[imcarthur]

If you are serious about Bordeaux, at some point you might want to look into buying futures or En Primeur. The critics taste the vintage in early spring & publish their results - like that Decanter link. You place your order with a retailer who accepts futures orders & pay 50% of the price. At this point, the wine is still at the chateau in barrels. It is delivered about 2 years later & you pay the balance. For example: I bought my 2005s in mid-2006 & I will take delivery in June or July 2008.

I find that it's the best way to buy the chateaux that I want. As for the price - that's why they call them futures. Sometimes when the bottles hit the shelves, the price is slightly higher & sometimes it's lower. Never by much. My retailer (the LCBO of Ontario) allows lots as small as 3 bottles, so I find that it's a great way to get a nice selection without the fuss. I've been doing this since the 1999 vintage.

Ian