FROM MY CELLAR

The best time to buy great Bordeaux is rarely when everyone is excited. It is when enthusiasm disappears. After demand softened, interest rates rose and Bordeaux released two consecutive vintages into a much weaker market, prices have corrected dramatically. Some of my favourite estates are now selling for 40 to 45% less than they were only a few years ago. So, is this the moment to start buying Bordeaux again? In this video, I compare two wines from my own cellar: - Château Malescot-Saint-Exupéry from Margaux - Château La Gaffelière from Saint-Émilion Recent vintages of Malescot-Saint-Exupéry now sell for around US$40, while La Gaffelière can be found for approximately US$50–55. For estates of this pedigree, I think those prices are remarkable. After more than 30 years of collecting fine Bordeaux, both wines have become permanent fixtures in my cellar. They represent two very different interpretations of the region. Malescot-Saint-Exupéry is richer, darker and more opulent, combining Cabernet Sauvignon structure with Margaux perfume and suppleness. La Gaffelière is fresher, more mineral and precise, with its unusually high proportion of Cabernet Franc bringing lift, structure and remarkable purity. In this video, I discuss: - Whether now is a good time to buy Bordeaux - Why recent Bordeaux prices have fallen - Margaux vs Saint-Émilion - Malescot-Saint-Exupéry vs La Gaffelière - Cabernet Sauvignon vs Merlot and Cabernet Franc - How differently these wines taste - Food pairings for each bottle - Which wine I would recommend depending on your preferences Whether you are building your first cellar or adding to an established collection, I hope this comparison helps you decide where to spend your next US$50. Chapters 00:00 Is It Time to Buy Bordeaux Again? 02:08 Margaux vs Saint-Émilion 03:22 Château Malescot-Saint-Exupéry 04:18 Château Malescot-Saint-Exupéry's Tasting Notes 05:16 Château La Gaffelière 06:22 Château La Gaffelière's Tasting Notes 07:14 Which Bordeaux Should You Buy? 08:46 Final Verdict Wines Featured - Château Malescot-Saint-Exupéry - Château La Gaffelière @chateaulagaffeliere5651 If you had around US$50 to spend today, would you choose the sumptuous richness of Malescot-Saint-Exupéry or the mineral precision of La Gaffelière? Let me know in the comments below. You can find more of my cellar insights and tasting notes on Instagram. #Bordeaux #Margaux #SaintEmilion #WineCollecting #FineWine 🍇 Thanks for watching, and I’ll see you in the next video. *** DISCLAIMER: The views shared here reflect my personal experience and perspective as a long-time wine enthusiast. This content is for information and enjoyment only, and should not be considered financial, investment, or purchasing advice. Drink responsibly.

Great Bordeaux vintages attract attention. Good vintages often create the best buying opportunities. In this video, I revisit the overlooked 2014 Bordeaux vintage through three bottles from my own cellar: - Château Pontet-Canet 2014 from Pauillac - Château Montrose 2014 from Saint-Estèphe - Château Trotanoy 2014 from Pomerol Overshadowed by the celebrated 2015 and 2016 vintages, 2014 is now entering an attractive drinking window while many of its finest wines remain considerably more affordable. After more than 30 years of collecting Bordeaux, I would often rather buy a great château from a good vintage than an ordinary estate from a legendary one. For me, 2014 is a perfect example of that approach. In this video, I explore: - Why the 2014 Bordeaux vintage deserves another look - Why Pauillac and Saint-Estèphe performed particularly well - How 2014 compares with 2008, 2015 and 2016 - How the three wines differ in style and maturity - Their current price differences and relative value The 2014 vintage is not Bordeaux’s richest or most celebrated year. Its appeal lies elsewhere: freshness, classical structure, savoury complexity and increasingly approachable tannins. For collectors searching for mature Bordeaux at sensible prices, I believe 2014 currently offers some of the market’s most interesting opportunities. Chapters 00:00 Great Vintage or Great Château? 02:10 Why 2014 Bordeaux Is Worth Buying 03:53 Château Pontet-Canet 2014 04:57 Château Pontet-Canet 2014's Tasting Notes 05:48 Château Montrose 2014 06:50 Château Montrose 2014's Tasting Notes 07:31 Château Trotanoy 2014 08:12 Château Trotanoy 2014's Tasting Notes 08:57 Final Verdict Wines Featured - Château Pontet-Canet 2014 — Pauillac - Château Montrose 2014 — Saint-Estèphe @chateaumontrosesaint-estep6554 - Château Trotanoy 2014 — Pomerol Would you rather buy the greatest vintage—or the greatest value? Let me know how you approach that decision in the comments below. #Bordeaux #Bordeaux2014 #PontetCanet #ChateauMontrose #Trotanoy 🍇 Thanks for watching, and I’ll see you in the next video. *** DISCLAIMER: The views shared here reflect my personal experience and perspective as a long-time wine enthusiast. This content is for information and enjoyment only, and should not be considered financial, investment, or purchasing advice. Drink responsibly.

