Haut Charmes Sauternes

[hhlodesign]

Here's the sales pitch I got from J.J. Buckley this morning:

Have you ever heard of a famous Chateau selling excess barrels of wine for someone else to bottle under a different label? We certainly haven’t. That would be crazy – a top flight Sauternes found for a fraction of the price under a different label – who would do such a thing? And in 2003 – a great Bordeaux year – that’s just nuts! A wine that normally goes for $250 a bottle available for only $25 – one tenth the price? Someone must have lost their job for that.

This wine comes from a Chateau’s younger vines that are not ready to be integrated into the final blend. In a couple years, you will be paying $250+ for wine from these same vines. The unnamed Chateau actually made the wine – they didn’t just sell the grapes. The buyer just bottled, labeled, and sold the wine.

We can’t say more (nudge, nudge, wink, wink) – but buy one bottle, try it, then hope we have more left. Or if you are smart, pick it up by the case now.

Half bottles and bottles available. 2003 and 2004. In stock, ready to ship.

·        2003 Haut Charmes 375ml - $11.99

·        2003 Haut Charmes 750ml - $20.99

·        2004 Haut Charmes 750ml - $20.99

Anyone heard of this? Is this Yquem? Is this too good to be true?

[Daniel Rogov]

Let's put it this way: If this is a second, third or even fourth wine of Chateau d'Yquem, I am the reincarnation of Thomas Jefferson.

I have not tasted wines under this label but the ad offends me by what I perceive as its out-and-out vulgarity. I don't want wine merchants hinting and winking. I think clients are entitled to more realistic facts.

Perhaps worth trying a 375 ml. bottle just to see what the wine is all about and then deciding whether you want more. If you do follow-up, let us know. Curioser and curiosier.....

[JohnL]

It is possible that a "famous" chateau did sell off some grapes/wine to some import/export entity. often grapes/wine deemed not worthy of a specific label are sold off in bulk. For obvious reasons the chateau or property would not want to be associated with any such wine.

Enter the retailers or importer who like to tantalize people with a wink and a nod.

Though these wines are usually inexpensive there is often a lot of profit to whomever is selling them.

As always, it is in the glass what counts and some of these wines can be good and good bargains. I would ignore the hype--it doesn't matter where the wine or the grapes came from the only thing that counts is how the wine tastes.

"Clever" marketing of wines has been around forever!

ever spent a fortune on a Grand Cru burgundy and have something barely worthy of a village wine in your glass!!!???