A PUBLICATION OF Spec's Wines, Spirits, & Finer Foods 2410 Smith Street Houston, Texas

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1 sm S P E C ' S N E W S A PUBLICATION OF Spec's Wines, Spirits, & Finer Foods 2410 Smith Street Houston, Texas SUMMER 1999 Owned and operated by the same Houston family since 1962! CALL SPEC'S TOLL-FREE AT VISIT SPEC'S BORDEAUX REPORT By Charles M. Bear Dalton No other place in the world of wine can generate the excitement of Bordeaux. In late March of every year, the wine trade and the wine press gather in Bordeaux for the Union des Grands Crus tastings to taste and assess the newest vintage in barrel, where available retaste and re-evaluate the previous vintage in barrel, and cuss and discuss what is right and wrong with the wine world in general and Bordeaux in particular. Negociants, writers, importers, wholesalers, retailers, and even a few of the most avid consumers come from around the world to attend the seven officially organized Union des Grands Crus tastings. They also join the scramble for appointments with the top chateaux (including all the first growths and many of the top seconds and biggest names) whose wines are not included in the Union tastings. And they schedule visits in the offices of several negociants to look for what s new on the high-end scene and what values can be found 1996 BORDEAUX IN STOCK! Please See Page 28. CONTENTS... From SPEC's Humidor 2 SPEC's Notices (Classes, Tastings, & Events) Bordeaux Futures Offer Bordeaux Futures Offer Bordeaux in Stock Now 28 Finding Value in Bordeaux 30 TWELVE under $ Prices in this publication are subject to change without notice. All prices listed are for Spec's Warehouse and include a five percent discount for cash. (Many items are available at Spec's neighborhood stores where they may be sold at different prices.) All items are offered "first come, first served" and are subject to availability; some quantities are be very limited. Spec's reserves the right to restrict quantities. Any "sale" prices are good from through Spec's is not responsible for errors in printing. "Spec's" and the rabbit logo are service marks of the C.B. Jackson Company and are registered with the State of Texas. 1 in the newest vintage and where good opportunities lie in stocks of bottled vintages. The most serious participants start with breakfast meetings and/ or tastings (in their hotels) as early as 7am and continue on with several morning appointments, luncheon appointments, afternoon tastings and appointments, and dinners that run as late as late as 11pm or midnight. It's possible to taste as many as wines in a day. As many of the wines are available to taste at more than one site, it is possible to taste certain wines two, three, or even four times so as to get the best possible feel for each. An actual day's schedule (Tuesday, March 30, 1990): 7am Breakfast meeting with importer 8:30am Tasting at Nathaniel Johnston s Office (22 wines, all 1998s) 10:30am Tasting at CVBC (Dourthe) (28 wines, all 1998) followed by a buffet lunch in the CVBC offices. 1pm Margaux and Southern Medoc Tasting (23 wines, all 1998 from Margaux, Moulis, and Listrac) 2pm Tasting at Ch. Margaux (3 wines, 1998 Margaux and Pavillon Rouge, and 1997 Margaux) 3pm St. Julien and Haut MedocTasting (14 wines, all 1998s from St. Julien and Haut Medoc) 4pm Pauillac, St. Estephe, and Medoc (15 wines, all 1998s from Pauillac, St Estephe, and the Medoc) 5pm Tasting at Ch. Latour (5 wines, 1997s and 1998s) 7pm Tasting at Rauzan Segla & Ullyssess Cazabone (7 wines, 1997s and 1998s) followed by dinner at Rauzan Segla. 11:30pm Leave Rauzan Segla to return to Hotel in Bordeaux 12:30pm Bed Day s Total: 117 wines tasted (not including wines served at Lunch and Dinner) With so many wines to taste, it s impossible to remember them all so good tasting notes are essential. Some wines only merit a few words worth of comment, others get whole paragraphs. I almost filled a 100 page notebook in Bordeaux alone. Some wines are so memorable, they leave a mental impression far stronger than (Continued on page 3)

2 From Spec's Humidor... ASHTON: Cabinets and the hard-to-find Maduros are in! TRINIDADS by Fuenté: Last of its kind and going quickly. DAVIDOFFS: Special Rs, Ts, and double-rs plus Grand Cru 4000 & 5000 and Tubos... all at the best prices in town. BUTERA at the best prices in town - Maduros too!!! ROMEO Y JULIETA: Vintage #1-6 by the box!!! Don't forget our great buys on factory "seconds" Unlike some of our competitors, SPEC's sets NO LIMITS! Visit our INCREDIBLE WALK-IN HUMIDOR to see these and hundreds of other fine cigars. SPEC's also stocks a large selection of high-quality cedar-lined humidors, travel humidors, Colibri and Prometheus lighters, cigar scissors and snips, and pocket humidors. And all CHEAP! Don't forget SPEC's 5% discount for cash! To Our Customers... This January we tried something new and for our efforts got a revelation about how best to contact you about special events and products. We ed and/or faxed an invitation to two Burgundy tastings to all our local customers who have both expressed an interest in Burgundy and given us their addresses and/or fax numbers. The response was unprecedented. Both tastings filled up in less than three days and a long waiting list indicated that we could have sold both of them out twice over. This response told us that if we can efficeintly (both from a cost and time standpoint) notify those customers most interested in a particular sort of event, it's a win-win situation for Spec's and our customer. Needless to say, we now will be using and the fax a lot more often to inform you about the tastings, events, and special offers on the wines, spirits, and other products you tell us you're interested in. If you want to get these notices, please make sure we have your correct address and/or fax number. We prefer to send if we can because it's faster and cheaper (which allows us to keep costs down and save you money on these events). We know that some of the addresses we have are outdated or were just entered wrong. Please feel free to check with us at to make sure we have your e- mail and fax numbers correct. Or, better still, us at BearDalton@specsonline.com with your full name, address, and mailing address. Customer ID Number (If already on our mailing list) Name Address City State Zip Code Hm. Ph. Wk. Ph. Fax - - Alsace Wines Bordeaux Wines Burgundy Wines Champagne Rhone Valley Wines Other French Wines US Cabernet and Merlot US Chardonnay Zinfandel Other US Wines German Wines Italian Wines Spanish Wines South American Wines Australian Wines Port, Sherry, Madeira Value Wines Dessert Wines 2 Texas Wines Tastings Brandy, Cognac Bourbon Liqueurs Gin Rum Tequila Scotch Vodka Beer Kosher Foods & Wines French Foods German Foods Cheese Coffee, Tea Cigars (Must auto answer) address

