Wine Futures for the 2005 Bordeaux Vintage

Part One: Sauternes Several wine retailers in the Washington area, and I am sure around the country, are beginning to send around notices that wine futures for the heralded 2005 Bordeaux vintage are now available. A wine futures contract locks in a present price for wine to be delivered at a future date. For the 2005 vintage, that will most probably be in the spring of 2008.         If you have a good relationship with your retailer, now is the time to talk with him and her for an assessment of the wines of this vintage. Since it has been hyped as a fine year throughout the Bordeaux regions, ask where he or she thinks it was most successful. What wine futures does your retailer offer, and why were those chosen? Are the larger format magnums available? How about half bottles? Is there a minimum purchase? A case of wine used to be required, but as prices have risen, many retailers no longer require a full case. Also, some of the more expensive wines     are now available in half cases, or in the event of magnums, single bottles.     It is noteworthy that the vintage is thought to be a fine one not just in the Medoc and other red wine regions of Bordeaux, but also in the Sauternes/Barsac region to the south of the city. That is unusual, for harvest tmes and weather patterns can vary greatly, and a good harvest in Pomerol does not translate into a comparable one in Sauternes. But that was said to have taken place this year. The proliferation of superb Sauternes produced was highly unusual. Some of these prices  may seem high (we do not yet have a futures price for d’Yquem), but not so when they are compared with red wines of comparable merit.     Sauternes is a wine which had lost its market for many years, as the diet gurus trained us all to eat lighter, with wines to match. But why deny yourself? Red wines are becoming more flavorful in many cases, and let’s face it, nothing (except champagne) goes as well with your favorite desserts as a chilled glass of vintage Sauternes. From the wine that inspired Maurice Chevalier (Chateau Coutet) to the wine that traditionally is served at French state banquets (Chateau Suduiraut), all are delicious. Why shouldn’t you try them as well, when such a distinguished vintage is available?     So let us explore some 2005 Bordeaux futures, beginning with Sauternes. Of course, I was pleased to note that half bottles are offered. That makes sense since Sauternes is a sweet wine, usually served with desserts, and a little goes a long way. With my family, a half bottle very nicely accompanies the Thanksgiving dessert. A bottle would probably take us all the way from Thanksgiving through Christms dinner!     I notice that Chateau De Fargues is offered at $49.99 a half bottle, and $199.99 for a magnum. The attaction here is, of course, that the great winemaker and former owner of Chateau d’Yquem, Count Alexandre de Lur Saluces, is now working his magic at De Fargues, which his family has owned since 1472! A magnum, of course, requires even longer to mature than a bottle, and a half bottle correspondingly less than a bottle. So it is unlikely that you would enjoy a magnum of Sauternes anytime soon. On the other hand, when it does mature, this magnum would be a treasure – at a fraction of the price of Chateau d’Yquem. And what a conversation piece!     In last month’s tasting notes I took special note of a light Sauternes, Carmes de Rieussec. This is a second wine for Chateau Rieussec, in a lighter style. The futures for a half bottle list at $11.49, and the bonus would be that you could enjoy this elegant and satisfying Sauternes for a few years while your half bottles of Chateau Rieussec, at $35.99, were maturing. The same price is noted for Chateau Suduiraut, one of the favorites of the entire region, and some say the finest Sauternes produced this vintage year.      I should also note one of my favorites, Chateau Guiraud, the only other classified wine besides d’Yquem within the tiny confines of the Sauternes township itself, lists for $27.29 a half bottle. Doisy Daene at $19.29 is a comparative bargain for an excellent and satisfying Sauternes.     Also well made was Chateau Coutet,  at $27.29 the half bottle, but I am put off a bit by tasting notes that say this is now a more opulent wine. That’s all well and good, but the charm of Coutet was always that it had a leaner, more elegant style.      That should start you thinking about the vintage, and about some of the fine wines that were produced in this storied region. We will next explore some of the wines of the Medoc, and see if futures buying will produce some bargains worth locking in early there!