Sales watch

R

Richard_Brooks

Location
London
I thought we were going to see some interesting Jan sales this year. Brexit and wider market jitters, plus over-priced inventory should mean some proper discounting to stimulate cashflow. Apparently the merchants are doing just fine and are happy to hold onto a lot of stock.
 
Russ Sainty

Russ Sainty

Location
Colchester
Richard_Brooks said:
I thought we were going to see some interesting Jan sales this year. Brexit and wider market jitters, plus over-priced inventory should mean some proper discounting to stimulate cashflow. Apparently the merchants are doing just fine and are happy to hold onto a lot of stock.
Click to expand...

Are exchange rates playing a part? I heard that the secondary market was racing ahead when cases priced in sterling looked very cheap to dollar or euro buyers. You might not want to reduce stock that's internationally undervalued already. Not sure where we are now though, with recent currency movements.
 
Steven Pritchard

Steven Pritchard

Location
Herefordshire
Russ Sainty said:
Are exchange rates playing a part? I heard that the secondary market was racing ahead when cases priced in sterling looked very cheap to dollar or euro buyers. You might not want to reduce stock that's internationally undervalued already. Not sure where we are now though, with recent currency movements.
Click to expand...

Thats always the mantra, but I'm not convinced. What I mean is, do we see a massive influx of older stock imported because of a strong £?
 
Keith Prothero

Keith Prothero

Location
UK and South Africa
Richard Zambuni said:
That's a lovely wine Phil - fondly remembered now mine have all gone.
Click to expand...

Bought a case of the very last vintage the 2005 for less than £500 on WO a year or so ago. Of course,the 78 and 82 were quite magical wines. The 82 was preferred to the HB and LMHB in a blind tasting with a number of distinguished wine professionals.
Have not tasted the 99 but at that price you cannot really go wrong
 
Richard Zambuni

Richard Zambuni

Location
London and Connecticut
Keith Prothero said:
Bought a case of the very last vintage the 2005 for less than £500 on WO a year or so ago. Of course,the 78 and 82 were quite magical wines. The 82 was preferred to the HB and LMHB in a blind tasting with a number of distinguished wine professionals.
Have not tasted the 99 but at that price you cannot really go wrong
Click to expand...
If I were feeling wealthy and in need of more Bordeaux, I'd be eyeing up the La Tour Haut Brion 2000. Boy, do I wish I had bought that en primeur.
 
D

David Pope

Location
London
I've received today emails from Uncorked and Cadman. Uncorked are offering 20% of 30 different wines but say they will add more wines as the sale progresses. Cadman are offering reductions on more lines, although it's mostly just a tenner off.

Happy to forward the emails on request.
 
Keith Prothero

Keith Prothero

Location
UK and South Africa
David Pope said:
I've received today emails from Uncorked and Cadman. Uncorked are offering 20% of 30 different wines but say they will add more wines as the sale progresses. Cadman are offering reductions on more lines, although it's mostly just a tenner off.

Happy to forward the emails on request.
Click to expand...
One wine in the Cadman sale that is now decent value for money is the Leeuwenkuil Marsanne. Has 10% Roussanne and reduced from £13.99 to £8.99.
Should be drinking well now
 
G

GuyD'nis

Location
London
Remember the days of Joliet Fixin for a song? They may be gone, it seems. But for those of us that bought some, there is the pleasure of seeing the current prices and a little smugness. But really nothing like that I can see, except TWS's Wizard wine Rioja when it was, for a few days, sub 8 pounds.
 
Richard Zambuni

Richard Zambuni

Location
London and Connecticut
Keith Prothero said:
Bought a case of the very last vintage the 2005 for less than £500 on WO a year or so ago. Of course,the 78 and 82 were quite magical wines. The 82 was preferred to the HB and LMHB in a blind tasting with a number of distinguished wine professionals.
Have not tasted the 99 but at that price you cannot really go wrong
Click to expand...
Well it wasn't in a sale, but I've just put a small consortium together to buy a case of Chateau La Tour Haut Brion 2000 (not wanting or needing a whole case). I think this will be in the same league as DDC and Haut Bailly. Recent Cellatracker reviews (for what they're worth) are very positive indeed. I remain a great fan of the 2000 vintage. It will drink well at the top end for another twenty years.
 
Ian Hampsted

Ian Hampsted

Location
London
Have you tried the 2000 Richard? Or anyone else? I have a case of this bought on release but can’t remember what I paid for it. I remember balking more generally at the prices of the 2000s at the time, but wish I had bought more of this vintage because they are starting to show their quality. As a result of some enabling by my American friends I am now the proud owner of a case of Magdelaine 2000.
 
Richard Zambuni

Richard Zambuni

Location
London and Connecticut
Ian Hampsted said:
Have you tried the 2000 Richard? Or anyone else? I have a case of this bought on release but can’t remember what I paid for it. I remember balking more generally at the prices of the 2000s at the time, but wish I had bought more of this vintage because they are starting to show their quality. As a result of some enabling by my American friends I am now the proud owner of a case of Magdelaine 2000.
Click to expand...
I haven't Ian - so I'm buying on faith. I've had the 1999 and 2001 though - apart from a poor bottle of the 1999 we had at one of the Bordeaux dinners (not from my original case), the 1999 showed as a lovely mid-weight Graves. I think I only paid around £180 for the 1999 EP. The lesser 2000s are getting into their stride - we had two such wines again over Christmas (Grand Corbin Despagne and La Tour Carnet) and they were definitely ready to go. I'd like to revisit 2000 later this year or early next year if possible (a mixture of lower/mid/higher-level wines) and see what's happening.
 
Ian Hampsted

Ian Hampsted

Location
London
From the BBR shop I picked up a few Rolly Gassmann Riesling Reserve 2016 for £9.97, which is half price, and a few bottles of Cascina Luisin Barbaresco Asili 2012 and 2013 for £28.87, for a 30% discount.
 
N

Nigel Groundwater

Location
London
Richard Zambuni said:
I haven't Ian - so I'm buying on faith. I've had the 1999 and 2001 though - apart from a poor bottle of the 1999 we had at one of the Bordeaux dinners (not from my original case), the 1999 showed as a lovely mid-weight Graves. I think I only paid around £180 for the 1999 EP. The lesser 2000s are getting into their stride - we had two such wines again over Christmas (Grand Corbin Despagne and La Tour Carnet) and they were definitely ready to go. I'd like to revisit 2000 later this year or early next year if possible (a mixture of lower/mid/higher-level wines) and see what's happening.
Click to expand...
Most of my 2000s are still sleeping but exceptions include most of my case of Grand Corbin Despagne and, similarly, Marquis de Terme both of which started drinking well a while ago. The latter wine is not one I had bought before or since but, tempted by the Guide Hachette's outstanding rating [3*, their max, and a Coup de Coeur] and a really low price went for it. A decent, enjoyable wine but not up to the Hachette accolade - but certainly worth the small amount paid. The GCD is a better wine also well reviewed [although less flamboyantly] and priced.
OTOH a wine like Cru Bourgeois Potensac was much less ready than its 2001 like most of the few bigger 2000s I have started to open e.g. the Lynch Bages which I opened and reported on alongside the excellent and fully ready L'Evangile 1998. The Lynch was drinkable but IMO early in what should be a wide window of good and increasingly complex drinking. It will certainly still be drinking long after I have shuffled off this mortal coil.

As for the sales I have looked at BBR, Cadman, Uncorked and the Sampler and found lots of interesting wines on offer but not at prices that are insisting on a purchase.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top