May not hurt to ask if JJ Buckley would give you the same amount in store credit
Thought about it, but likely going to trade to another collector that would like to try it. Even though I won’t appreciate it, I know others will.
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It’s a tough one in a lot of ways because it’s super rare, but not considered top tier in quality. Musigny is a weird vineyard because vogue owns like 90% of the vineyard so a lot of the other productions are super small, therefore super expensive. I’m sure someone will trade you for it, though.
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So this is kind of a weird thread as everyone has different budgets, different preferences and different definitions of “high-end”. To compound things, the market price is continually inching higher in the top end of the market, so a wine I had a year ago for a given price warrants a whole new assessment today. You also have to account for the fact that wine is also not static and every bottle is different, I would say broadly, if wine is a passion for you, any bottle that you can afford, that sits somewhere in say the top 1-2% of bottles you’ve ever had is likely worth it. The problem is, you won’t know until you taste it.
Thinking specifically about my own preferences, I will continue to pay market rate for Chave Hermitage and I think the experience is worth it. Until recently, I would have said the same for Rayas as the experience is quite singular, but there are enough lower tier offerings in their stable that can provide me with a Rayas-light type experience at much less. I do not find the same for Chave (i.e. their Saint-Joseph and negotiant bottlings do not contain even a modicum of what makes the Hernitage great). I think Bartolo Mascarello is also very special wine that I would still buy even though prices have increased rather significantly. Lastly, thinking in generalities, I think sufficiently mature first growth Bordeaux from a good vintage is well worth it. Many of the lesser classified Chateau with similar parameters are also well worth it, although may not be considered “high end”.
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Makes sense and appreciate the perspective.
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Noah if it makes a difference the producer I’ve spent the most money buying recently is Mugneret Gibourg, and it’s not close.
Just taking a quick look it’s;
Mugneret Gibourg
Rousseau
Bruno Clair
H Lignier
L’Arlot
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Nooooooo!
Oh, man, where to begin. If you stay into wine you are going to end up with some bottles that go up in value…one top rule is to plan your consumption based on acquisition cost rather than replacement cost, or you will never drink your good stuff.
Todd will even come visit for the tasting: a priceless companion to discuss the wine with and you can ponder the wine together with someone who sometimes on some days knows what he’s talking about, maybe, perhaps, a little.
Call it a 25 dollar wine that comes with a free visit from Todd.
Otherwise, really, why buy the ticket?
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I truly bought the ticket to support the charity with zero thought about winning. I’m sure a visit from Todd would be special, but I’ll get more enjoyment out of 5-10, $300 wines which I’ve never tried before.
I haven’t had the pleasure to try any first growths, or a Chave, or many burgundy premier cru, or high end champagne. Until recently buying a $100 bottle was beyond my means.
If this provides me the opportunity to try 5-10 wines which will increase my knowledge and influence my buying over the next 10-20 years, I can’t pass that up.
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Can’t argue with that, Adam. Gotta do what you feel is best for you!
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OK, so now I think I know what the mysterious “mg” mentioned far upthread was…
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It’s well worth the 600€ cellar door price however.
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I would imagine that nearly every wine in burgundy is a good deal at cellar door pricing.
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I’ll add my 2 cents here with a few producers/bottlings that I have almost never been disappointed by, a number of which are not that tough to get:
Krug MV
Krug 1988, 2002
Taittinger Comtes - in even numbered years beginning 2002
Dom Perignon - 2002, 2008, 2012
Dom Perignong P2 - 2002, 2004
Cristal - 1996, 2002, 2008, 2009, 2013
Cristal Rose - 2008
Bollinger Grand Annee 2002, 2012
Heidsieck Rare 2002
Dom Ruinart 2002, 2004, 2009
Ulysses Colin (most of them)
Cedric Bouchard (any I can get)
Egly Ouriet VP (and others in profile)
1982 Pichon Lalande was always worth it, but is fading.
1990 Montrose, when clean, has been worth it
1996 Margaux is so pretty
If you’re a Napa cab fan
Dominus before 2008
Shafer Hillside before 2002
Phelps Insignia 2002 and earlier
Abreu Madrona Ranch
Monte Bello - older is better, and 96 is great
I’m too poor to play in the big boy burg sandbox, and to new to Northern Rhone to pontificate on those bottles. And thankfully, Oregon is still reasonably priced, at least relatively speaking.
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This is a great topic, almost by definition. Most of us can’t drink high-end bottles all the time. And the cost means we can’t taste a lot before buying. So it’s nice to crowdsource the experience before making the investment. And worth it brings in the concept of value.
My view is that there’s a lot of high-end wine that can be worth it. My experiences with DRC have been exemplary and extremely consistent. And I’m a buyer. But is it worth it? Well, that’s hard. But here are some wines that I think are relatively and absolutely worth it to me on a consistent basis:
Krug MV
Cristal
Vilmart CdC
Top Cote de Beaune Red Burg – d’Angerville, Lafarge, J-M Bouley
Lopez de Heredia Gran Riservas (of all colors)
Recent-vintage Leflaive
Recent-vintage Sauzet
Lamy 1ers
Meo Camuzet 1ers and GCs
Fourrier 1ers
Bruno Clair 1ers and GCs
Chevillon LSG and Cailles
Stella di Campalto Brunello
Bartolo Mascarello (recent vintages)
Pichon Lalande
Vieux Chateau Certan
Jamet
d’Yquem
Ridge Monte Bello
Dujac and Mugneret-Gibourg and Raveneau would have been first on my list a few years ago, but they have sadly gone completely into the stratosphere and I’m not sure they are worth it compared to, say, Fourrier.
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Did not really take note of this first. I have been lucky to taste a decent amount of great bottles that was outside my budget, but i did not pay for those.
But two years ago i bought a 1999, Allemand, Chaillot that was definitely worth it! Amazing wine and a bucket list wine for me as i love Northern Rhone Syrah. A 2003 Ganevat Les Vignes de mon Pere a few years back as well. Prices on those are up by a lot though. But never really been disappointed by aged Ganevat (Domaine).
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Do you think the Val Villaine bottlings that go for 180-200 now are worth it at that tariff? I was starting to question them at anywhere near 100. The other bottlings generally are though.
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My two cents: Val Vilaine isn’t worth it at all anymore. I love the wines, but for more money than Krug GC – no thanks. In fact, that’s my litmus test: when Champagne exceeds what Krug GC/Dom costs, it better be pretty damn special, or else I’ll just buy Krug.
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I second Ryan’s statement. Hey, it happens. Prevost Fac Simile got to a point where I stopped thinking it was really worth it, though I enjoyed the bottles I drank. I’d rather have Krug MV or shit Comtes for some, than some of the Val Villaine bottles, but some of his other stuff is just otherworldly.
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2004 Biondi-Santi Brunello di Montalcino Riserva
2008 Bollinger La Grande Annee
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“82, 89, and 90 Leoville-Barton”
Hard to think of the 1990 Leoville Barton as an expensive wine when I paid $20 a bottle for it on futures - of course, the wonderful 1982 was less than $10 a bottle on futures.
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