3 SPEC's Notices l'alliance Française presents Three Summer Tastings Join l'alliance Française and The Wine School for the summer wine series. On Tuesday, July 6th, we'll offer The Basics of French Wine. On Thursday, July 22nd, we have French Wines for Summer Sipping. And Tuesday, August 10th offers The Wines of the South of France. All three classes are set to begin at 7:00pm and each will cost $32.00 per person. Each class will be limited to the first 45 paid reservations. THE BASICS OF FRENCH WINE will cover the the basics of tasting wine as we taste the basic styles of red, white, rose, and sparkling wines. Additional topics of discussion will include how food and wine go together, wine labels, and proper serving temperature. This is good introduction for those who are new to wine and an informative refresher course for the already interested. Eight wines will be tasted. FRENCH WINES FOR SUMMER SIPPING will focus on the light-to-mediumbodied fruitier-style red, white, and rosé wines that are so refreshing with summertime temperatures and foods. We'll taste wines from Bordeaux (not red), Alsace, the Rhone, Beaujolais, the south of France, and other areas. Eight wines will be tasted. THE WINES OF THE SOUTH OF FRANCE will cover the wine producing areas of Provence and the Languedoc (what used to be called the Midi). We'll look at the range of styles made (red, rose, and white still wines, and both red and white dessert wines), the grapes and techniques used, and the various appellations (growing areas) and their differences. Eight wine will be tasted. A buffet selection of French cheeses and sliced baguettes will be offered during each class. (The cheese table is an accompaniment to the tasting, not dinner. It is recommended that all participants eat something before class.) Spec's wine Manager Bear Dalton will lead all three tastings. For directions, reservations, or more information, please call l'alliance Française at L'Alliance Française, the French cultural organization in Houston, is located at 427 Lovett Boulevard (on the southeast corner of Lovett and Whitney, one block south of Westheimer). BORDEAUX REPORT (Continued from page 1) any tasting note. The 1997s from Haut Brion and Margaux and the 1998s from La Mission Haut Brion and Cheval Blanc are high-end cases in point. At the other extreme, Ch. Baret Graves Rouge 1998 (tasted at Borie Manoux s offices), Ch. Fontenille Entre Deux Mers, 1998 (tasted at Bill Blatch s office), and Michel Rolland s Ch. Fontenil Fronsac, 1998 (no relation to the Entre Deux Mers with the similar name, tasted at several locations) all left great impressions at much lower prices. At the end of four and a half days of tasting in Bordeaux, I'd tasted and made notes on over 600 wines (with several wines tasted two or more times for a total of well over 700 individual tasting notes). I had gained a very specific knowledge of the character of the 1998 vintage and had updated (and upgraded) my initial appraisal of the 1997 vintage. I found several new properties that offer a super price-value relationship to buy for Spec s everyday Bordeaux customers (please see page 30 for more on Bordeaux values). Through all the talking that goes with the tasting, I came away with a better idea of what is happening in the global Bordeaux market and how those trends will effect Spec s and our customers. THE BORDEAUX MARKET It is apparent from the prices at which the chateaux are releasing their 1998s that some sanity has returned to the market. After the market (the negociants and importers) made so much money on the 1995s and 1996s, the chateaux raised their opening prices in 1997 in an effort to take some of the market driven profits for themselves. Their timing was unfortunate because 1997 is a drinker s vintage, not a collector s vintage such as 1995 and 1996 are. With 1998, most of the left bank (Medoc and Graves) chateaux have reduced their opening prices and most of the right bank (Pomerol and St. Emilion) chateaux have held the line or, in some cases, taken small increases. In St. Emilion and Pomerol, a small increase may be justified by the ex- (Continued on page 4) 3 Introducing... Temperature-Controlled WINE STORAGE across the street from Spec's by Private Mini Storage Louisianna Houston, Tx Approximately 55 F year round. Open 7-days-a-week! Store your wine collection in one of our professionally-managed, conveniently-located spaces. You lock your space, You keep the key! We have spaces to accomodate from 8 cases to 144 cases. Please come tour our beautiful new facitilty. Hours: Mon. - Fri. 8:00 to 6:00 Sat. - Sun. 8:00 to 5:00 Closed Holidays Major Credit Cards Accepted

4 BORDEAUX REPORT (Continued from page 1) cellent to outstanding quality level achieved in 1998 Most people in the trade feel that the 1998s will sell well as futures at these mostly lower prices. Early consumer interest in the vintage is supporting this view. The 1995s and 1996s have mostly sold through the trade and remaining stocks are getting more expensive as more people taste the wines and realize how good both vintages are. The 1997s, for reasons explained below, did not sell through as futures but seem to have a good future in the market as a very good, early drinking vintage with a lot of fruit and a softly balanced, very accessible charm. Much has been made in the wine press and in financial circles of the effect of the troubled Asian economies on Bordeaux wine prices. The much bally-hooed prediction has been that prices will fall as wine allocated to those markets sits unclaimed. This has not happened. The Bordeaux chateaux are making tighter selections and so are releasing less wine under their top or Grand Vin labels (please see Of Grand Vins and Second Wines on page 6). Many chateaux are releasing significant portions of their production under second and even third labels and some are selling up to 20% of their production on the bulk market without any right to the chateau s name or appellation. The reduced