Building a High-Quality, Diverse, Old-World Inspired Cellar for $25-$50 per bottle

Yes, sir! Hope to see you there.

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I’ll see you there too!

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FedEx dropped this off today:

3 x 2019 Ferriere
1 x 2019 Malartic Lagraviere
1 x 2016 Langoa Barton
1 x 2016 Lagrange

All for $35-50 per bottle, inclusive of shipping and tax, from Randall’s / internetwines.com

Incidentally, I ordered these before the holidays and before joining this forum (and asked them to delay shipping). It’s nice to get some validation reading this thread. Now I just hope I like them. :sweat_smile:

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Lots of great suggestions! I’d like to add a couple for Champagne since there haven’t been as much suggestions for that region (and understandably so).

  • Jean Vesselle Oeil de Perdrix or Cuvee Friandise - I’ve had their NV Rose cuvees in my cellar for quite some time and they have shown improvement with age. Can find around the $50-60 range.
  • Savart & Dremont Ephemere Series - These are usually around $50-60 as well and a really good quality Grower.

I’ll throw Launois Quartz BdB into the mix. Sells out quickly when a shipment reaches the U.S., but worth a try at $40.

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I’m super bullish on Australian Riesling in general, especially given the price. Many/most examples fall in the $25-$35 AUD range, and you mention Grosset’s Polish Hill which has only recently started getting in the $70 AUD range. I find that pretty incredible given it’s considered one of the best examples annually.

All that said, I’m not sure it fits as part of an Old-World inspired cellar given Australian Riesling is so bone dry in comparison to German or Austrian dry Rieslings. I’ve never found anything comparable to them in Europe (or the US for that matter, but I’ve looked less hard there). But I see that @Ian_Sutton feels they would fare well side by side. Personally I’ve always assumed the acidity would be a bit over the top for a lot of European Riesling drinkers.

All that said my biggest problem with them is that they’re so cheap and it’s so easy to grab one out of the cellar given the cost I’ve not really built up many aged bottles! Still holding an 2003 Steingarten though, which was a very good example annually before Jacob’s Creek sold it to Orlando and they started incorporating fruit that wasn’t from the Steingarten vineyard. :neutral_face:

Them’s fighting words

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Maybe that’s not the right description, but the overall balance of Australian Rieslings veers very much towards heaps of acidity when compared to old world examples.

I think he said “your moma is ugly” and then said “well, she is not really ugly, she is just big boned”.

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For sauternes -

Rieussec, Climens, Suduiraut, etc can be found in 375’s for <$50 vintage dependent. I’ve seen ‘01’s (and have purchased) for right around $50, lesser (but still very good) vintages in the $25-35 range.

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I’m a big fan of all the Launois wines. Definitely my fave of the K&L direct imports, especially once Rene Collard wines went away forever.

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K&L just had a nice offer on 2020 Belmont-Belcier, a St Em that is getting high praise from most of the critics, including a 94+ from William Kelley, and it’s under $50 USD. Just saw the 2019 is similar.

Liking the 30% Cab Franc cut.

Anyone try these yet?

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I thought older ones have a lactic kind of milky/creamy character.

It kind of piqued my interest too but then I didn’t see it listed above so took a hard pass. I probably have a few more priority bottles from the WB brain trust before exploring other offerings.

Here’s a link to the K&L offer in case anyone wants more detail:

https://us13.campaign-archive.com/?e=ee626b6564&u=ba232b0453ad25edee24a48fa&id=06a36ce13e

I had actually made that offhand comment without realizing the Kwoks were now involved. My observation was more on the 1995 to 2005 era wines, and my perception of how they had developed.

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I bought some 2019 to make my own decision. I will prop one immediately on receipt to lay out my perceptions on this thread. Seems like a really good value and the wine critics all seem aligned, including the more traditionally minded critics.

You’ve always been a “do your own research kind” of guy.

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Drinking is the only research I undertake myself, otherwise I delegate everything!

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Digging the 2019 Bellefont Belcier right now, needed to check in on what the buzz was all about. This is a pretty crisp and fresh St Emilion for the vintage, even displaying some green notes. Loads of spicy fresh smoky berry fruits (red and black) and soil tones.

Definitely feeling the 25% Cab Franc cut in this wine. A good thing.

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I seem to remember WK saying after ownership change for 2018(?) vintage the new oak was cut in half, and then more focus on freshness/elegance.