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- boxshop - 02-17-2003
I just purchased(at a charity auction) a bottle of 1981 Vieux Chateau Certan and a 1988 Chateau Cantermerle,and am wondering if they need to be consumed by a particular time,what food best goes with these, and a value on them.It was stated that the wine had been properly stored. Thanks for your help.
- mrdutton - 02-17-2003
I was able to get more information on the 1981 Vieux Chateau Certan than on the other.
The Vieux Cht. Certan is a Pomerol. The chateau is next door to Cht. Petrus which the most famous of the Pomerols. The Vieux Cht. Certan used to be the top notch Pomerol but they lost that distinction in 1875 or so. They lost their position to Petrus.
The wine is 85% merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc.
The bottle from 1981 vintage which was an average vintage year for Bordeaux is worth between $50.00 and $80.00 by my best guestimation. (I compared prices of other Certan vintages around that year. I could not find a specific price reference to the 1981 during my brief research.)
The 1988 Chateau Cantermerle is a Haut-Medoc. I was not able to find a web address for the winery. I found an auction site that had a bottle of 1988 for sale starting at $49.00. I did find references to other vintages that sold in the $70.00 to $80.00 range per bottle for vintages surrounding 1988.
1988 was an excellent year for Bordeaux wines. 1981 was an average year for Bordeaux wines.
The vintage chart I used suggests that the 1988 is ready to drink now and posts a "drink soon" recommendation. For the 1981 the vintage chart suggested that the wine might be past its peak and should also be drunk soon.
[This message has been edited by mrdutton (edited 02-17-2003).]
- hotwine - 02-17-2003
Agree with MrD on the Cantermerle. One retailer in the U.K. is offering the '88 at about $60/bottle, case price. I wouldn't sit on it much longer; fire up the barbie and toast some BEEF to enjoy with it (rare, of course.... if the steer turns around and looks at you when you raise the knife, it's just about done.)