quantities of top wines available have allowed prices to hold up as demand continues strong. It looks like prices will continue at current levels. CURRENT VINTAGES Now being offered as futures, 1998 is a fine to excellent year for wines from the earlier ripening areas of Pomerol, St. Emilion, and Graves. Their Merlot and Caberent Franc came-in in good, ripe condition. Graves was able to ripen and harvest its Cabernet Sauvignon before the rain started. Quality in the Medoc is spotty because many properties were unable to ripen enough Cabernet Sauvignon and get it picked before the rain started. The chateaux that go for lower yields made better wines because the vines carrying a lighter load of grape clusters are able to ripen those clusters sooner. Chateaux with water extracting equipment fared better as well. The Medoc first growths and a double handful of other classified growths and cru bourgeois made excellent wines (especially Chx. BORDEAUX WINE REGIONS Ducru Beaucaillou, Lynch Bages, and Sociando Mallet). Margaux and the Southern Haut Medoc seemed to fare better than St. Julien, Pauillac, and St. Estephe. The producers of dry white Bordeaux, especially those in the Pessac-Leognan area of Graves, enjoyed an excellent year with an especially early harvest. With 1998, Sauternes and Barsac are enjoying their third excellent vintage in a row was a difficult year that yielded a surprising number of very good to fine wines. The difficulty came from the unusually long flowering period (four weeks) when the grape bunches are set on the vine. This extended flowering led to bunches containing grapes that were as much as 3-4 weeks apart in development. It was not uncommon to find grapes so over-ripe they were virtual raisins and green, under-ripe grapes in the same bunch. Quality was 4 achieved by making multiple picking passes through the vineyards and a severe selection on the triage (sorting) tables where both the rotten and the under-ripe grapes were cut from the bunches and discarded before they went to the crusher. There are plenty of fine reds. So far, Ch. Lafite is showing as the best of the vintage with Haut Brion, Latour, and Margaux right behind and a number of the top St. Emilions and Pomerols in the hunt. I tasted almost everything (expecting Leoville las Cases, Petrus, Le Pin and a couple more) before buying and selected only those wines that showed good levels of ripeness, flavor, and concentration is very good to fine for dry whites. The sweet white wines from Sauternes and Barsac are excellent-to-potentially-outstanding sold through the trade and was offered to consumers as futures at generally higher prices than the 1996s were initially offered is still on offer as futures and sales are picking up as most US wine merchants still list 1997s at prices equal or very close to the initial offering and word is getting out about how good the wines are already tasting. The 1997s will begin arriving in Novemeber and December of this year. At that point, they will seem like better deals because they will be priced well below most of the 1995s and 1996s that will be next to them on the shelf. Spec s is planning a barrel tasting (for September) to showcase the 1997 vintage is a classic Cabernet Sauvignon year. While Merlot and Cabernet Franc had their problems, Cabernet Sauvignon achieved a high level of ripeness and fine physiological maturity along with a good level of acidity. The result is that the Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated areas of the Medoc and, to a lesser extent, Graves made the best wines of the vintage (and some of their best ever). St. Emilion and Pomerol made wines that initially showed as very good to fine but rarely excellent. After a year in barrel, they ve put on weight and

5 are much richer and more interesting. At many of the top Medoc chateaux, 1996 surpasses 1995 in terms of absolute quality and the wines are showing surprisingly well on release. In another year or so, many of the 1996 reds will close down (into the dumbstage ) and gather themselves in the bottle for 5+ years before emerging, at which point the high quality of 1996 will be even more apparent. The top 1996 reds have the potential for twenty-plus years of development. The 1996 Sauternes and Barsac also are of at least fine quality is excellent for dry white wines which all seem to have a lovely fresh peach fruit character running through them and are drinking very well now. The very top dry whites should have ten or more years of development ahead was initially underrated as a fine year. The wines have proven out to the excellent level and rival other famous loweracid vintages such as 1990 and The hallmark of the best 1995s is their juicy, dark-berry (often blackberry) fruit and sweetly approachable tannin structures along with an almost California-style lowacidity. Due to the ripe, forward fruit and the lower levels of acid, these wines are drinking well from the beginning (especially for American tasters who are used to drinking young reds and like the succulent fruit and chewy tannins they offer) and shouldn t go dumb (or at least not so very dumb) as they develop in the bottle. Look The author at Ch. Margaux. for an evolutionary curve similar to 1990 or 1982 with twenty-plus years of developmental potential for the better wines of the vintage is a very good to fine (but not great) year for both dry and sweet white Bordeaux wines. Although prices for the big name 1995s have risen dramatically, there are plenty of fine drinking values still available. 