Bordeaux Release 2005: Operation Madhouse!

[anewton]

Today was the annual Bordeaux release event at British Columbia 'signature' government liquor stores. This event is always the most popular of the year among wine drinkers here in BC, but the hype surrounding the 2005 vintage meant more consumers than ever. I was not prepared for the madding crowd that I saw when I arrived outside the doors of the Victoria signature store at 8 am, a full 1 1/2 hours before opening. I thought that arriving at this time would give me a good opportunity to get what I wanted, but alas, there were people who had camped out overnight, and a good many who arrived at 3 and 4 in the morning to get their place in the line-up for a ballot.

The concept is first come, first serve. Starting at around 7 am, store employees hand out 'ballot' numbers, starting at #1, to those who had lined up outside the store. Consumers fill out their order form, then turn it in to store employees, who fill the orders in sequence according to the ballot number. I received ballot #44, which in theory would have given me a chance to get some of the best stuff. Unfortunately, those in front of me were primarily restaurant owners/employees/sommeliers who were buying whatever they were allowed according to the per customer quota for each wine. A store employee informed me that one order was for $70,000 CAN. By the time they got around to filling my order, only two of the wines I requested were available, and they were not what I wanted most. Que sera, sera.

It was incredible to see people buying 10, 12 cases of VERY expensive wine. I guess if you own a restaurant, that is next-to-nothing.

Based on reviews and tips, I had wanted some of the best 05 St. Emilions, including Clos Fourtet, Ch Fleur Cardinale, Ch Laforge, etc...These wines were not outrageously expensive yet had received excellent reviews from the likes of Parker, WS, etc...Obviously others snapped up these comparative 'values.'

But the big names all sold out quickly, too. Just when I arrived, one of the store's wine consultants came out and told the crowd that the Petrus was all accounted for (at $3,900 CAN/bottle!) Not that I would ever dream of spending this much on a bottle of wine, but obviously there were some deep pockets at the store today!

I ended up buying a mixed case, a hodgepodge of relatively inexpensive wines that won't break the bank. From St. Emilion, I purchased two bottles of Barde-Haut and a bottle of Ch. Grand-Pontet (hey, that's all they had left!). I bought a few bottles of Ch. Puygueraud from the Cotes de Franc, which was inexpensive and apparently will be quite good (but not outstanding). I got a few half-bottles of good Sauternes, i.e. Ch Guiraud, Ch. Doisy-Verdines. And I purchased a few real bargain wines, like Ch. de La Cour D'Argent and Epicurea du Chateau Martinat from the Cotes de Bourg. I don't expect to be blown away by these wines, but I guess I know for the next mega-hyped vintage of Bordeaux to arrive VERY early. (I'm not hearing very optimistic reports about 2006 or 2007, so it may be awhile before I get a 'second chance').

There were a number of wines on the store floor that purchasers could buy irrespective of their ballot number. There were raised elbows, bottles breaking (within about a minute of the store opening), and miscellaneous bad behaviour among customers. This was as close as wine-buying gets to 'wrestlemania.' One woman cut in front of me, practically pushed me out of the way and said "I want a case of that" and proceeded to toss around cases of wine like they were heads of iceberg lettuce (any surprise that there was a broken bottle within a minute of the store opening?).

Oh well. I get to taste some of the 'big-name' wines at an upcoming Bordeaux 2005 tasting event. Ch Mouton Rothschild will be poured at that event. At $1100/bottle CAN, I can honestly say that I would never purchase the wine, so I look forward to the tasting, even knowing that this wine will not reach its peak for another 15-30 years.

Who knew that wine could be such a stressful hobby?

[vickib]

Who knew, indeed? Is this the only way Canadians can get the stuff?

[anewton]

In Canada, liquor distribution is in the hands of the provinces, not the feds. To quote the BC Liquor Stores' website:

"The Liquor Distribution Branch, under the authority of the Liquor Distribution Act, has the sole right to purchase beverage alcohol, both in and out of British Columbia, in accordance with the Importation of Intoxicating Liquors Act (Canada). The LDB is responsible for the importation, distribution and retailing of beverage alcohol in British Columbia. The LDB operates approximately 200 government liquor stores throughout the province..."

While there are private liquor stores in BC, they have to purchase their alcohol from the Liquor Distribution Board, which means mark-ups.

Truthfully, the best way to purchase Bordeaux in BC is on Bordeaux release day. And most of the good stuff goes quickly...

[newJJD]

Actually the best way is to develop a relationship with the better wine stores in Calgary and Edmonton.

Private companies control the distribution and retail there. No "release day fiasco" there. You buy futures if your serious about the stuff, then stroll in casually when it arrives and chat about the wines over coffee. Sound better than what we both went through!!!

In reference to some of the wines you were seeking, I know that futures of Fourtet went for $100-110, Fleur Cardinale and Laforge was around $55-60. Having lived in Calgary I did get a small assortment of some futures in 3 / 6 bottle lots - including La Lagune, Gazin, Pontet-Canet, and Domaine L'Eglise. Now that I am back in BC I topped up my order with some good value stuff that wasn't available on any of the futures programs I dealt with like Lascombes, Kirwan, Haut-Bergey.

The situation at Kelowna Orchard Park wasn't quite that frantic, but we also had fewer bottles available of alot of stuff. For example I was # 28 and the St Emilions you got were gone by the time it was my turn, same with Guiraud!

We cracked an Epicurea and it was very solid for $31!!! Decanted for 2 hours.
Also tried a Doisy - Vedrines .... STUNNING!

PS If you want advice on futures, contact me, [e-mail]

[anewton]

Thanks for the tips.

Oddly enough, my wife and I also cracked an Epicurea on Saturday, decanted for about 6 1/2 hours, and enjoyed it with some beef tenderloin, chanterelle mushrooms, and fingerling potatoes. We too thought it was very good for the price!

Adam

[emerilcantcook]

We had a similar situation here in Montreal. By the end of the release day, most wines that received some word of mouth was gone. I was working all day, so wasn't there when the doors were opened at the downtown stores, but I wouldn't be surprised it it was a madhouse.