novices in my eyes but it's always a nice plus. I also found your video on wine storage very helpful.
Hi John, what source of information do you use to determine when a wine should be consumed “at its peak” in reference to it’s vintage? I have several 10+ year old Bordeaux’s and I’m not sure when would be the “best or ideal” time to open them. Is there a website or app you could recommend? Thanks 🍷 ✌🏼
Hello! Great question! Some of it is personal experience, but you can also rely on reviews from critics and sources like cellar tracker. In my view, however, many on CT drink the wines too soon, so I don't pay as much attention to that. Other than second wines and less expensive BDX for current consumption, most Bordeaux benefits from at least 8-10 years of bottle age. During that time the tannins soften, the oak integrates and it develops complex tertiary characteristics. In top vintages (e.g., 2000, 2005), some wines can need longer than 10 years. That is especially true for producers such as Mouton, Latour, etc. But in vintages like 2012 that are not as structured or even 2009, you can enjoy the wines more on the early side. Until you get a good feel for your personal preferences, I would probably google your bottles to see if the producer and/or any critics offer guidance and also see what people are saying about it on cellar tracker. If I have multiple bottles of a wine, I will sometimes open one a little on the early side to check in on it. Cheers!
It will keep getting better for 15-20 years, but if you have multiple bottles you might try one 10-12 years post-vintage with a 3-4 hour decent and a meal. Some open them earlier, but they are very primary and structured young.
@AttorneySomm I bought two cases. Working on getting some 1983, have a line on ten bottles. Have 3 bottles of 2000 right now. Getting time to try those
@@HolmScott Sounds great! Definitely think you will be happy with the 2020. I tasted the 2000 about a year ago and it seemed like it still needed 5 or more years. I would be careful with the 1983. You may want to try a bottle first if you can. That was not a good vintage in Pauillac and it is a pretty mediocre Mouton. I'd be careful about loading up with 10 bottles of that one. Unless it is Palmer or Ch. Margaux, I'm not typically a fan of 1983 Bordeaux.
To discover 10 more collectible wine recommendations, please watch this video! ua-cam.com/video/ZWKouRKZVRw/v-deo.html
John, you hit the ball out of the park with the comments about Suckling !!! You made me laugh hard. Maybe some will not appreciate your comments, but many of us wine collectors have our reserves towards James Suckling scores as he gives almost all wines 95+ points. Anyways, I own a lot of Troplong Mondot and currently have 16 bottles of the 15 vintage and 12 bottles of the 2019 which I bought en primeur for $90. I was not going to buy 2020 Troplong, but maybe I should get a few. I cannot make a Top 5 collectible wine list, it is impossible. Some other wine I enjoy collecting would be : Leoville Poyferre, Chateau Canon, Ch. Clinet, Feytit Clinet ( which I think might be one of the greatest values in all Bdx), and from CA Maybach Materium, Carte Blanche, and Blankiet Rive Droite. Have a nice Sunday !
Thank you. Yes, the 2020 Troplong Mondot would be a great choice too! Completely agree about the other names on your list. I have mentioned a number of them in other videos - Feytit Clinet, for example. This was certainly not intended to be an exhaustive list - just some that caught my eye recently. Tasted at Blankiet back in February and enjoyed the Rive Droite very much!
I’m surprised that Les Carmes Haut Brian 20’ got a perfect score. I was at the estate last year and had it but wasn’t completely blown away with it. HUUUGE fan of the new style of Troplong Mandot…
Yes, it actually has two so far! It definitely needs more time, but should be phenomenal in due course. Completely agree re: Troplong! Such an outstanding producer and a compelling value to boot.
Just got a 19 troplong mondot to open with my dad one day (kind of pricey @ $120 so for a special occasion). Just curious more on your thoughts regarding it and what I should expect. Kinda wondering if I should pick up more, potentially a different vintage too?
@@jcbd9415 That is an outstanding wine! The 2020 is similar quality, 2021 down a bit, and the 2022 figures to be perhaps even a bit better. It will be much more enjoyable in 9-10 years, but you could potentially open it after another 5 years. It is full bodied and concentrated, with layers of flavor. There are prominent tannins, but they are refined; not grippy. It has plenty of fruit, but also a mineral or rocky descriptor. It will definitely benefit from a couple hours in the decanter and will pair well with red meat.
@@AttorneySomm Cool, big thanks! Got into wine just at the end of last year (I'm on the younger side). I love your recommendations and videos, gives me the wine buzz without needing to buy/open myself!
@@jcbd9415 Very glad to hear it! Thanks for letting me know! Cheers!
Watching this today! Love the info about Benjamin Romeo!
I’ve seen his 100-pointer 2005 Contador here, priced at around $666.😁
Thanks very much, Margaux! Yes many of his wines are pricey. This one is an excellent value! Santé!
Nice video! I am also collecting 2019 Sassicaia when I can find it at a good price
Thank you! Yes, that is an excellent wine as well. Cheers!
I completely agree about buying on release if possible. Much as I'd love to buy some greats at auction I don't earn that sort of money. However, I do have some very desirable wine in my collection because I I've been sitting on my bottles for a long time. I also enjoy spirits and I have been approached by well known retailers asking me to sell them some of my collection. I never bought as investment but the prices have rocketed and it's very hard to come by some old stock. Wine has always been an investors paradise though and you can always find at auction. Much as I love wine (been drinking it for decades) I always have a down to earth concept about value. My friends and colleagues are astonished by my purchases and none of them are connoisseurs. I love the entire concept of wine but I accept that it is a drink in the final analysis. However, I'll blow out if the temptation/value is in accord.
