Am grateful for this forum and the collective wisdom of its members. Curious as to everyone’s opinions. Our palate is pretty broad and the cellar includes mainly Piemonte, Napa cab, Bordeaux, Oregon Pinot, and Champagne.
Goals:
ageability - hope to drink at the kid’s 21st, 30th, 40th, etc.
agreeability - hope casual drinkers will be able to appreciate as well at these celebrations.
investability - if the kid decides to sell it instead of drink
For reference:
Oldest child (2016): bought case of Pontet Canet (this is a perennial family favorite)
Middle child (2018): bought case of Dominus Estate (got a screaming deal)
Would like to keep under $200/bottle.
Have held off on making a decision until 2020 Piemonte vintage was more clear and is now an obvious contender.
Appreciate the suggestions in advance.
You probably already know this if Oregon Pinot is a major part of your cellar, but there was a lot of smoke in the Willamette Valley in 2020. As much as I like a Oregon PN, I probably wouldn’t stock up on it—especially for something as significant as a large birth wine purchase.
My first thought was Piedmont but i think the 2020’s will be a bit earlier drinkers compared to 19 or 21.
Last week I got multiple offers on 2020 Lynch- Bages for $135 per. Woodland Hills Wine Co in Cali was the most recent. Seems like it’s one built for the long haul.
My oldest was born in 2020 so I participated in EP and picked up canon gaffaliere, Lynch Bages, Giscours and others to have options for when they are able to potentially enjoy them. I’ll probably keep an eye out to see if anything materializes from Rioja but I know that vintage wasn’t great and variable. Thinking it might be interesting to have a LdH reserva blanco, but I don’t have high hopes there.
I’m not much of a champagne or Sauternes drinker, so I haven’t paid much attention to how 2020 was from that regard, but those would be age worthy and generally enjoyed by the masses.
Our son was born in 2020 so I have bought quite enthusiastically. While hopefully some Jamet Côte-Rôtie and Clape Cornas will be added soon thus far I’ve bought the following:
Balthazar Cornas Chaillot
Berthaut-Gerbet Gevrey 1er Cru Cazetiers
Mas de Daumas Gassac
Guillaume Gilles Cornas
Gonon Saint Joseph
Lionnet Cornas Terre Brulée
Château Simone Palette magnum
Tempier Bandol magnum
Levet Côte-Rôtie Maestria and Améthyste
Plus whites of course, mainly sweeter styles from Mosel and some Huet.
Few people here including me have tasted the wines, so the chances are that any opinions will be based on past performance or reading reviews.
So my suggestion would be to taste the wines and have some fun. Being part of the process, makes it a much better experience.
However if you do want to buy quickly, and based on the past ten years, I would go with Montrose. For me, it is first growth quality in everything but name, and having tasted a rather good 1928 recently, I know it will last a lifetime.
Lots of places to go in Bordeaux. For my 2020 birth year kid, did lynch bages, canon, and brane Cantenac futures.
The 2020 lynch bages had a special label for the new cellar. It’s subtle, but the year looks hand-written and there is some silver foil on the logo to mark/display the addition. Doe not make the wine taste better or worse, but I thought it was cool to have on a birth year bottle.
I picked up Montrose for my youngest who was born in 2022. Budgets were different for number two than they were for number one. My first born might have gotten the nicer bedroom, but not the nicer birth year selection……
A few Bordeaux that have not been mentioned yet that I would consider are Pichon Baron and Leoville Barton. I have had both and think they are both outstanding.
I agree with @Ed_Steinway, with a slight preference for the Leoville Barton. 2 cases of the LB is within the budget. Mallard’s various Cortons are good options for Burgundy. Many options if looking in Barolo.
