Bordeaux Recommendations

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Anything but Port, this includes all non-Port fortified wines even if they call themselves Port. There is a search facility for this part of the forum.
LGTrotter
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Re: Bordeaux Recommendations

Post by LGTrotter »

DRT wrote:Perhaps we can get this story on Rip-off Britain?
Claret isn't quite gritty enough. Start with 'Money-box Live'. Let's see if Vincent Duggleby can bore them into submission.
RPA
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Re: Bordeaux Recommendations

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Just got off the phone with BigBadBank after a pretty frustrating conversation. They attempted to tell me that they couldn't refund the money as I had a 'personal claim in the liquidation' and there was 'no instruction' to 'contact my credit card company' in the liquidator's letter. I in turn attempted to explain that this was irrelevant as there was an anticipatory breach under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act, so BigBadBank and En Primeur Ltd were equally responsible for delivery of the goods (or refunding of the money). The lady on the phone seemed to appreciate this, but continued to say that they couldn't refund the money and I had to go through the liquidation claim process myself, even though I kept saying 'Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act' until I was blue in the face. It wasn't until I said the exact words 'I would hereby like to make a claim under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act' that her tone suddenly changed entirely and she said 'oh, I didn't realise that's what you wanted to do, that is dealt with by a different department who I will transfer the dispute to immediately'.

Derek, I suggest you give your credit card company a call and spell this out for them if you haven't already - seems they will do their best to dance round this pretty powerful bit of legislation.
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DRT
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Re: Bordeaux Recommendations

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The credit I was promised yesterday has not yet appeared on my account. I have submitted a secure message through the bank's website. I want the rest of this conversation in writing, not read from a script by someone in Mumbai.
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
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djewesbury
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Re: Bordeaux Recommendations

Post by djewesbury »

RPA wrote:Just got off the phone with BigBadBank after a pretty frustrating conversation. They attempted to tell me that they couldn't refund the money as I had a 'personal claim in the liquidation' and there was 'no instruction' to 'contact my credit card company' in the liquidator's letter. I in turn attempted to explain that this was irrelevant as there was an anticipatory breach under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act, so BigBadBank and En Primeur Ltd were equally responsible for delivery of the goods (or refunding of the money). The lady on the phone seemed to appreciate this, but continued to say that they couldn't refund the money and I had to go through the liquidation claim process myself, even though I kept saying 'Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act' until I was blue in the face. It wasn't until I said the exact words 'I would hereby like to make a claim under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act' that her tone suddenly changed entirely and she said 'oh, I didn't realise that's what you wanted to do, that is dealt with by a different department who I will transfer the dispute to immediately'.

Derek, I suggest you give your credit card company a call and spell this out for them if you haven't already - seems they will do their best to dance round this pretty powerful bit of legislation.
Yes, until you actually use those words they will not do anything! The form letter on MoneySavingExpert is very useful (failure to link results from indolence).
Daniel J.
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DRT
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Re: Bordeaux Recommendations

Post by DRT »

Full amount now credited to me by BigBadBank.com.

In a flurry of excitement I might have bought two cases of this La Croix de Beaucaillou 2000.

Oops.
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DRT
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Re: Bordeaux Recommendations

Post by DRT »

I dropped by my local wine merchant today and picked-up the next three candidates for my continuing quest to taste different producers and vintages before buying cases...
2014-07-16 22.34.17.jpg
2014-07-16 22.34.17.jpg (34.93 KiB) Viewed 7593 times
Chateau Les Ormes de Pez 2000
Chateau Grand-Puy-Lacoste 2002
Chateau Balestard La Tonnelle 1986

Notes to follow in due course.
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
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Re: Bordeaux Recommendations

Post by RPA »

Derek, did you go the the Creditor's Meeting (avec or sans bat) yesterday?
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DRT
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Re: Bordeaux Recommendations

Post by DRT »

No, I couldn't free up the time from work.

