WTN: Chateau Vieux Telegraphe CDP 2000

[docsconz]

This was a gorgeous, superbly balanced wine with plenty of rich, deep fruit and the acidity to balance it. The tannins were seemless. My mouth is watering with the memory of it.

This is in contrast to how I felt about this.

[Mark Sommelier]

I agree, the 2000 is utterly delicious and full of character. The 2001 has just been released and is cut from the same mold. This is one of my favorite CNDPs.

[JudyB]

This is only vaguely related to the comments here, but do you have any opinion on the quality of half-bottles compared with a full size bottle?

The reason that I ask is that we had a very nice Vieux Telegraphe CDP 1998 while in France. (See Duncan's review of La Prévôté here).

The odd thing was that the half-bottle was less than half the price of the full bottle (€29 vs €84).

Does this make sense? Or were we just lucky that the restaurant was trying to get rid of its stock of the half-bottles?

[docsconz]

My understanding is the bottle size affects the maturation of the wine, i.e. the larger the bottle the slower the maturation. 375ml bottles therefore should mature a little faster and not have as great an aging potential. Larger format bottles, therefore have a theoreticallyn greater aging potential. On the other hand it is more expensive to bottle and package smaller bottles. My purchasing experience has generally been that 375ml bottles are usually slightly more than half the price of the 750's.

[futronic]

Judy,

I think you were just lucky. Generally speaking, not many people buy splits at restaurants, but if you're having multiple courses, I think it's always a nice option to have. At that price, you should have bought some to take home!

[Mark Sommelier]

My understanding is the bottle size affects the maturation of the wine, i.e. the larger the bottle the slower the maturation. 375ml bottles therefore should mature a little faster and not have as great an aging potential. Larger format bottles, therefore have a theoreticallyn greater aging potential. On the other hand it is more expensive to bottle and package smaller bottles. My purchasing experience has generally been that 375ml bottles are usually slightly more than half the price of the 750's.

Oddly enough, large format bottles from California producers usually cost more than the equal number of 750 ml. bottles. They charge you for the glass.

[docsconz]

My understanding is the bottle size affects the maturation of the wine, i.e. the larger the bottle the slower the maturation. 375ml bottles therefore should mature a little faster and not have as great an aging potential. Larger format bottles, therefore have a theoreticallyn greater aging potential. On the other hand it is more expensive to bottle and package smaller bottles. My purchasing experience has generally been that 375ml bottles are usually slightly more than half the price of the 750's.

Oddly enough, large format bottles from California producers usually cost more than the equal number of 750 ml. bottles. They charge you for the glass.

Larger format bottles are also generally more expensive because of their relative rarity and perceived value to collectors. The larger the bottle the more true this is for both your reasons and mine.