I’m interested in your suggestions for excellent Pomerol. I’ve really enjoyed the ones I’ve had (Le Gay and Rouget come to mind). I don’t necessarily have a need (or the money) to try the very very best, but I’d like to step it up. I certainly don’t have Petrus or Le Pin money, and was trying to keep it below $200 a bottle. Also, I’d like something that I could drink now, as opposed to holding for years and years.
For the price, I was considering a decent but not blockbuster vintage (2001 or 2004 maybe) of VCC or Trotanoy. I haven’t had either producer, but they both get a lot of love from this board. Do you have any other specific wines to suggest?
I like the 2009 Château La Fleur de Gay. The 2009 and other older vintages are easily found for <$200 a bottle. Check the CT notes on the vintages and enjoy.
Love 2001 and 2004 VCC, not sure they are still available sub-$200. If so grab it. Love 2001 Trotanoy as well but think it is over $300. Grab a 2014 VCC to store.
My advice is:
2011 VCC. An allegedly low-quality vintage but I think Pomerol did very well. The VCC is one of the wines of the vintage.
Chateau La Providence. J P Moueix merged this under-the-radar Chateau into Hosanna in 2012, But it is easy to find various vintages for well under $200. I see that Brentwood has the 2008, I had that last week and it is delicious. Grapes the wine company has the 2010 for $125. That wine needs a little time but it is excellent. And then a few retailers have the 2006 for under 150, I have not had this vintage.
I write a lot about Pomerol. You can feel free to peruse my page on the appellation and read detailed profiles for the best 60-70 vineyards in the appellation at every price point.
If you like Rouget, you might like Gazin - both are huskier examples. Trotanoy is expensive, but the Mouiex team also make La Grave a Pomerol, which costs less, although its a less dense and shorter lived wine. Their Latour a Pomerol is better (than La Grave) and also worth checking out. You might have to search a bit to find those two. La Grave is one of the few I still try to buy in what has become a very pricey AOC.
I think you are right to try and find others locally to taste with. Frankly that is the fastest and best way to discover a region and your own preferences. If you can’t find anybody in the New Haven area, you might want to try something with people closer to Manhattan.
Pomerol fortunately has not gone through the same kind of modern winemaking as neighboring Saint Emilion, and most of the wines are still pretty traditional. Plenty of good suggestions starting at the high end with VCC and Trotanoy and moving through Certan de May and Latour a Pomerol. The 2014 VCC was recently selling for under $200, and was for me the wine of the vintage, an utterly brilliant wine outperforming it’s far more expensive near neighbors. One word of caution; I have had two bottles recently, one quite closed, the other showed beautifully. If you do buy one, decant it at least two or three hours ahead.
Obviously “excellent” is very subjective, but I’ve liked the 2015 Clinet (bigger, more modern style that drinks well for me now, but could definitely age for quite a bit) and the 2005 Trotanoy (above your price point, but saw that I bought these at $130 on futures. Sadly only two left, as they have drank well, again for me, through the years).
The previous posts are very knowledgeable… I suggest Gazin, I believe more Merlot based and affordable on auction sites for less than $200.00 for back vintages. Also check out La Providence as well
Feytit Clinet with out a doubt the best Pomerol for the money! You can even get the great vintages for a reasonable price. No need to buy off vintage. No one is even close for the money.
There are some very good vintages of La Conseillante under $200, like 2004, 2006, 2008, 2012, but the 2017 is gorgeous and I guess will be the best of these. If you can find the 2001 at a good price it’s excellent, though deals seem to have dried up.
For the pricier Pomerols I would recommend looking at 2012s, a good right bank vintage overlooked because it wasn’t good on the left, and drinking very well. But before you spend the big bucks you should try some of the others on the plateau like Gazin and Nenin, quite the bargain compared to their next-door neighbors.
Has historically been a bit rustic, which I have liked, but the 2016 is lovely. I bought a case of 375s. Ages well, also. Have had the 1982 (wow wine), 04 and 05 in the last 2 years. I have 15 but have not tried. The 16 is just flat out delicious.