How to pronounce Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Vaucrains, a Premier Cru in Nuits-Saint-Georges, Burgundy — known for its structure, intensity, and ageing potential. #winepronunciation #burgundywine #nuitsaintgeorges

After more than three decades of collecting Bordeaux—and buying en primeur extensively from the 1980s through the 2005 vintage—I’ve become increasingly cautious about campaigns described as “vintages of the decade” or even “vintages of the century.” Great vintages do not automatically make great buying opportunities. What matters is where quality and price meet. From my 2025 Bordeaux en primeur tastings, I found a vintage combining concentration with remarkable freshness, precision and restraint. To my palate, there are echoes of 2010 in its depth and 2016 in its linearity and poise. But what makes the 2025 Bordeaux campaign particularly compelling is pricing. Many leading Left Bank classed growths are being offered at substantial discounts to the current market prices of the outstanding 2020 and 2022 vintages. For the first time in many years, I’m seriously considering rebuilding part of my cellar through Bordeaux futures. In this video, I share the six 2025 Bordeaux wines I would buy en primeur, across budgets from approximately US$30 to US$150: - Château La Lagune @chateaulalagune9236 - Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste @Grand-Puy-Lacoste - Château Rauzan-Ségla @chateaurauzan-segla3953 - Château Pontet-Canet @chateaupontet-canet5352 - Château Cos d’Estournel - Château Léoville Las Cases For each wine, I look at: - My impressions from the 2025 en primeur tastings - Style, structure and ageing potential - The blend - How the wine compares with previous vintages - 2025 release pricing - Whether I believe it represents compelling value for collectors For me, 2025 is not compelling simply because of vintage quality. It is compelling because, after years of increasingly difficult en primeur pricing, quality and price appear to have come back into alignment. Chapters 00:00 Is 2025 Bordeaux the Best Buying Opportunity in 20 Years? 02:07 Understanding the 2025 Bordeaux Vintage 03:32 My Bordeaux Buying Framework 04:19 Château La Lagune — Around US$30 05:38 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste — Around US$55 06:38 Château Rauzan-Ségla — Around US$70 07:38 Château Pontet-Canet — Around US$90 08:43 Château Cos d’Estournel — Around US$120 09:42 Château Léoville Las Cases — Around US$150 10:50 Would I Buy 2025 Bordeaux En Primeur? 12:11 Final Thoughts If you’re buying 2025 Bordeaux en primeur, which wines have made your shortlist? Let me know in the comments below. #Bordeaux2025 #EnPrimeur #BordeauxWine #WineCollecting #FineWine 🍇 Thanks for watching, and I’ll see you in the next video. *** DISCLAIMER: The views shared here reflect my personal experience and perspective as a long-time wine enthusiast. This content is for information and enjoyment only, and should not be considered financial, investment, or purchasing advice. Drink responsibly.