Just to let you now John, so much Spanish wine (and European wine) is made for the export market, especially the States, and finding it in Europe is not always easy and often way more expensive than you pay for it on your side of the pond. Contador 2020 is twice or three times as expensive over here as we speak. I wish the reverse were true for your wines but they can be frustratingly difficult to procure over here. Excellent and enjoyable review as always. Cheers. WT
Thanks very much for weighing in and sharing your experiences! That is interesting re: Contador and good to know. I agree with your approach. I did not purchase my wines to re-sell, but on occasion some of them have gotten to comical prices where I could not justify drinking them. Hope that you enjoy the rest of your weekend! Cheers!
Don’t forget to smile!
Thank you!
Excellent recommendations! Wondering Contador Alma made the list, why not their flagship 'Contador'?
Thanks! I am a big fan of that one too, but this one is more affordable so I thought it would be useful for more of my audience.
@@AttorneySomm understand! I bought 'Contador' for $150 a few years ago (forgot the vintage), so I thought it's in the range of the list.
@@williamhuang2976 Yes unfortunately it is much higher now.
brunello! such a fan of that wine, got alot of brunello but its never enough, your seller defenders vid helps alot
Thanks very much! Glad to hear it!
Thanks for the recommendations. Do you have a problem with Mr. Sucklings reviews? Some may tend to be high but others fall inline with what other reviewers are scoring. At the end of the day all scores are subjective unless you know something we don’t know.
No not at all. I understand he passes out many more 100 point scores than most so thought it was worth noting that a wine received a perfect score from another source.
I actually did a dedicated video about Mr. Suckling’s top 100 from last year, so certainly no problem with him.
Thanks for the reply. You aren’t the only UA-camr that has mentioned his scoring so I was just wondering. I try to use a mix of scores which I feel you have to do when collecting. But Suckling just like Wine Advocate(Robert Parker) has become more of a brand than individual reviewer scores. They like Decanter and Wine Enthusiasts have teams of people reviewing wines. Janis Robinson and Jeb Dunnuck are two off the head I think that still does individual scoring.
@@pgreen0001 Yes, in most instances, I will include all available scores for a wine for which I'm aware. I know that viewers preferences for certain critics varies, so I like to just present the information for what it is worth. Cheers!
JS scores are a joke and lack credibility
Would you pick a 2017 Château Smith Haut-Lafitte or 2017 Chateau Troplong-Mondot
Great question! Both wines are very strong for the vintage so you really can’t go wrong. I would probably pick Troplong if I had to pick one.
Excellent list! I live in Europe and will be hunting down a few of these. I'm collecting purely for personal enjoyment, but out of curiousity, would there be a resale market for these wines if stored properly for 5-10 years?
Thank you! There is often some appreciation on 100 point Bordeaux and they should be easy to re-sell with some gains if stored well. And definitely the 2016 Biondi Santi Riserva should head north. That one probably has the highest ceiling.
@@AttorneySomm Thank you for this! Price appreciation should never be a goal for novices in my eyes but it's always a nice plus.
I also found your video on wine storage very helpful.
@@danielfoster4216 Thank you! I agree. Cheers!
Hi John, what source of information do you use to determine when a wine should be consumed “at its peak” in reference to it’s vintage? I have several 10+ year old Bordeaux’s and I’m not sure when would be the “best or ideal” time to open them. Is there a website or app you could recommend? Thanks 🍷 ✌🏼
Hello! Great question! Some of it is personal experience, but you can also rely on reviews from critics and sources like cellar tracker. In my view, however, many on CT drink the wines too soon, so I don't pay as much attention to that. Other than second wines and less expensive BDX for current consumption, most Bordeaux benefits from at least 8-10 years of bottle age. During that time the tannins soften, the oak integrates and it develops complex tertiary characteristics. In top vintages (e.g., 2000, 2005), some wines can need longer than 10 years. That is especially true for producers such as Mouton, Latour, etc. But in vintages like 2012 that are not as structured or even 2009, you can enjoy the wines more on the early side. Until you get a good feel for your personal preferences, I would probably google your bottles to see if the producer and/or any critics offer guidance and also see what people are saying about it on cellar tracker. If I have multiple bottles of a wine, I will sometimes open one a little on the early side to check in on it. Cheers!
PS, I also discuss this issue in this video.
ua-cam.com/video/rFh2MQu4-58/v-deo.html
Just bought 2020 Mouton. How long should I wait before I taste it?
It will keep getting better for 15-20 years, but if you have multiple bottles you might try one 10-12 years post-vintage with a 3-4 hour decent and a meal. Some open them earlier, but they are very primary and structured young.
@AttorneySomm I bought two cases. Working on getting some 1983, have a line on ten bottles. Have 3 bottles of 2000 right now. Getting time to try those
@@HolmScott Sounds great! Definitely think you will be happy with the 2020. I tasted the 2000 about a year ago and it seemed like it still needed 5 or more years. I would be careful with the 1983. You may want to try a bottle first if you can. That was not a good vintage in Pauillac and it is a pretty mediocre Mouton. I'd be careful about loading up with 10 bottles of that one. Unless it is Palmer or Ch. Margaux, I'm not typically a fan of 1983 Bordeaux.
i am writing them down
Excellent! Hope you enjoy them as much as I do.
@@AttorneySomm need to focus collecting spanish and Italian wines… I should start cutting down to 3-6 bottles vs cases of wine that I like…
@@sanjaypatelmd4669 Try Millesima USA or Wine Exchange.
Happy you exclude JS scores which are a joke and not worthy of discussion.
Thank you. Given how freely he passes out perfect scores, definitely thought it was worth mentioning the 100 pointers were from other sources.