It’s been a while since I went at all deep on Bordeaux futures (2009 was my last real buy) but am interested in some 2018s. In the past I used Wine Club and K&L with good success, and good prices. Just wondering today if another retailer has stepped up as a favorite, and why.
Anyone care to share where their Bordeaux $$$ is now going?
Seems hard to go wrong now with Total Wine given that you only put 50% of the cost at risk, plus I think the risk with them is far lower than smaller retailers. Solid selection, too.
Total Wine has been solid for 2015 and 2016 vintages. However, they don’t ship OWC. Also, to have shipped in CA, you must select the Arden (Sacramento) store.
I have had a fine experience in California with Total Wine. In 2015, I bought some and got them in OWC. In fact, if you get 6 bottles of 750ml it says on their website it comes in an OWC. I just had to pick it up from a store location - was pretty easy.
I do not buy Bordeaux futures, but the last time I did (a couple of cases of 2005s), I bought them at Gary’s after extensive internet searches (10 minutes) revealed they were the lowest price. They delivered as promised. I bought Bordeaux futures from Zachys decades ago and they also delivered as promised. They are still in the same location they were in 40+ years ago (although expanded into adjoining space), so they have reliability on their side.
MacArthurs is also very reliable. Gary’s is good when they make a futures offer. They went deep 2014-2016, did not make a 2017 offer although I suspect they bought for the shelf, and it is still unclear about 2018. They sent a note out to past futures customers gauging interest; I suspect there may be a limited offer but it would be best to call them.
I am a big fan of K&L in San Francisco. I don’t care for Wally’s in Los Angeles (Had problems with 2009 Bordeaux future’s). I like Zachy’s but they now charge tax on out of state shipments. But there customer service is great! I like Macarthur’s in DC. I also like Hart Davis Hart in Chicago but they have really expensive shipping. Binny’s in Chicago is good. Wine Exchange is good in Orange County but they charge a lot for shipping. One thing to keep an eye out for is who charges tax for out of state shipments. This is recent problem. Here is my list of 2018 Bordeaux I’ve bought.