But I did get a full refund from the CC company so am reasonably relaxed about what happens from here.

Hopefully we will hear from the solicitor again soon.
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
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Re: Bordeaux Recommendations

Post by RPA »

Indeed. My bank is still being a pain in the proverbial and slowing things down with paperwork and phone calls from Mumbai etc. I tried to call the insolvency practitioners earlier to find out if they'd even been formally appointed at the Creditor's meeting but helpfully the relevant person was on holiday. Hard to believe the day after something so pivotal but it is what it is.
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djewesbury
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Re: Bordeaux Recommendations

Post by djewesbury »

RPA wrote:Hard to believe the day after something so pivotal but it is what it is.
I could have predicted as much.
I'm sitting in Berlin waiting for a parcel to arrive. I've sat here all day. The online tracker at Deutsche Post says 'the recipient has been informed and the item is awaiting collection'. I have not been informed and do not know where it is waiting. The online tracker at DHL says that it is temporarily at their depot awaiting delivery. I cannot call as it's an automated system entirely in German (reasonable enough I suppose, but I'd like to speak to a human being who might have a chance of speaking English).
I expect my parcel to go on holiday tomorrow.
Daniel J.
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RPA
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Re: Bordeaux Recommendations

Post by RPA »

djewesbury wrote:
RPA wrote:Hard to believe the day after something so pivotal but it is what it is.
I could have predicted as much.
I'm sitting in Berlin waiting for a parcel to arrive. I've sat here all day. The online tracker at Deutsche Post says 'the recipient has been informed and the item is awaiting collection'. I have not been informed and do not know where it is waiting. The online tracker at DHL says that it is temporarily at their depot awaiting delivery. I cannot call as it's an automated system entirely in German (reasonable enough I suppose, but I'd like to speak to a human being who might have a chance of speaking English).
I expect my parcel to go on holiday tomorrow.
Surely there are at least a handful of friendly Germans in the vicinity who can lend a hand. Just say 'World Cup' a few times until you gain someone's attention. That is unless you're embarrased about the 'nutritious and delicious horse meat' label on the parcel.
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DRT
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Re: Bordeaux Recommendations

Post by DRT »

LGTrotter wrote:Although the money is annoying it must throw out your claret stash plans, which is sort of worse.
This comment was not wrong. I had a plan and it was partially scuppered. But other advice in this thread and the opportunity that this blip presented caused me to re-evaluate the plan.

So, out went 4 cases of 2011 and in came 2 cases of La Croix de Beaucillou 2000 and a case of magnums of Batailley 2005. The refund from the bank helped make the decision, but I think it was the right one. A few extra £££ might have changed hands, but not enough to get too stressed about.

The worst that can happen now is that four cases of 2011 miraculously turn up at Seckford Wines and I have to give the bank the money back.

All in all, a reasonably good outcome.
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
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LGTrotter
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Re: Bordeaux Recommendations

Post by LGTrotter »

Unless it's very cheap I'd pass, had it; a surly fellow with a chip on his shoulder.
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DRT
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Re: Bordeaux Recommendations

Post by DRT »

LGTrotter wrote:
Unless it's very cheap I'd pass, had it; a surly fellow with a chip on his shoulder.
:(

It was from BBR so was never going to be very cheap. I read the reviews and bought into it being unusual for its vintage in that it might be worth drinking.

Hey, ho. One does not learn from his successes.
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Re: Bordeaux Recommendations

Post by LGTrotter »

DRT wrote:
LGTrotter wrote:
Unless it's very cheap I'd pass, had it; a surly fellow with a chip on his shoulder.
:(

It was from BBR so was never going to be very cheap. I read the reviews and bought into it being unusual for its vintage in that it might be worth drinking.

