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Checking Out Vintages’ Discounted Classics
Sauternes is a safe bet!
© Michael Vaughan 2002
National Post Weekly Wine & Spirits Columnist
National Post • Saturday, February 23, 2002

Today is the great Vintages sale day and people were lined up early this morning trying to bag some discounted Vintages products. In addition, some 136 Classics Catalogue items also appear in the eight page 415-item Vintages sale list.

I was surprised to discover that some 50 Classics products on sale appear in the just printed Winter 2002 Catalogue. Surely this raises the bar of confusion for Ontario shoppers. Why discount items that have already been sold at a higher price? In all fairness, almost all of these items have already appeared in previous Classics releases (many from the recent Winter 2001 catalogue), so they are not exactly new. 

While a few customers have been returning some now-discounted recent purchases to the LCBO, there’s no need to panic. Classics Director Lloyd Evans assures me that all orders placed earlier this month (at higher prices) will be billed at the lower sales prices.

Unfortunately, one small detail has been overlooked.  The 50 current Classics items have been lumped together with regular Vintages products. To clarify matters, a separate list of current Classics items is posted on my website. After calling around just two days ago, I found bits of these Classics items scattered around here and there.  The LCBO Infoline 416-365-5900 is best source of finding the item you want. To see the two lists of current Classics On Sale Press Here

It’s hard to determine what the bargains are because many of these Classics have never been tasted or were released a long time ago.  One of my favourite dessert wines Sauternes, has not moved well and is a pretty good bet. Nine are featured at today’s sale. If fact all four products listed in the current Classics catalogue have been previously released and three are up for sale along with a great Barsac the 1997 Cru Barrejats Blanc which is reduced from $59 to $45 for a 500 ml bottle.

Some have been kicking around for a long time. When I pre-tasted the 1996 Chateau Haut Bergeron at $29 per half bottle, for instance, I was most impressed. A 1998 international gold medal winner, this delicious Sauternes had a deep gold colour and terrific, spicy, rich, sweet Seville orange marmalade flavours that went on and on. 

It was a good buy at the $29.00 price and should be a bargain at $21.00.  Trouble is, that was almost two years ago and wines change. Fortunately, the high sugar levels combined with good acidity will enable most Sauternes to survive gracefully for many years. In addition to store inventory, only 96 bottles remained in the warehouse as of last Saturday.  And while I haven’t tasted 1997 Chateau Haut Bergeron, which is sale priced at $19.00 from the current Classics catalogue, this vintage rates very highly with excellent acidity.

Of course, all this sale madness also reduces the LCBO’s ability to move some of its regular-priced items. What is happening is that the LCBO wants to shift its inventory from the Peel warehouse (near 427 and Airport Road), which is being closed, into your basement and/or closet.  It’s hard to say whether this sale strategy will work, as consumption will certainly not explode just because some wines are now cheaper than before. 

Also, before you get too exited, let me assure you that an inferior discounted wine is not necessarily a bargain.  I would rather pay the full price for something I want to drink, as opposed to a mediocre sale-priced wine. 

Keep in mind that drinkability (not simply a high rating) is everything. At the Classics Preview earlier this month, I was working my way through 1999 Rhone reds and tasted the Paul Jaboulet 1999 Hermitage La Chapelle at $99.00.  It seemed to be rather shy for the price.  Next to it, at a fraction of the price sat Paul Jaboulet 1999 Saint-Joseph Grand Pompée, which was absolutely delicious with gently smoky, dark cherry and ripe plum purée flavours.  The Classics tasting note “tight, restrained, austere…” was not exactly reassuring.  And yet, after tasting two separate bottles, I realize that this wine’s time has come and that none of these descriptives, or lowly score quoted, was currently relevant! At only $22, it’s showing nicely and not on sale. [Note that a third lab tasting, yesterday, suggested that while it may benefit from further evolution, this Saint-Joseph is not particularly fat nor  fleshy.  If you enjoy Rhone smoke, then this is for you.]

Thus, you don’t have to be overly depressed if you miss out on something – there is no shortage of fine wine to enjoy.  Also prepare yourself for the LCBO’s first ever warehouse sale, which is scheduled to take place March 9^th and 10^th at the Peel warehouse and will focus on all unsold residual inventory (currently estimated at150 items).  

Coming up:  For first growth Bordeaux fans, LCBO wine consultant Angelo Bean will be conducting a horizontal 1998 tasting of Mouton Rothschild, Latour, Margaux, Haut Brion and Lafite. It all takes place at the newly renovated LCBO store at 2948 Bloor Street West (at Royal York Road) on Wednesday, February 27^th at 6:30 for $125.  To reserve, call 416-239-3066.

Next weekend is Cuvée En Route 2002. One of many events worth exploring takes place at Henry of Pelham where the Speck brothers conduct a tasting of their 2000/2001 Reserve Baco Noir along with a comparative tasting of French and American oak barrels. It takes place at 1 pm on Saturday, March 2nd and Sunday, March 3rd - call 905—684-8423. Also, tickets still remain for the Cuvée 2002 Gala on Fiday, March 1st at at Queen's Landing Inn in Niagara-0n-the-Lakethe from 7:30 pm to 11:00 pm at $175.00 per person - call 1-905-685-4577.

Copyright Food & Beverage Testing Institute of Canada 2004
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Contact Michael Vaughan at
mbv@total.net