pre phylloxera Lafite is likely vinegar unless it has been very well cared for. no guarantee of that!

if you want terrific pre phylloxera Bordeaux style wines, try Chilean reds. the vinivultural heart of Chile has never been touched by phylloxera and the difference is tasteable.

the Pauillacs and St Juliens you mention are of course endorsable and delightful. Mouton, Lafite, and Margaux are all overpriced, i agree. Haut Brion is not. but it must be enjoyed over many hours for its subtley and complexity to be revealed.

http://www.aabalat.com/stores/item.cfm/storeID/143/lotID/1297753

above $400 for the bigger one, lol

2004 chave hermitage blanc magnum

csj!

Most of you know who I am

I just wanted to write under an alias so its not searchable under my real name.
I need to buy a nice bottle of wine for a VERY good friend who reads the board sometimes...he knows his wine and I am afraid I am not quite as versed. It's his hobby so to speak...he collects wine from all over and has a wine cellar in his house. I can tell you alot about horses but alas, my wine knowledge would not fill a martini glass And my drink of choice *is* the classic martini...blame it on Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin and Madmen.
If any of you know of the top of the line in red wines for his cellar...something that will wow him, please list it here or PM me. With the holidays coming I am at a loss!
Many Thanks
C

...win a prize if you guess my name  this time...you will win one if I use your suggestion....again, many thanks to all you wine enthusiasts
(links are very good with this one)

They will have something there that will "WOW" him.  Expect to pay somewhere between $100 and $150 for a really good wine.

I was thinking in the 400 dollar range. I should have listed the amount, sorry.

I found this place on my way to BWI to see a provider years ago... For me they have an real selection and the prices are worth the drive...

my 2 cents

My Pick is a Dominus 97'

i don't think you could do better than a 1995 or 1999 Chateau Haut Brion. you can do equally well with other choices, but not better.

the 1999 ranges from $350-$450 depending on where you get it.

it has higher ratio of merlot to cabernet sauvignon grapes than other great Bordeaux wines. practically what that means is that you won't have to wait 20 years from vintage date for it to peak.

not VIP, no PMs.

would be a very impressive gift, but at a factor of 100 above her prive range.... LOL!

prices

I liked the suggestion of the Far Niente, but consider some alternatives too:

Screaming Eagle 2005 (I think that's the next to last year Heidi Barrett made the wine) is amazing wine. The mouth-feel alone is almost as good as sex and the finish lasts for nearly a minute. That's about a thousand dollar bottle.

SeaSmoke Southing 2004 may be the best Pinot Noir I've ever tasted - subtle and delicate - more of a "Michelle Pfeiffer" wine than an "Anna Nicole Smith" wine. You could maybe find that for as little as 150 a bottle - wine searcher.com would help you out there, I think.

Finally, I found the Henri Bonneau 2001 Chateauneuf du Pape - Celestins a truly magnificent red. It's a pretty straightforward Grenache/Syrah/Mourvedre blend, with I believe just a dash of Viognier (remarkably, this is allowed). MacArthur Wines, in Georgetown, had a bottle of this for around 450 if I recall and I didn't buy it although I wanted to.

So there's a Bordeaux, a Burgundy, and a Rhone - I'm sure there's something in there for the gentleman's palate. Hope one of these hits the mark.

Please avoid merging over into the lane of insanity to purchase pre phylloxera wine with a 19th century vintage. even if Lafite has one in their cave, it probably is a billionaire's vinegar.
great Cabernet Sauvignon from California can be had in the 60-150 dollar range. Quintessa   (Napa) 2000 and 2007....Coppola Rubicon 2006....Staglin Cabernet 2007.

France also has a great selection....Chateau Lynch Bages Pauillac 2007....Chateuax Leoville Barton St Julien 2005... a good year for this winery.....Mouton Rothschild Pauillac  is overpriced and overater..... So is Chateua Margaux at over a thousand dollars a bottle... that would give me a heart burn...
Don't shop for expensive wines, shop for great wines that are enjoyable and reasonably prices.. But then, everything is relative...
Happy shopping..

Clos Du Bois, Briarcrest it's a cabernet! French wine..... french name like Colette Moreau, hmmm

Caymus cabernet ...a California vineyard  Could be a 100 rating on it but will be close to the same in price
No one can resisit this award winner. It's what a true cab is all about and you will impress your friend.

As for who you are well I jsut don't know but would love to have a drink and more some time

problem is thats white

Posted By: Drunk³

above $400 for the bigger one, lol

2004 chave hermitage blanc magnum

csj!

thanks

would love to order online and have it shipped to him

Cladius, I agree, Chile has produced some very good bordeaux style wines; also not to be overlooked is the Pizano Estate in Uruguay that uses the tannat grape originally a mainstay in Southern France. The root stock found it's way to South America before the Phylloxera infestation; blended with the merlot it is a very good wine. Haut Brion 2005 is a wonderful vintage..... I wholeheartedly endorse your choice.

