Miss the Incredible 2010 Tertre Daugay? Here's the 2001 at the Same Price!

To all Wine Exchangers,

Wow, a library release on an even older vintage from one of our fastest sellers ever? Hey, we don't make this stuff up, we just taste, buy and sell.

For those of you that missed out on the 2010 Tertre Daugay offer from a few months back, much of the prose also relates to today's offer on the super-tasty 2001 Tertre Daugay. Here's that original text.

If it’s good enough for Haut-Brion it must be great!

Seriously though, Chateau Haut-Brion's reputation precedes itself as one of the world's most famous wines. They are the pinnacle of greatness. A top vintage of Haut Brion will bring tears to your eyes… and give you an experience you’ll never forget.

Back in 2011, when Haut-Brion was looking to acquire a sister property, this time on Bordeaux's Right Bank, they were well aware that it just couldn’t be any estate… it would need to possess all the components to make “world class” wine at an Haut-Brion level.

So let’s take a look at what their options were. Saint Emilion and Pomerol are the two appellations that produce the Right Bank's finest wines. But Pomerol is small and, in the sweet spot of the appellation, it’s even smaller. And I'm pretty sure Pomerol's plateau players like Petrus, Vieux Chateau Certan, La Conseillente and La Violette aren't going to sell anytime soon.

That leaves the logical choice...St. Emilion. Yet, as in Pomerol, if you want to potentially make 100-point wine, you'll need incredible terroir. Unfortunately, Cheval Blanc and Figeac are NOT for sale. And on the Cote, Pavie, Ausone and the others are doing just fine. Still, if you have the cash, the patience and the wherewithal, the “Cote” unfortunately is where you want to be to make the level of wine Haut Brion is famous for.

Fortuntaley, a bit of luck would be in the cards for the Haut-Brion team. In a surprise move, Malet Roquefort, who also owns Chateau La Gaffeliere, put one of their top properties, Tertre Daugay up for sale. This certainly caught Haut-Brion's eye. Research was needed. Did this estate have all the components to satisfy the needs of a First Growth?

Is it on the Limestone Cote?... Check

Does it possess great terroir?… Check

Is it a striking property worthy of the Haut Brion name?... Check.

Deal done. At the beginning of 2011, Chateau Haut Brion bought Chateau Tertre Daugay.

Perched on a 200-foot limestone hill, the estate is located at the south-western end of the Saint-Emilion plateau, neighboring some of the most renowned estates in the area. The uniqueness of this extraordinary terroir lies in its diversity of soils, slopes and orientations. Made up of 40 acres of vines that have today attained an optimum average age of 30 years, the estate naturally wraps itself around a promontory that also offers breath-taking views across to the village of Saint-Emilion and over the entire Dordogne valley.

The vines of the estate extend over a remarkable landscape. The form of the land itself is characterized by a band of limestone that lies in crisscross shelves across the south-facing slopes of the plateau. The limestone to the north of the property is replaced by a varied mixture of clay, sand and gravels dipping towards the south.

Now that we’ve painted a picture for you of this incredible place, be advised that 2010 was the last vintage for Terte Daugay. The wine from this historic property is now called Quintus and sells for over $100 dollars a bottle.

Yet this beautiful 2001 is less than a third of that price!

This 2001 is a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc and is in such a beautiful place right now and showing once again why the 2001’s are the insider’s choice for “Right Bank” wines when compared to 2000. It offers a wonderful crushed stone-like minerality mixed with currants, blackberries, cedar and hints of leather. The tannins are well integrated and silky with great structure and balance in the seamless finish.

At a hair past its 16th birthday, the wine has hit its mark and is drinking beautifully at the moment but will continue to provide pleasure for years to come. This is the true beauty of getting ex-chateau wines that are showing their secondary characteristics but are ready to drink now. The estate did all the work and all you have to do is crack a bottle and drink it!

For close to a century the great reference book Cocks and Feret “Bordeaux et ses Vins” consistently mentions the property as a First Growth of Saint-Emilion. Funny that it took an actual First Growth to finally realize it. Rest assured, Quintus will be a big deal. In the meantime, grab a perfectly-aged bottle of Quintus' predecessor from a fine vintage for a fraction of the price!

Tertre Daugay Saint Emilion 2001

This 2001 is a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc and is in such a beautiful place right now… especially when the 2001’s are the insider’s choice for “Right Bank” wines when compared to 2000. It offers a wonderful crushed stone-like minerality intermixed with a currants, blackberries, cedar and hints if leather. The tannins are well integrated and silky with great structure and balance in the seamless finish. For being over 15 years old, the wine has hit its mark and is drinking beautifully at the moment but will continue to age over time.

ONLY $29.98