Would you buy Chateau Mouton Rothschild 1987 375 ml?

I’m looking at this and thinking it’d be interesting to own, but not necessarily drink.

Why would you buy a bottle to own but not want to drink though this wine would be dried out.

Birth year wine

If it’s no good to drink and no good to sell, the number on the label isn’t worth much.

Overpriced tchotchke, but since it’s Mouton, I repeat myself.

You’re going to buy a bottle to not drink?

No.

If you would find it interesting to own, and don’t plan on drinking it, then I really don’t understand why you’re asking for others’ opinions. Why are you asking?

I suppose if others are nostalgic. I don’t believe the wine would be any good in that small format of a bottle after these years. Seems like to vocal bunch here aren’t collectors to collect. For example you could have a stamp, coin, etc. collection that could be used but you keep just to own. When I was in grade school collecting every state quarter was a BIG BIG fad and I still have those quarters in a binder.

Personally, I have no desire to purchase wine that I don’t intend to consume at some point.

From a consumption point of view, '87s aren’t the most compelling Bordeaux vintage (to me). You can also likely find 750ml bottles of '87 from other Chateaux for the same price or less in better condition. From an economic one, both half bottles and the '87 Bordeaux wines are not the most sought after.

If you’re not looking at consuming it or reselling it, but rather as effectively a decorative piece, then its value is largely a personal decision that only you can really decide on.

Also worth considering that if you have no intention of drinking the liquid inside or selling it, then it seems to be that there would make little difference if the bottle was empty or full. Perhaps searching for empties being sold would be a cheaper alternative.

Oh, ok. My answer: No. but my answer should have no impact on your nostalgia value proposition.

That basically makes it a slightly sentimental NFT which is highly likely to have diminishing value. So I guess, no, I wouldn’t.

I would rather buy 1987 wines, drink them and either keep the bottles or just the labels.

I’m only peripherally interested in 1987 as I have a friend whose anniversary is that year. I don’t usually buy them but I encourage him to. I do like birthyear and anniversary wines and probably spend more than they are objectively worth, but it’s fun. I’ve gone through a bunch of 1992s which is my daughter’s birthyear, with mixed results, but when they’re on it’s great. It’s always for drinking. I have no interest in collecting off-year wines for anything else.

My best recommendation for 1987 would be Chave Hermitage, but not cheap.

If it’s just a trinket and not to drink, buy an empty one.

The difference with wine collecting is that the enjoyment of collecting means at least partially consuming the collection. This makes the hobby different than stamp collecting. While it may be enormously gratifying to some to own rare stamps and look at them, those collectors will not want to use the stamp by mailing it (a Brewster’s Millions example notwithstanding). Eve the people on this board who own more wine than they could ever consume still want to consume as much as it they are able to (see cellar reduction thread). Accumulating (fine) wine with no desire to ever drink any of it is not collecting, it is investing.

You may wish to own a 1987 bottle of MR without caring about its drinkability, but please don’t confuse the nature of wine collecting with stamp or coin (or art) collecting.

Mouton performed quite well in 1987- even a hair better than Magdelaine. That said, I would be concerned about the wine in half bottle at this point. A well stored 750mL I think you have time in hand- though not expecting more improvement- but a half bottle I am not so sure.

Bill,
As you already knew, it’s a lousy drink, lousy investment, and expensive trinket. I think it’s a wildly overpriced trinket, but everyone has their own opinion about value so YMMV.

However, it sounds like you do find some romance in birthyear wines. If it were me, I’d instead pursue some tasty 1987s (e.g. California cabs), drink them with friends or family for a birthday celebration, and then have the participants sign the empty bottle (magnum is better than a 375ml!). That (to me) would be of more sentimental value than what you and your wine friends know is simply an expensive label glued on a bottle of plonk.
Good luck,
Peter

Just curious- have you ever tasted 1987 Mouton?

Tom,
Thanks for calling me out. I have not had this wine and see above that you have nice things to say about it. I should’ve hedged, rather than use the OTT “lousy” descriptor. I have had other off-vintage first growths (rarely) and not been impressed, especially for the price premium. And as you note, 30+ year old half bottles (at least from non-indestructible vintages like '87) are more risky. Would you say at best a good/very good wine at lousy QPR?
Best,
Peter