Bordeaux Graybeards-When do you stop buying ?

[Richard_T_r_i_m_p_i]

@Carl Steefel

Now if you insist on drinking your wines young (as all sommeliers and restauranteurs do, apparently), then it is not a good wine to drink.

Carl, what do you consider young? How old must a Cru Bourgeois be before it’s ready?

RT

[Jim_Friedman]

I am 61 and stopped with the 2000 vintage.I prefer Bordeaux with 15-30 years of age on them.

[BobH]

@Jim Karegeannes

@b hudak

Even though I am still young being in my mid-40’s, in one sense I have stopped already. I still buy bordeaux, but I no longer am trying to ‘fill’ my cellar. I buy just enough now to replace what I drink. I consider myself to be at equilibrium.

Same situation here. I realized the other day that at this time I’m only buying wine to drink now. Bought just a case of 09s, petite chateau. Got enough 10-20 year wines in the cellar + other interests are laying claim to my resources.

Since all of the wines I started buying 10+ years ago are now starting to mature, I am only buying wines that need aging now. I have stopped buying petit chateau to drink now (except in cases where I want wines for a party or something like that).

[Carl_Steefel]

@Richard T r i m p i

@Carl Steefel

Now if you insist on drinking your wines young (as all sommeliers and restauranteurs do, apparently), then it is not a good wine to drink.

Carl, what do you consider young? How old must a Cru Bourgeois be before it’s ready?

RT

The lesser Cru Bourgeois will probably start to drink well at 8 years, a more powerful example like the Sociando quite a bit later. 15 years would be the opening window for Grand Cru, although 20 years is better…

Otherwise, 1990 is now 20 years off, so those wines are more or less ready…

[Richard_T_r_i_m_p_i]

My understanding is that a Man’s sense of taste stays pretty constant (on average) to around Age 60, after which there’s a slow deterioration in the four tastes with sweet/salty fading before bitter/sour. It’s not a commonly accepted pattern with some researchers saying taste perception does not necessarily degrade and that reductions have more to do with environment, smoking, diseases, historic exposures, etc. Sense of smell is supposed to stay relatively stable (again on average) until age 70. By age 80, most people have a pretty significant loss of both. Lots of exceptions to the rules, but those seemed to be somewhat accepted generalities.

RT

[Marshall_Gelb]

@Steve Saxon

I’m almost 56 and stopped buying after the 05 vintage. My mission is to spend my money back filling older vintages that I love and will only get more expensive in the future. I also don’t like the way bdx is being made these days so newer vintages are an easy pass.

I’m almost 63 and have stopped buying Bordeaux for the exact same reason. I will backfill a bit when possible as I have a good amount still to drink. The last vintage I actually purchased was 1990.

Cheers!
Marshall

[Mark_Golodetz]

Basically stopped buying in 2005, but bought a mixed case of 2009.

Stopped buying port in 1994, Piedmont 2001 and Burgundy 2008.

[JBierly]

Real Bordeauxphiles never stop buying.

[Carl_Steefel]

@Marshall Gelb

@Steve Saxon

I’m almost 56 and stopped buying after the 05 vintage. My mission is to spend my money back filling older vintages that I love and will only get more expensive in the future. I also don’t like the way bdx is being made these days so newer vintages are an easy pass.

I’m almost 63 and have stopped buying Bordeaux for the exact same reason. I will backfill a bit when possible as I have a good amount still to drink. The last vintage I actually purchased was 1990.

Cheers!
Marshall

Too bad. I am only a little younger. Otherwise, we should get together and slam some 1996 and/or 2000.

I bought myself a fair number of 2002 (partly because I toured Bordeaux at the time), then some 2003 (although I flipped some of these, including the 2003 Latour earlier this week to pay the bills). A few 2004 (Pontet Canet mainly), then 6 or so 2005 (Pontet Canet again), then nothing…

Anyway, I go with the 15-20 year rule, added to the life expectancy of the individual involved. This (plus the high cost) was why I blew off the 2005…