Pomerol
Pétrus
Pétrus comes from about 11.5 hectares in Pomerol. The vineyard sits on a dense clay, often called blue clay, that is very rare in Bordeaux. The wine is made from Merlot. Production is around 30,000 bottles a year. The estate has been in the Moueix family's hands since the 1960s.
Small production and steady demand keep Pétrus among the most traded wines in the world. Counterfeiting follows naturally. Each bottle needs its storage history and condition checked.
Le Pin
Le Pin is younger and smaller still. Jacques Thienpont acquired the property at the end of the 1970s, and the 1979 was the first vintage. The vineyard began at about one hectare and has grown through neighbouring purchases to around 2.7. The wine is Merlot. Production is tiny, and the most celebrated vintages rarely appear.
Grand Cru Burgundy
Burgundy's Grand Cru vineyards are small, and many are divided between several owners. Some are monopoles, held by a single domaine. Romanée-Conti, the best known, is a monopole of 1.8 hectares in Vosne-Romanée. It produces an average of about 450 cases a year.
That scarcity makes old Burgundy a target for fraud. The best-known case is Rudy Kurniawan, convicted in New York in December 2013. One exposed episode involved bottles consigned as Domaine Ponsot Clos Saint-Denis from vintages 1945 to 1971. The domaine had not made that wine before 1982. The lots were withdrawn.
For Burgundy we pay particular attention to labels, capsules and corks. Above all, the chain of ownership must make sense.
Napa cult Cabernet
Screaming Eagle
Jean Phillips bought the Oakville property in 1986. The 1992 vintage, the first, made the estate's name. Early releases went to mailing-list members. The mailing list remains the main route for new releases, and older vintages trade on the secondary market.
Harlan Estate
Bill Harlan founded Harlan Estate in 1984 in the western hills of Oakville. The 1990 was the first commercial vintage. It was released in 1996.
We also handle other Napa estates whose wines are allocated mainly through mailing lists. The secondary market is the only practical route for most buyers.
What we check
- Provenance. We want to know who has owned the wine and where it has been stored. Wine bought on release and kept in professional storage since is the strongest case.
- Storage. We check for evidence of temperature-controlled, professional storage, and ask for bond or warehouse records where available.
- Fill level and ullage. We look at how far the wine has dropped, measured against what is normal for its age.
- Capsule, cork and label. We check for seepage, staining, signs of tampering, and printing consistent with the vintage.
- Original wooden case. Where it exists, and whether it is sealed.
Selling wine
If you are selling, send photographs of each bottle (front, back, capsule and fill level) together with your storage history and any purchase records. We assess the wine and set out the options plainly. We may buy or place privately, or tell you honestly if an auction would serve you better. The process mirrors Sell your whisky.
Sources
- Pétrus: 11.5 ha, blue clay, Merlot, about 30,000 bottles a year, Moueix ownership from the 1960s: Decanter, Producer profile: Pétrus www.decanter.com (opens in a new tab)
- Le Pin: bought by Jacques Thienpont, first vintage 1979, 1 ha expanded to 2.7 ha, Merlot, tiny production: Lea & Sandeman leaandsandeman.co.uk (opens in a new tab)
- Romanée-Conti: monopole, 1.8 ha, Vosne-Romanée, average about 450 cases: Wikipedia, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti en.wikipedia.org (opens in a new tab)
- Kurniawan conviction (18 Dec 2013) and the Ponsot Clos Saint-Denis episode: Wikipedia, Rudy Kurniawan en.wikipedia.org (opens in a new tab)
- Screaming Eagle: Jean Phillips 1986, first vintage 1992, Oakville, mailing list: The Wine Cellar Insider www.thewinecellarinsider.com (opens in a new tab)
- Harlan Estate: founded 1984, western hills of Oakville, 1990 first commercial vintage released 1996: Wikipedia, Harlan Estate en.wikipedia.org (opens in a new tab)