Best buys from the greatest ever vintages

2014-06-12

It’s so tempting to want to own a piece of a great vintage like 2009 and 2010. Those lucky enough to preempt 100 point rescores by Robert Parker when the 2009s were first tasted in bottle will have done quite to very well. A ‘perfect’ wine thus pronounced acts as a powerful price support or growth driver.

Setting aside Lady Luck and assuming that not every buyer of these new vintages at first release as futures will have wanted to buy from the uppermost branches of the classed growth tree, is there any other viable buying strategy?

How about wines that naturally outperform in great vintages, but are priced to a level where the cost differential between the great and lesser vintages is really narrow, whilst the qualitative difference between those years is enormous.

Take Capbern Gasqueton, whose 2010 vintage could be had for £140 retail per 12x75cl on release. 2011-2013 are all hovering around £110-120, whilst the 2009 and 2008 have both continued to gain.

These are not big increases, but in the context of generally falling 2010 prices the upward trend is significant.

I’ve selected 4 wines in total that fit that category. They are all from the 2010 vintage, among the greatest vintages that Bordeaux has ever experienced. At this level, unlike 2009, the wines have a tremendous structure allied to a definition and depth of fruit that is nigh-on perfection.

However great 2010 undeniably is, so many wines were too highly priced at release, so prices have fallen, in many cases by a lot.

Not so the ‘best buy’ wines that outperformed in the £100-200 price (in bond) bracket per 12x75cl. These have risen. What’s more, the chances that they will continue to appreciate over the course of a decade are very high, judging by the performance of superb back vintages such as 2005 as well as more recent ones such as 2009.

Capbern Gasqueton 2010

Lalande Borie 2010

La Chenade 2010

Picque Caillou 2010

I’m not suggesting these are going to make anyone vast sums of money. I am proposing however that they are very good bets for buying young; storing in a good home cellar to avoid the dilutive effects of years of storage at £10/ annum; and drinking in 5-10 year’s time when a bottle of wine acquired for £12-20 will be hard to pick up for less than £25-35.