1994, while also initially underrated, has turned out to be a very good to fine year with a great number of classically-styled clarets with good developmental potential. A quality equivalent of 1988, many 1994 reds are showing very well now but the better wines have the potential for another ten-plus years of development. While in Bordeaux in March, I drank several 1994s (Ch. Lagrange St. Julien, Ch. Grand Puy Lacoste Pauillac, etc.) in restaurants and was really pleased with how well they are drinking and the level of development they already show is also a fine vintage for dry white Bordeaux and a very-good-to-fine vintage for Sauternes and Barsac is still a very good overall value is a mostly very good vintage that produced claret with a strong appeal to Europeans and those Americans with a strong Bordeaux palate. The wines are drinking well now and really shine at the table with any sort of grilled or roast beef, lamb, or game. Most 1998 reds should be drunk over the next five years but the very best can handle another eight to ten years development. Photo by Chris Lano THE FUSS ABOUT FUTURES If you've been around wine very long, you've heard talk about "Bordeaux Futures." Is it like the commodities exchange where contracts are repeatedly traded 5 "La Tour" at Ch. Latour. Photo by Chris Lano without the actual goods they represent even moving or being ready to move? Or do people really buy these wines and drink them? The answer to both is "yes." At one level, there's a fair amount of trading of Bordeaux futures contracts as the market for the wines gets stronger and the release dates approach. At the same time, educated consumers use the futures market to insure they are able to get the rarest wines and get them at the best prices. Here's the deal. During the April and May following a vintage, most Bordeaux chateaux offer a portion of their production to the wine brokers in Bordeaux at what is usually their lowest price. This first offer is called the premiere traunche, or first slice. These wines are then offered to the importers and exporters around the world who then offer them to the local trade - the wine stores and restaurants. Some restauranteurs will buy a few cases of rare wines but most restaurants don't have the sort of wine programs where they are able to invest in young Bordeaux to serve years later. At Spec's, we buy heavily during this time in order to secure good quantities of wines in every price range so we'll have the inventory to sell off our racks when the vintage is shipped and so we can offer the best possible prices on rare wines to our futures customers. As we get confirmations on our orders, we offer the wines out for sale as futures, a way to buy wines that haven't even been bottled yet. During April, May, and June, new chateaux open every day and sometimes we update our price lists daily. On the wines we've tasted and like and on wines

6 BORDEAUX REPORT (Continued from page 5) with great track records, we buy as much as we are allocated, often at several different prices. If our customers get hot on a particular wine and we run short or sell out, we go back and buy more, usually at a higher price. We then make a second offering reflecting that higher price. This can happen several times. An example is the 1995 vintage of Ch. Pichon Lalande. We originally offered the wine in June1996 at about $ a case. It quickly moved to almost $ and by October 1996 had reached $ By the time it arrived in March of 1998, it had have moved to well over $ per case. Other wines such as Clinet and Petrus can be virtually impossible to re-buy at any price. The lesson is to buy the wines you want as early as possible in order to get the wines you want at the best possible prices. If you buy early enough, you can give bottling specifications and order some of your wine as half-bottles, magnums, double magnums, jeroboams, and imperials. Of course, the chateaux require an up-charge for these sizes but the best way to buy Bordeaux in large bottles is as futures (for more on this, please call Bear Dalton at ). In order to open futures up to as many customers as possible, Spec's offers Bordeaux futures pricing on bottles and three-packs The barrel room at Ch. Lafite Rothschild. as well as the standard twelve-bottle cases. While the price advantage is not as substantial in the smaller lots, there is still an edge over what the wines will sell for on arrival. Single-bottle and three-pack pricing is available only on 750ml bottles unless other sizes are specifically offered. So what's all the fuss about? Just that the futures market insures the Bordeaux lover Photo by Chris Lano a way to buy favorite wines at the best prices they'll likely ever sell for, and to insure a supply of the rarer offerings that may never make it onto a rack or shelf in the store. OF GRAND VINS & SECOND WINES Grand Vin de Ch. Latour. That s what the label says. Is it a boast? In a word, no. Ch. Latour makes five wines. The wine that says grand vin on the label may be the only one sold as Ch. Latour but it is no less the great wine of that chateau. Latour s second wine is the justly celebrated Les Forts de Latour. A third wine, labeled simply Pauillac is made and sold commercially and two more wines are made at Ch. Latour that are not distributed. While most Bordeaux chateaux don't make even three, much less five wines, many have adopted (or readopted) the idea of making a grand vin and a second wine and even selling in bulk a small percentage of their production that makes the cut for neither label. The second wines that result from the severe selection of only the very best for the grand vin have over the years been variable in quality with only a few stars: Les Forts de Latour, Carruades de Lafite, Pavillon Rouge du Ch. Margaux, and Clos du Marquis. As selection has become more severe this has changed. More and better second wines are springing into the market. While second wines are more common from the larger Medoc and Graves chateaux, a few of the most quality oriented of the St. Emilion and Pomerol producers are joining this trend. The top wines mentioned above have continued to improve and some of the new kids are right there with them. Here are some of those second wines most worth seeking out. 6 Les Forts de Latour (Ch. Latour) Pavillon Rouge du Ch. Margaux (Ch. Margaux) Carruades de Lafite (Ch. Lafite Rothschild) La Petite Mouton (Ch. Mouton Rothschild) Bahans Haut Brion (Ch. Haut Brion) La Chapelle de la Mission (Ch. La Mission Haut Brion) Les Pagodes de Cos (Ch. Cos d Estournel) Clos du Marquis (Ch. Leoville las Cases) La Croix Beaucaillou (Ch. Ducru Beaucaillou) Les Tourelles de Lonqueville (Ch. Pichon Baron) Reserve de la Comtesse (Ch. Pichon Lalande) Cordet (Ch. Monbrison) Segla (Ch. Rauzan Segla) Les Dames de Montrose (Ch. Montrose) Marquis du Calon (Ch. Calon Segur) Lacoste Borie (Ch. Grand Puy Lacoste) Haut Bages Averous (Ch. Lynch Bages) La Chapelle de Ausone (Ch. Ausone) Petite Cheval (Cheval Blanc) Les Demoiselles de Sociando Mallet (Ch. Sociando Mallet) Note: La Petite Eglise was the 2nd vin of Ch. l Eglise Clinet until the 1997 vintage when some non-estate fruit was added. Plantiers de Haut Brion combines the 2nd wines of both Ch. Haut Brion Blanc and Ch. Laville Haut Brion (the white wine of Ch. La Mission Haut Brion).

