We are all conscious of the rising price of fine wine. In some cases it has become little short of ridiculous.
The average 2012 vintage in Bordeaux is currently being spruiked and whilst prices have dropped from the heady numbers of 2009 and 2010, the wines simply don't, in the opinion of many, represent value for money.
On top of that great Bordeaux vintages traditionally require 25-50 years to reach their drinking window, so it is a long wait to see the wines at their best.
Amongst some recent purchases was an original case of 1966 Chateau Cheval Blanc. The case has been beautifully cellared and the bottles were still in their original tissue wrapping!
The legendary Michael Broadbent describes this wine beautifully:
I have always preferred the '66 to the great '47 for though the latter is hugely impressive, the '66 is the epitome of elegance. Five encounters during the last decade including a bottle served alongside the other first growth '66 at my Bordeaux Club Dinner in 1994. Despite its poor crumbly cork it was delectable, frankly the best of the lot. No holding back the bouquet, an immediacy about its fragrance yet opening up even more gloriously. Very sweet, a lovely cedary flavour, good flesh and weight. Totally harmonious. A 5-Star bottle at the centenary tasting in New York and two splendid bottles provided by Dick Edmonds to celebrate his 30th year at Boodle's and mine at Christie's. The following year an elegant magnum with a scent so lively, fragrant, that I described it as 'dancing' out of the glass. This was at Karl-Heinz Wolf's Cheval Blanc vertical Monsieur Hebrard told us that the rendement was very low, 20 hl/ha, and the alcoholic strength equally modest (12.2%). What a contrast to the clumsy, packed with fruit, obvious wines so fashionable today in certain quarters, not only on the other side of the Atlantic. This is what claret is all about. 5 Stars
What is so incredible is that you can buy this wine for less than the price of the current 2012 vintage!
A wonderful wine representing a great opportunity to taste a big-name, mature Bordeaux from a top year at a reasonable price.
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