Further guidance to second labels: the frisson of seeing a name like Lafite or Latour or Haute Brion on the bottle and what you should (cautiously) expect in your glass.
France: Bordeaux Second Labels, Part 2
Second labels from the chateaux of Bordeaux can be intriguing. After all, some of the most august names in the world of wine are printed on the label. It quickens the expectations of course but in reality it should not lead you to anticipate too much. The reason is that while some variation of the luxury brand name is there in print, what is in the bottle is simply not the estate’s best quality wine.
But if you choose correctly, you may be dealing with their next best quality—and that’s not bad. In fact, it can be very good, even potentially be a knockout wine—at relatively reasonable cost. It is fun to read something luscious and extravagant like Latour on the bottle. (And I confidently recommend their second label, Les Forts de Latour.) But the proof is in what you drink and what you pay. From my consumer view, it unquestionably comes down to quality and value for the money.
Last week I looked at Bordeaux second labels in a general way, and this week I am evaluating a few of them. My guide to this complicated precinct of the wine world was Jacques Franey of Franey’s Wine & Liquor. And, believe me, a guide is necessary. There are more than 250 secondary labels in Bordeaux, as well as an array of vintages. Only a handful of these might be imported and available at any one store but it is still hard to decipher. If you decide to experiment put yourself in the hands of a reliable wine merchant.
Unlike the great Bordeaux primary labels in important vintages, which might not mature for a decade or two, second labels generally do not have the profound characteristics that improve with age. Some aging might mellow them and occasional important exceptions exist. In general however they should be drunk within a few years of release. This is clearly an advantage for everyday drinking.
The famed Lafite-Rothschild estate produces a second label that is widely respected by wine experts. While you should not expect anything like the glory of a mature Lafite, you should experience something rich and supple with a pleasing complexity. The 1999 Carruades de Lafite sells for $35 at Franey. Is it worth $35 in comparison, say, to the 1999 Lafite-Rothschild first label, which would cost about $200? I think so. Haut-Brion, another legendary name, has one of the most ambitious and successful second labels, Bahans-Haut-Brion. Several of these vintages can probably compete with actual first growth Bordeaux. Mr. Franey recommends the 1999 vintage, which they sell for $35. Look for intimations of Haut Brion characteristics: layered complexity, rich, concentrated fruit, voluptuous ripeness, and great finesse.
Other Bahans-Haut-Brion vintages from 1996 to 1999 sell for between $33 and $40, some at Franey, some at other stores, while the 2000 vintage sells for about $50. Considering that Haut-Brion first labels are among the best wines anywhere and are priced at hundreds of dollars per bottle you might find a reasonably priced sneak preview in the second label. It’s happened to me.
Reserve de la Comtesse, a second label from Pichon-Longueville-Comtesse de Lalande, is also considered among the leaders in its field. It might be a hard wine to find, but if you can find the 1997, at about $22, or the 1998, at about $24, give it a try. I have not tasted either one but based on my research and Mr. Franey’s judgment both offer great promise at moderate prices.
I must caution that many second labels can be quite ordinary. It is not an automatic passport to value or excellence. But I think it is well worth doing a little experimenting—the financial outlay is not overwhelming—and perhaps finding a treasure that appeals to your taste and your budget as well as to that understandable part of the wine snob in all of us.