7 1998 Bordeaux Futures First Offering & Reviews SPEC s is pleased to offer the 1998 Bordeaux vintage as futures. We are offering futures pricing on cases, three-packs, and individual bottles. The best prices and the broadest selection will be found by those who are able to respond quickly. Prices charged at The scores and reviews included in this offer the time of your order will taken from the most recent list. We will fax you an come from three sources - The Wine Spectator's updated list anytime you request one. All prices indicated in this offer include a web site coverage of the 1998 vintage, Robert M. 5% discount for cash. All orders are accepted subject to availability and confirmation. Some wines are available only in extremely limited quantities. All wines from my notes taken in Bordeaux the last week of Parker Jr.'s The Wine Advocate (Issue #122), and are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Payment-in-full is due at the time March, Bear Dalton the order is placed. No orders will be accepted without payment. PACKxSIZE BOTTLE 3-PACK CASE Bahans Haut Brion, Graves Rouge, Pricing not yet available. 12x750 SCORES: Bear Dalton: REVIEWS: BEAR DALTON says: (This 2nd vin of Ch. Haut Brion comprises 30% of the 1998 production) Good ripeness and intensity with cedar pencil shavings and lots of dark, juicy, minerally, blackberry and mixed berry fruit jumping out of the glass. Tastes great and feels even better. Wow. Supple and balanced but on a huge scale. At least Fine. Carruades de Ch. Lafite, Pauillac, x750 $28.60 $80.80 $ SCORES: Wine Spectator: Bear Dalton: REVIEWS: THE WINE SPECTATOR says: A bit green for my taste, with green tobacco and cherry character. Medium-bodied, with fine tannins and a light finish.... BEAR DALTON says: This very elegant, softly structured blend of 61% Cabernet Sauvignon and 33% Merlot (with the balance consisting of Cabernet Franc and Petite Verdot) strikes a fine balance. Long and supple in the mouth, it is rich with dark, sweet, ripe fruit and moderate, chewy tannins. Made in a lovely, medium-weight style that is true to Lafite. Really Fine. (25,000 cases made) Ch. Ausone, St. Emilion, x750 $ $ $1, SCORES: Wine Spectator: Robert Parker: REVIEWS: THE WINE SPECTATOR says: A silky and wellconstructed 98, with chocolate, cherry and spice character. Full-bodied, with elegant, refined tannins and a long finish.... ROBERT PARKER says: Readers should not contemplate purchasing this wine unless they are willing to cellar it for at least years. An extremely saturated black/purple color is followed by aromas of minerals, black fruits, and flowers. It is ferociously tannic, but gorgeously extracted with outstanding purity and an old vine intensity that kicks-in the middle of the palate and continues through the wine s finish. Backward, rich and massive for Ausone, it requires considerable bottle age. Anticipated maturity: To be purchased for your children and/or grandchildren! Ch. Barde Haut, St. Emilion, x750 $24.16 $68.25 $ SCORES: Robert Parker: Bear Dalton: REVIEWS: ROBERT PARKER says: An impressive newcomer to the St Emilion scene, Barde-Haut s marvelous 1997 is more complete and better balanced than the On the three occasions I tasted the 1998, the tannins were aggressive and the finish shorter than expected. The wine is at least very good, and may be even better with further evolution. The impressive ruby/purple color is followed by an elegant wine revealing sweet black cherry fruit, spice, and oaky characteristics. This finesse-styled Barde-Haut possesses less fat and succulence than the Anticipated maturity: now BEAR DALTON says: Soft and chewy with great, cherry berry-oriented fruit, good spicy-peppery complexity and plenty of ripe, oaky tannins. Long and supple in the mouth with a great feel and a fine, lively balanace. Fine+. Ch. Baret, Graves Rouge, x750 $12.94 $36.56 $ SCORES: Wine Spectator: Bear Dalton: REVIEWS: THE WINE SPECTATOR says: Silky and racy young 98. Perhaps not as concentrated as some, but shows a medium body and good core of ripe fruit.... BEAR DALTON says: Ripe and nicely chewy with ample dark, minerally fruit and a bit of subtle spice. Quite fresh and lively in a medium-bodied, easilly accessible style. Very Good+ (and a real BEST BUY of the vintage). Ch. Batailley, Pauillac, x750 $23.39 $66.08 $ SCORES: Wine Spectator: Robert Parker: Bear Dalton: REVIEWS: THE WINE SPECTATOR says: Plum and berry aromas with a hint of dried sage. Medium-bodied, with medium tannins and a light, slightly diluted finish.... BEAR DALTON says: Good ripeness with lots of flavor and a nicely chewy texture. Good dark fruit with some spice and herb notes. Nice balance with good length and weight and an overall nice feel. Very Good. Ch. Beau Soleil Pomerol, x750 $34.10 $96.33 $ SCORES: Wine Spectator: Robert Parker: REVIEWS: THE WINE SPECTATOR says: Some berry and cherry character, but rather lean and short for the vintage. Ch. Beaumont, Haut Medoc, x750 $12.94 $36.56 $ SCORES: Wine Spectator: Bear Dalton: REVIEWS: THE WINE SPECTATOR says: A bit lean really, but there are some well-crafted tannins in this wine. Medium-bodied, with cherry-berry character. Light finish.... BEAR DALTON says: Plenty of (Continued on Page 8) 7

8 1998 BORDEAUX FUTURES OFFER (Continued from page 7) RED BORDEAUX PACKxSIZE BOTTLE 3-PACK CASE sweet red and black fruit to flesh out the medium-weight, softly-chewy, well-balanced structure. Good length with a fresh and lively feel in the mouth. At least Very Good. Ch. Beauregard, Pomerol, x750 $42.30 $ $ SCORES: Wine Spectator: Robert Parker: Bear Dalton: REVIEWS: THE WINE SPECTATOR says: Very ripe aromas of blackberries and spices, with a hint of black olive. Full-bodied and very, very chewy, with a solid core of fruit and tannins. Long, long finish. Almost classic.... ROBERT PARKER says: A powerful, but rough hewn wine, the deep ruby/purple-colored 1998 Beauregard reveals copious quantities of toasty oak, medium body, fine ripeness and some elegance. However, it possesses a jagged texture, and the oak and tannin are nor as well integrated as in other wines from this appellation. Nevertheless, there is plenty to like; depth, intensity, and size. If it all comes together, this effort will merit a score in the upper eighties. Anticipated maturity: BEAR DALTON