Vintage Wines under $50

The best wines to pick up will vary from year to year, so these are only suggestions – but how about trying a bottle of vintage French wine? Pichon-Longueville Baron 1999 can be bought for just under $50 from Vintage Wine Merchants (http://www.vintagewinemerchants.com/store/product_info.php?
cPath=1_174_572&products_id=23623). New Zealand’s legendary Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc is available for under $20 (http://www.amazinggrapeswinestore.com/store/product/3867/
Cloudy-Bay-2006-Sauvignon-Blanc/) and can be enjoyed right now with shellfish or just on its own. Closer to home, there are a number of classic California vintage wines available for under $50 (see this article http://www.foodandwine.com/articles/the-buyers-guide-to-75
-of-the-best-california-wines on the top 75 for more details) – the 2003 Pinot Noir from the Bien Nacido Vineyard (http://www.stephenrosswine.com/wines.html) is a particular standout, if you can find it!


What makes these wines sell better?

Obviously, the most important factor when choosing a good wine should be its quality and flavor, and wine enthusiasts are increasingly casting their net wider and wider in recognition of the fact that there are great bottles out there available at relatively reasonable prices. This is particularly true of wines from South America and Australia, where value is paramount and a relatively modest outlay can secure some fantastic wines which will improve and mature in the bottle for several years.

Of course, the label on a bottle is still important, and many people will return to top wineries with a recognized “brand name.” There is nothing wrong with this, but it is important to remember that while there aren’t too many bad $50 bottles of wine, the price of a bottle is in itself no guarantee of quality.




What years were good for vintage wines under $50?

The best years for vintage wines will depend on the part of the world from which the wine hails. For Bordeaux, the best vintages of the last few years have probably been 2000 and 2003. In Burgundy, 1999 and 2003 are also highly rated. As previously suggested, bottles from the top French chateaux are not cheap even if purchased very young, but there are bottles under $50 to be found.

If you are looking to buy young vintage Port, it is recommended that you select a good recent year such as 2000 or 2003. In California and Australia, the generally fine weather makes the year of a wine less a factor than in Europe: 1997 is probably the best of recent California vintages, while 2002 and 2004 are generally considered standout years for Australian wine.


Are they cheaper if you buy multiple bottles at once?

Most online vintage wine merchants will, like their counterparts in stores, offer discounts on cases of 12 bottles – normally around 5 or 10%. A good store will extend this discount to “mixed” cases of wine, so there is no need to buy 12 bottles of the same wine, if you want to experiment a little. Some vintage wine sellers will offer further discounts and savings on delivery for larger orders of multiple cases. Buying multiple bottles is therefore generally a good idea.


Will they increase in value?

Vintage wine can and does increase in value in the bottle; 1996 Bordeaux will usually cost more than the 2003 vintage. However, buying vintage wine with the aim of seeing a return on your investment is a risky business, and if you are looking to buy vintage wine for less than $50, you will need to venture outside the “blue-chip” labels, which means a greater risk of seeing the value of your bottles decline. You may end up drinking your mistakes!

Many wines sink or swim on the ratings they get from prominent wine critics, such as Robert Parker (http://www.erobertparker.com/), whose judgments can make or break a vintage wine. Many people do invest in wine, perhaps waiting for ten years and then selling some or all their bottles at a higher price, but you should be very cautious about doing so.

For more tips on investing in wine, have a look at this website (http://www.australianwineindex.com/pr_press20050411.htm) from the Australian Wine Index.


Do you need a cellar to store vintage wines?

You do not need a cellar to store vintage wines, although many serious wine buffs convert their basements into wine cellars, to get the best out of their stored vintage wines. However, there are a few rules that you should observe when storing vintage wines. Try and keep the bottle away from extremes of temperature – the benefit of a cellar is that it keeps bottles at a relatively constant 10-12 degrees centigrade, which is the perfect temperature for storing wine. It doesn’t matter too much if the temperature fluctuates between seasons, but abrupt changes in warmth, for example if wines are stored in centrally heated rooms or near a boiler, are bad for them. Strong sunlight is a no-no, too.

Equally, try to keep vintage wine away from sources of vibration – so on top of the washing machine or under the bed is probably a bad idea!