Latour Too Pricey? A Quartet of In-Stock 2000 Bordeaux Bargains!

Retasting the 2000 vintage three to four months before bottling provided overwhelming evidence that this is the greatest vintage Bordeaux has ever produced. Remarkably consistent from top to bottom, there has never before been a year where so many exceptional wines were produced. – Robert Parker, 2/27/2002

The 2000s are remarkably consistent from top to bottom – Robert Parker, 4/22/2003

One of the three top Bordeaux vintages for consistency and quality over the last twenty years (2009 and 2005 are the other two), the 2000 vintage showcased the remarkable progress Bordeaux has made in quality over the last three decades...From low yields and more attentive viticultural management, to progressive changes in the wine cellar with the adoption of many less intrusive Burgundian techniques, and cleaner, more natural fermentations and bottling, 2000 was the first vintage to demonstrate that numerous high quality Bordeaux wines can be made in all price categories. – Robert Parker, 6/29/2010

These quotes are why we are still on the prowl for the great 2000 Bordeaux.

Sure, there have been great vintages since, but 2000 was, for my generation, the modern day 1982 or 1961, a vintage where everything came together in a situation where the vast majority of the wines, from the basic Bordeaux to the first growths, all delivered impeccable quality, with layers of fruit and the requisite structure to go the long haul.

It was an important vintage for me, as it was the first time the company sent me to Bordeaux to assess the wines. In the context of the dollars involved, it was a serious dose of responsibility making the call on a vintage of this magnitude when you’ve barely turned 30.

The good part? I, we, Parker, whomever was right. The wines have passed the test of time with flying colors, with some reaching maturity now after nearly 20 years and some still on their upward trajectory, with almost every wine we’ve tasted showing exactly how it’s supposed to at this juncture, which is all you can ask, right?

This afternoon we’re showing off a small smorgasbord of ‘bits and pieces’ from the 2000 vintage that we’ve managed to secure during our more recent forays into Bordeaux.

Be advised, quantities are skinny on all of these as, you can surmise after nearly two decades, there aren’t a lot of bottles from this treasured vintage in Bordeaux’s cellars at this point in time.

But hey, if you’re quick, you can snag some really tasty wines at (still) remarkably reasonable prices.

The players:

Clos L'Eglise Cotes de Castillon 2000 ($44.98) – Made by Gerard Perse’s team at Pavie, this label actually no longer exists, the juice having been folded into Perse’s Esprit de Pavie label starting in 2009 (Hey, I guess that’s why that wine is so damn good!) Fully mature and delicious now, this was originally a 90-pointer from Parker who wrote, “The outstanding 2000 Clos L'Eglise boasts a saturated ruby/purple color as well as a sumptuous bouquet of espresso roast intermixed with creme de cassis, blackberries, and licorice. The wine is rich, textured, succulent, and impressively pure and long. (The finish goes on for a good 40+ seconds.) This is serious stuff and a sleeper of the vintage.”

Ferriere Margaux 2000 ($69.98) – 93 points from James Suckling back in his Wine Spectator days, this was one of the real surprises at my tastings back in 2001 and is, of course, showing remarkably well today! A big Margaux, of which James originally wrote, “This shows lots of coffee, tobacco, currants and berry character. Full-bodied, with silky tannins and a medium, silky finish. One of the great success stories in the Medoc of recent. And going strong as ever.” While the wine received a “Bravo!” from Parker on initial release. It’s still a ‘Bravo’ today…

Gloria Saint Julien 2000 ($69.98) – Also drinking beautifully now, the 2000 Gloria is a no-brainer. In recent tastings, 92 points from James Sucking in 2013 and 90 points from Parker in 2010, who wrote, “This beautiful Bordeaux fruit bomb offers abundant notes of black currants, herbs, cherries, cedar, and spice box. Fleshy and medium to full-bodied with no hard edges, the 2000 Gloria is a total thrill to consume. Enjoy it over the next decade, perhaps longer.”

Citran Haut Medoc 2000 Magnum ($79.98) – Go big if you can, right? We came across this small cache of one of our favorite Haut-Medocs on our last buying trip.  Only 30 mags, we wish there were more of these as the wine is just in a perfect place right now. A 91-pointer from James Suckling on release, he wrote in his Wine Spectator note, “Beautiful aromas of currants, berries and flowers. Full-bodied, with a wonderfully integrated palate of ripe fruit and fine tannins. Long finish. Best Citran in years. Best after 2009.”

Again, only a max of 10 cases of each in stock as I’m writing this. Act fast for your favorites though we can honestly say after tasting (ok, drinking) all of these that there isn’t a chien (dog) in the bunch…