Hey, ho. One does not learn from his successes.
It was a few years ago, maybe it was going through a 'phase' as they say. GPL is usually fantastic and reasonably priced.
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DRT
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Re: Bordeaux Recommendations

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I will report back.
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DRT
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Re: Bordeaux Recommendations

Post by DRT »

The Statement of Affairs of En Primeur Ltd arrived this morning. In summary, they have about £60k worth of realisable assets and £1.8m creditor debt. My £753.10 is unlikely to feature in the distribution of assets given the size of some of the other debts.

I suppose my only hope is that the cases I bought made it to a named account at LCB, which is unlikely otherwise I should not have appeared on the list of creditors.
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DRT
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Bordeaux Recommendations

Post by DRT »

As a result of my failed attempt to buy cases of 2011 I have made a strategic decision. My target time period for cellar accumulation is 1989 to 2009, classic years only.

I will not breach the upper end of that but will occasionally buy older at the right price.

For someone who is 49 years old does that sound like a reasonable strategy?

Is there any reason for me to buy wine younger than 2009?
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
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Re: Bordeaux Recommendations

Post by LGTrotter »

DRT wrote:As a result of my failed attempt to buy cases of 2011 I have made a strategic decision. My target time period for cellar accumulation is 1989 to 2009, classic years only.

I will not breach the upper end of that but will occasionally buy older at the right price.

For someone who is 49 years old does that sound like a reasonable strategy?

Is there any reason for me to buy wine younger than 2009?
If you got your money back on the 2011 you got lucky (in my opinion). It might be worth thinking about 2010, the classic years I would agree with. It may be just my lack of taste but I've had to many duds, or just dull wines from the inbetweener years.

Buying older wines will be wise now and then and cheer Alex up.

C'mon, 49? Still in denial.

I have found I quite like young claret before it shus up shop at about 8ish years old. I know I am missing out on the wisdom of age but there you are, maybe a few youngsters, just to try.
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DRT
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Re: Bordeaux Recommendations

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Sage advice. It's why I come here so that you old boys can teach me the ropes.

Does 2010 have anything that 2009 doesn't?
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Re: Bordeaux Recommendations

Post by LGTrotter »

Tried a few of each, I wonder if the 2010, despite being praised to the rafters, is a bit stern. Reluctant as I am to allay myself with Parker I think he might be right that hard wines don't always blossom into something wonderful. Others may feel differently.
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DRT
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Re: Bordeaux Recommendations

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My approach to the 2009/2010 debate is quite simple. I have to draw a line somewhere to avoid spending too much cash on wines that might not expire before I do. 2009 seems as good a place to draw that line as any. I will continue to excerpt the full force of my legendary willpower to avoid buying 2010.
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djewesbury
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Re: Bordeaux Recommendations

Post by djewesbury »

Spurning Owen's advice to look at the 2005 onwards, I just bought 12 Fourcas Hosten 2004, because they were £125 delivered to my door.
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djewesbury
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Re: Bordeaux Recommendations

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djewesbury wrote:Spurning Owen's advice to look at the 2005 onwards, I just bought 12 Fourcas Hosten 2004, because they were £125 delivered to my door.
Jim Nicholson Wines, [url=http://blog.jnwine.com/post/Forecast-fine-drinking-ahead.aspx]here[/url], wrote:This is great value and I am so delighted with the quality that in the unlikely event you are not completely satisfied I am happy to offer a refund for your first bottle and take back any unopened bottles. Our price is around 33% less than the general market. Hurry! Only 600 bottles available.
Reassured by this guarantee, I hurried.
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mosesbotbol
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Re: Bordeaux Recommendations

Post by mosesbotbol »

DRT wrote:My approach to the 2009/2010 debate is quite simple. I have to draw a line somewhere to avoid spending too much cash on wines that might not expire before I do. 2009 seems as good a place to draw that line as any. I will continue to excerpt the full force of my legendary willpower to avoid buying 2010.
Been trying to keep BDX case purchases at 2000 or 2005 vintages unless it is stealing candy from a baby kind of prices.
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