Guigal La Landonne Cote Rotie 2007
Syrah/Shiraz from Cote Rotie, Rhone, France  

Wine.com ranked it 2nd on the Fine Wine > Red Wine List sorted by Top Rated (See comments and some scoring down below).

Although price doesn't and shouldn't determine a good quality wine, the ratings by top wine reviewers should be taken into consideration and then you can look at the prices. It begs the question, if a $250 bottle of wine and a $1500+ bottle of wine score the same, which is better. Well it is an individual opinion based on personal preference versus how much it costs. On this list of top rated fine red wines, seven of the top 8 on this list are between $999 - $2999 and this wine I am suggesting ranked 2nd at $500 (on sale for $399) but I found it on other sites between $249 - $650 online depending on where you buy it.

This online store in New York has it for $295: http://zachys.com/retail/ProductView.aspx?R=343109&N=4294967254+4294966879+12&Ny=64

This link shows more US and International locations to purchase. The only lower priced one in the US ($249) says Pre-Arrival so you would want to call to see if it is in. Otherwise it might not be worth risking to get it in time for the holidays. http://www.wine-searcher.com/find/e+guigal+la+mouline+cote+rotie+rhone+france/2007

Information about the wine:
Ratings out of 100
100 - Robert Parker's - The Wine Advocate
97 - Wine Spectator
97 - Stephen Tanzer's - International Wine Cellar

winemaker's notes:
A 2.1 hectare site planted entirely with Syrah, La Landonne has been produced since 1978. Guigal acquired the vineyard from numerous small owners, building his holding parcel by parcel over a decade. The vineyard is on one of the steepest of the Côte Brune, a 45 degree slope on pure schist. This is often the most tannic and structured of the Cote Roties, and can take decades to reveal its true potential.

critical acclaim:
"An absolute monster as well as a candidate for perfection, the 2007 Cote Rotie La Landonne was vinified with 100% stems (whereas the 2007 La Turque was completely destemmed). The result is an opaque purple-colored wine displaying beautiful aromas of camphor, incense, balsamic notes, blackberries, cassis and an ethereal, subtle graphite character. Terrific intensity, a full-bodied mouthfeel and stunning length make for an exquisite wine that will benefit from 4-5 years of cellaring, and last for 40-50 years. 98-100 Points "
100 Points
The Wine Advocate

"This is very backward, with smoldering tobacco and charcoal up front, holding the dense core of black currant, anise and hoisin sauce at bay for now. Sage, sweet tapenade and bittersweet cocoa all roll as the grip takes over on the back end. Terrifically gutsy, with a charcoal- and singed iron-filled finish. Best from 2013 through 2026."
97 Points
Wine Spectator

"Glass-staining purple. The wildest and most exotic nose of this set of '07s, offering dark berry preserves, cherry-cola, tarragon and incense along with slow-building notes of black pepper and Asian spices. The sweet, palate-staining black raspberry and cherry compote flavors are enlivened by juicy acidity and framed by velvety tannins that are quickly absorbed by the fruit. Finishes with superb clarity and persistent notes of floral pastilles and allspice. 94-97 Points"
97 Points
International Wine Cellar

Nice price tag

Have a great online site?

I am thoroughly confused now. Nothing is easy it seems....hes Italian so I am thinking an Italian wine..but maybe not? He has a wine cellar with so many different wines that who knows where to start.

so basically what your saying is I don't need to spend too much to make him happy if hes into wine ?

the site below has it at a good price.

i usually use wine.com or wine-searcher.com

but in this case, for the Haut Brion, this price is quite good.

amazing amount of info..thank you very much

I think they have a red kind too.

Personally, I don't usually buy the high-end expensive stuff unless a provider cancels on me and money fell on my lap that day. lol  Occasionally, I do get the $300 ~ $400 bottles but I much rather prefer getting 20 bottles that cost $15 ~ $20 each.  

I'd take 20 kendel jackson cabernet over 1 expensive vintage any day.

Quantity over quality!

They also have Rouge (red)

Ah, then for an Italian gent one might try the Piero Antinori 2006 Solaia Super Tuscan. It's a cab/sangiovese blend that goes brilliantly with northern Italian food, veal, Parma ham -- I had it with lamb recently and it really impressed everyone at the table.

It's also available at MacArthurs (http://www.bassins.com/wine/italy/toscano.php), item 51202. Enjoy!