says: Plenty of good sweet, ripe, dark fruit on a lively, medium-weight structure. Good length with a nice, fresh feel. Very good+. Ch. Beausejour Becot, St. Emilion, x750 $47.40 $ $ SCORES: Robert Parker: Bear Dalton: REVIEWS: ROBERT PARKER says: This 1998 s ostentatious, nearly over the top style wine will have its detractors, but, if wine is a beverage of pleasure, Beau-Sejour-Becot delivers the goods. The color is a saturated ruby/purple. The wine is lavishly oaked, jammy, and rich, with oodles of glycerin and extract, medium to full body, and moderately aggressive tannin in the blockbuster finish. This concentrated, rich offering will become more civilized with 3-5 years of cellaring. Anticipated maturity: BEAR DALTON says: Big, chewy, serious St. Emilion with enough underlying dark, ripe fruit to balance its tannin and oak-dominated, low-acid structure. A better acid balance and fresher feel would move it up to excellent but it is still in the Very Good to Fine range. Ch. Beausejour Duffau, St. Emilion, Pricing not yet available. 12x750 SCORES: Robert Parker: REVIEWS: ROBERT PARKER says: The finest wine made at this estate since the perfect 1990, Beausejour-Duffau s black/purple-colored 1998 exhibits a gorgeous concoction of blackberry, violet, and blueberry aromas with notes of minerals and sweet oak. It has power and depth, but remarkable symmetry, and impressive sweet mid-palate, and an old vine intensity in the finish. This beauty is impressively nuanced and textured. Anticipated maturity: Ch. Beychevelle, St.Julien, x750 $29.40 $83.06 $ SCORES: Wine Spectator: Robert Parker: Bear Dalton: 84-89?... REVIEWS: THE WINE SPECTATOR says: Pleasant ripe fruit for the vintage, but slightly one-dimensional. Medium-bodied, with medium tannins and a light finish.... ROBERT PARKER says: This is a charming, medium-bodied, wine from one of St. Julien s only underachievers. It is good to see the effort put forth by Beychevelle, as this 1998 exhibits a deep ruby/purple color, in addition to a sweet, floral, black currant, dried herb, and toasty-scented bouquet. There is excellent richness, an overall sense of elegance and symmetry, and a graceful, moderately long finish. Anticipated maturity: BEAR DALTON says: Good weight in the mouth with nice levels of tannin and dark Cabernet fruit. Well structured in a medium-to-full-bodied style. Balanced and whole but not yet forthcoming. The hint of tobacco and overall style make me think this 1998 well be a worth-while Beychevelle. At least good, could be fine. Ch. Bon Pasteur, Pomerol, x750 $56.90 $ $ SCORES: Wine Spectator: Robert Parker: Bear Dalton: REVIEWS: THE WINE SPECTATOR says: Darkcolored, with intense spice, berry and mineral. Full-bodied and very tannic, with loads of bright berry and earth character.... ROBERT PARKER says: This exquisite Bon Pasteur is the most compelling wine produced at this estate since Michel and Dany Rolland s sumptuous With an opaque black/purple color, it has an exquisite nose of blackberries, subtle toasty oak, minerals, and floral scents. The wine is medium to full-bodied and gorgeously concentrated with low acidity, high tannin, and sensational extract and purity. A profund Bon Pasteur, it will age effortlessly for 15 or more years. Anticipated maturity: Bravo!... BEAR DALTON says: Big, and chewy with dense, dark fruit and plenty of ripe, chewy tannin, all well integrated with its oak and earth notes. Despite all this weight, it maintains a fresh and lively balance and the fruit is in no way obscured. Ripe and lively with a fine feeel in the mouth. Fine+. Ch. Bonalgue Pomerol, Pricing not yet available. 12x750 SCORES: Wine Spectator: Robert Parker: Bear Dalton: REVIEWS: THE WINE SPECTATOR says: Plenty of chocolaty berry character in this young wine. Medium- to full-bodied, with chewy tannins and a medium finish. Almost outstanding.... ROBERT PARKER says: A sleeper of the vintage, this succulent, dense ruby/purple-colored, well-made wine displays extra layers of fat and richness. Opaque purple-colored, with oodles of blackberry, plum, and cherry fruit, it is a low acid, hedonistic fruit bomb that should drink well for a decade.... BEAR DALTON says: Ripe and full with Cabernet-tasting fruit, good richness, soft tannins, and a supple feel. Rich and rounded in the mouth. Very Good+. Ch. Bourgneuf, Pomerol, Pricing not yet available. 12x750 SCORES: Wine Spectator: Robert Parker: REVIEWS: THE WINE SPECTATOR says: Mouthpuckering young wine. Black-colored, with intense crushed grape and wet earth character. Full-bodied, very chewy, with masses of tannins and fruit. One of the best ever from this estate.... ROBERT PARKER says: The past few vintages have demonstrated Bourgneuf s new found predilection for turning out high quality Pomerol. This estate has again hit the bulls eye with a blockbuster, monster My rating is deliberately conservative because I have never tasted a Bourgneuf this rich and intense. The wine looks like vintage port with a saturated black/purple color, huge extraction (from low yields), and a viscous, full-bodied personality. The nose offers aromas of roasted coffee, grilled meats, jammy black cherries, and licorice, Unctuous and super-concentrated, with a 45-second finish, this is one of the sleepers of the vintage. Anticipated maturity: Ch. Brisson, Cotes de Castillon, x750 $9.09 $25.68 $97.26 SCORES: Robert Parker: Bear Dalton: REVIEWS: BEAR DALTON says: Plenty of ripe, dark fruit character. long and juicy with nicely chewy tannins. Very Good. 8

9 Ch. Calon Segur, St. Esephe, x750 $26.69 $75.40 $ SCORES: Robert Parker: 87-88?... REVIEWS: ROBERT PARKER says: This is a tannic, backward Calon-Segur with an impressively saturated dark ruby/purple color, and restrained, unyielding aromatics that offer up earth, dried herbs, black fruits, and smoke. The wine is tough-textured, yet well-concentrated, with medium body, and high tannin in the long finish. This traditionally made wine may reward those with patience. Anticipated maturity: Ch. Camensac, Haut Medoc, x750 $18.99 $53.65 $ SCORES: Wine Spectator: Bear Dalton: REVIEWS: THE WINE SPECTATOR says: Perfumed and captivating, with mineral, berry, currant and spice aromas. Medium-bodied, with well-knit tannins and a silky, caressing texture. Well made.... BEAR DALTON says: Medium-to-full-bodied with nicely chewy tannins under fine, juicy, dark berry-cabernet fruit. Well-structured with a really nice texture in the mouth. One of the very best 1998 Haut Medocs. Very Good+. Ch. Canon La Gaffeliere, St. Emilion Grand Cru, x750 $57.90 $ $ SCORES: Wine Spectator: Robert Parker: Bear Dalton: REVIEWS: THE WINE SPECTATOR says: Plenty of mineral, berry and dried cherry character. Medium-bodied, with fine tannins and a medium finish. A bit disappointing.... ROBERT PARKER says: One of Bordeaux s most exotic wines, the 1998 Canon-La-Gaffeliere is a blockbuster effort with a thick purple color and an exotic nose of roasted herbs, jammy black fruits, incense, pain grille, violets and coffee. It is an explosive, super-concentrated, highlyextracted St. Emilion with plenty of soft tannin. Rich and full-bodied, with a 40+ second finish, this multidimensional, flamboyant/ ostentatiously-styled wine will have many admirers, and will no doubt provoke controversy among those looking for subtlety and restraint. Anticipated maturity: BEAR DALTON says: Very soft and deceptively supple with lots of juicy, dark, ripe, lowacid fruit layered over soft, very ripe tannins and supple, dusty oak. Delicious and so rich it approached real decadence; almost too luscious in the mouth. Fine+. Ch. Canon, St. Emilion Grand Cru, x750 $44.90 $ $ SCORES: Wine Spectator: Robert Parker: Bear Dalton: REVIEWS: THE WINE SPECTATOR says: Elegant, but a bit disappointing for this estate. Medium-bodied. Slightly unripe and hard.... ROBERT PARKER says: The new owners have been struggling to get this beautifully-placed vineyard back on track, and the 1998 is a reassuring effort. While not profound, it is very good with a dark ruby color, sweet mineral and black cherry aromas, medium body, excellent purity and a fresh, vibrant, elegant style. Anticipated maturity: BEAR DALTON says: Ripe and rich with a softly juicy Cabernet-like cherry-berry fruit component, a nicely-balanced medium-weight style, and good length. The wine is supple and easy in the mouth. Very Good Ch. Cantemerle, Haut Medoc, x750 $21.30 $60.17 $ SCORES: Wine Spectator: Robert Parker: REVIEWS: THE WINE SPECTATOR says: Crushed berries with a leafy undertone. Full-bodied and chewy, with a medium finish. Needs a tiny bit more ripe fruit at midpalate to score outstanding.... ROBERT PARKER says: This is a fine effort from the southern Medoc. Although not powerful, I found its dark ruby/purple color and sweet nose of cassis, flowers, and truffles to be captivating. Medium-bodied, with no hard edges and a lush mid-palate, this low acid, moderately tannic wine should be drinkable between Ch. Carbonnieux, Graves Rouge, x750 $23.28 $65.77 $ SCORES: Wine Spectator: Robert Parker: Bear Dalton: REVIEWS: THE WINE SPECTATOR says: A polished, well-crafted young wine. Medium-bodied, with medium tannins and a caressing texture.... ROBERT PARKER says: Burgundian like in its open-knit, strawberry/cherry fruitiness, this medium-bodied, smoky, elegant, fruity wine is round, forward, and ideal for drinking over the next 7-10 years.... BEAR DALTON says: Plenty of ripe, juicy dark fruit supplemented with a nice minerality and good tobacco-tea-pepper-cedar Cabernet Sauvignon complexity. Good length with a fine lively mouth feel. Very good+. Ch. Certan de May Pomerol, Pricing not yet available. 12x750 SCORES: Wine Spectator: Robert Parker: REVIEWS: THE WINE SPECTATOR says: Subtle aromas of blackberries and spices lead to a full-bodied and very, very tannic wine that sneaks up on you and grabs you. Almost classic.... ROBERT PARKER says: A huge, powerfully tannic, backward wine that will require considerable patience, Certan de May s 1998 is a worthy rival to the still youthful, unevolved1982. The color is a dense purple. This wine was not easy to evaluate, but as it sat in the glass, its thickness and impressive credentials became obvious. Sweet cherry liqueur, kirsch, cassis, dried herbs, cedar, and toasty oak gradually emerge from the wine s restrained aronatics. The palate is inundated with exeptional concentration, ferocious tannin, and high levels of extract. This is one of the most backward wines of the vintage, but it appears to possess the intense concentration needed to match its tannin. Anticipated maturity: Ch. Chasse Spleen, Haut Medoc - Moulis, x750 $21.19 $59.86 $ Ch. Chasse Spleen, Haut Medoc - Moulis, Half Bottles 24x375 $11.72 $33.11 $ SCORES: Wine Spectator: Bear Dalton: REVIEWS: THE WINE SPECTATOR says: A pretty, balanced wine with blackberry, mineral and toasted oak character. Medium- to full-bodied, with well-integrated tannins and a chocolate aftertaste. Almost outstanding.... BEAR DALTON says: A blend of 65% Caberent Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and 10% Petite Verdot aged in 60% new oak, this Haut Medoc features lots of oaky flavors to go with the ample black fruit and ripe but chewy tannin. The wine is still coming together but it already shows a nice texture in the mouth with good length and weight. Very Good to Fine. Ch. Cheval Blanc, St. Emilion, x750 $ $ $1, SCORES: Wine Spectator: Robert Parker: Bear Dalton: REVIEWS: THE WINE SPECTATOR says: Exhibits amazing ripeness and power, yet great finesse at the same time. Full-bodied, with massive silky tannins and a long, long, fruity finish. Really superb the greatest young Cheval-Blanc I have ever tasted.... ROBERT PARKER says: Cheval Blanc harvested its Merlot in mid to late September, and the Cabernet Franc after the rains of September Yields were a modest 32 hectoliters per hectare, and approximately 72% of the production went into the grand vin. The 1998 s final blend was 52% Merlot and 48% Cabernet 9 (Continued on Page 10)

10 1998 BORDEAUX FUTURES OFFER (Continued from page 9) RED BORDEAUX PACKxSIZE BOTTLE 3-PACK CASE Franc. A beautifully made Cheval, it may be the finest effort since 1990, although it does not possess that vintage s over-ripeness and opulence. Nevertheless, it is an impressive, sweet, distinctive wine with a deep dark ruby/purple color, and aromas of blackberry liqueur, vanillin, coconut, and a touch of coffee. The 1998 is elegant and sweet, with surprisingly good fatness, medium body, and well-integrated, velvety tannin. This wine can be difficult to taste young (because of the high percentage of Cabernet Franc ), and often puts on considerable weight, meriting an even higher score after several years. That being said the 1998 performed extremely well for such a young Cheval Blanc. Anticipated maturity: BEAR DALTON says: This 1998 Cheval Blanc is one of the very top wines of the vintage. While it is not big or powerful, it shows a rare elegance and grace with superb balance. Like the best Lafites, it has an ethereal weightlessness in the mouth while at the same time satisfying you with its integration and finesse. So what does it taste like? To say that it features ripe, low-acid dark cherry-berry fruit with notes of tobacco, pepper, herbs, and tea doesn t begin to do it justice. Simply put, this is delicious wine. Outstanding. Ch. Cigault Cuvee Viva, Cotes de Blaye, x750 $17.74 $50.10 $ SCORES: Wine Spectator: REVIEWS: THE WINE SPECTATOR says: Very grapey and rich, with loads of black licorice. Full-bodied and velvety. Long, long finish. A tribute to this appellation and the vintage. Ch. Clerc Milon, Pauillac, x750 $36.15 $ $ SCORES: Wine Spectator: Robert Parker: Bear Dalton: REVIEWS: THE WINE SPECTATOR says: Mineral, berry and mint character on the nose grabs your attention. Full-bodied and very tannic, yet the tannins are refined and polished. Long finish. Clerc is the business in such a hard vintage; shows better now than Mouton.... ROBERT PARKER says: This property has been making fine wines lately, and they have achieved that goal again in 1998, a much more difficult vintage. The blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot has resulted in an opaque purple-colored offering with coplous quantities of licorice, coffee, dried herbs, black currants, and cherries in the complex aromatics. The wine is surprisingly huge in the mouth, with striking density, and far more power and tannin than most 1998 Paulliacs. Atypical for a Clerc-Milon, this larger-scaled effort will require time in the bottle. Anticipated maturity: BEAR DALTON says: A blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc, 33% Merlot, and 3% Petite Verdot aged in 30% new oak, this Clerc shows good ripe Cabernet character with some tobacco-green pepper-earth complexity on the nose that resolves to dark cherry and red berry fruit in the mouth. Not at all big but long and lively with a real elegance and a very nice, balanced feel in the mouth. Fine. Ch. Clinet, Pomerol, x750 $80.30 $ $ SCORES: Wine Spectator: Robert Parker: Bear Dalton: REVIEWS: THE WINE SPECTATOR says: Loads of coffee, toasted oak and berry aromas. Full-bodied and chewy, with chocolate and berry on the aftertaste, which needs a bit more ripe fruit. May move up a notch next year.... ROBERT PARKER says: Clinet is a challenging wine to evaluate at such a young age, as it often seens disjointed, tannic, and marked by lavish quantities of new oak. After its sojourn in cask and a year or so in bottle, it begins to strut its potential. The 1998 Client is a broodingly backward, oaky, full-bodied wine that was completely closed when I tasted it. It reveals admirable richness, a concentrated, full-bodied personality, high tannin, and intense extract. The color is opaque ruby/purple, and the nose offers scents of earth, truffles, oyster shells, pain grille, and jammy black fruits. In the mouth, the tannin dominates, but the wine s finish exibits sweet glycerin and intensity. Anticipated maturity: BEAR DALTON says: Big and juicy with loads of dark, juicy berry and plum fruit and fully ripe tannins. Rich but still lively and brilliantly balanced. Good length and weight with a really fine feel in the mouth. Fine+. Ch. Clos de l Oratoire, St. Emilion, x750 $37.30 $ $ SCORES: Wine Spectator: Robert Parker: Bear Dalton: REVIEWS: THE WINE SPECTATOR says: A firm 98, with lots of polished, cool tannins that are tightly knit, and a steely berry character. Medium- to full-bodied, with a long finish.... ROBERT PARKER says: This is an explosively rich, weighty, multi-textured wine with high tannin. This blockbuster effort needs to integrate some of its aggressive wood and tannin, but it has impressive concentration, richness, and palate presence. This estate has come of age since the young Count Von Neipperg took charge. Black/purple-colored, with stunning aromas of roasted herbs, jus de viande, licorice, and black fruits, this monster, massive 1998 should merit an outstanding score. Anticipated maturity: BEAR DALTON says: Juicy and ripe with pure, low-acid dark berry and plum fruit. The fruit, tannin, and wood are well integrated into a long, supple medium-weight, generous wine that feels great in the mouth. Fine. Ch. Clos Fourtet, St. Emilion, x750 $46.30 $ $ SCORES: Wine Spectator: Robert Parker: Bear Dalton: REVIEWS: THE WINE SPECTATOR says: Wonderful ripe fruit in this wine, with masses of berry, cherry and tobacco character. Full-bodied and tannic. Massive. Almost classic.... ROBERT PARKER says: An obvious, richly fruity style of St Emilion, Clos Fourtet is impeccably well-made. The ruby-colored 1998 is fruit-driven, medium-bodied, corpulent, and exuberant. Glorious fruit, sweet oak, and stony mineral scents make for an attractive wine that can be drunk immediately after bottling, as well as over the next years.... BEAR DALTON says: A nice sweetness in the forward fruit combines with the medium-firm tannins to make a balanced, even wine with good freshness and flavor. Already quite approachable. Very Good+. Ch. Clos St. Martin, St. Emilion, x750 $40.40 $ $ SCORES: Wine Spectator: Robert Parker: REVIEWS: THE WINE SPECTATOR says: Lovely blackberry aromas with hints of licorice. Full-bodied, thick and rich, with masses of fruit and tannins. Port-like. Really impressive. Watch this tiny estate in the future.... ROBERT PARKER says: Undeniably a sleeper of the vintage, Clos St Martin has fashioned a rich, multi-dimensional 1998, but sadly, there were only 600 cased produced. My tasting notes begin with a persuasive wow. It boasts a saturated black/purple color, in addition to thick, juicy, black fruit flavors with notes of minerals, smoky new oak, and dried herbs. Full-bodied and rich, with moderately high tannin, most of which is buried within its glycerin and extract level, this is an impressively rich, pure, intense wine that requires 4-5 years of cellaring. Anticipated maturity: