5 Phenomenal Wines to Invest In Right Now
When you think of summertime, you might think of yourself on your back porch sipping a cool glass of white wine, or perhaps a fruity red sangria.
But surprisingly, there are many of us looking to grow our wine collection rather than pop open a bottle to drink now. In fact, wine collectors are more common than you think. If you happen to have an extra bottle or two squirreled away in your basement that you have been saving for a special occasion, then congratulations, technically speaking you too are a wine collector.
Collectors of all kinds can look to the inspiring Rare & Fine Wine Department at Leland Little Auctions. The department has grown to become the largest in the mid-Atlantic & Southeastern United States, giving collectors from around the world the opportunity to acquire and consign the kinds of scarce and highly sought-after bottles typically not seen outside of major cities.
On June 16th, Leland Little Auctions will hold ones of its most unique and impressive Rare & Fine Wine Auctions to date. As we lead up to the event, Mark Solomon, Rare & Fine Wine Director at Leland, sat down with us to choose his personal favorites based on the love he has for the quality of these wines.
Lot 2006, Vintage 1991, Richebourg, Domaine Leroy, Leland Little (June 16)
“At heart, I am a Burgundy drinker. Burgundy is the name of a wine region in France and is considered the best money can buy, which is why they are some of the most expensive in the world,” says Solomon. “Red Burgundy is wine that is made out of Pinot Noir grapes while White Burgundy is made from 100 percent Chardonnay grapes. Richebourg, which literally means ‘rich town,’ is considered to be among the most lavish wines from Vosne-Romanee, a famed Burgundy village. And Domaine Leroy is considered one of the greatest estates in Burgundy. The 1991 Richebourg Domaine Leroy is one of those wines where all of the right conditions have come together to produce some of the most magical fermented grape juice ever made.”
“This wine has the perfect balance of red berry fruit and tannins as well as a wonderful texture. An elegant example of what a French Burgundy should taste like.”
Lot 2011, Vintage 1996, Chambolle Musigny, Premier Cru, Comte Georges de Vogue,
Leland Little (June 16)
“Comte Georges de Vogue is another one of those estates in Burgundy known for making graceful and magnificent wines. The Chambolle-Musigny region is often regarded as the most ‘feminine’ wine of the Cote de Nuits, and its intensity expresses itself with elegance and subtlety. This particular vintage is an excellent example, with delicate red cherry and raspberry flavors displaying in a restrained manner.”
Lot 2045, Vintage 1990, Chateau Margaux, Margaux, Leland Little (June 16)
“Like Burgundy, the Bordeaux region in France is one of the most famous and highly coveted places in the world to find the most seductive wines. Red Bordeaux is a red wine made from blending Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes (and others) together. In Bordeaux the Gironde estuary slices through the center of the region creating two banks: a Left Bank and a Right Bank. If an estate happens to be located on the Left Bank, a blend of wine will be created having more Cabernet Sauvignon grapes than Merlot. If an estate happens to be located on the Right Bank, a blend will be created having more Merlot than Cabernet Sauvignon.”
“The 1990 Chateau Margaux is a Left Bank wine located in a small area of the same name (i.e., Margaux). Chateau Margaux is an 800-year-old estate and among the top Margaux producers. On a trip to Bordeaux, Thomas Jefferson suggested that Chateau Margaux was a particularly good manufacturer of wine. The 1990 Chateau Margaux is one of those ‘once in a lifetime’ wines with a gigantic nose, intense black fruit and considerable concentration. An almost inconceivable level of concordance and balance that you just don’t see in the vast majority of wines out there today.”
Lot 2052, Vintage 1989, Chateau Haut Brion, Graves, Leland Little (June 16)
“The 1989 Chateau Haut-Brion is also a Left Bank wine located in the Graves region of Bordeaux. Like Chateau Margaux, Chateau Haut-Brion is a First-Growth wine, meaning that it has a longstanding classification as a top-ranked French Bordeaux. This particular wine has impressive levels of blackberry and black cherry tobacco that are robust and dense. The highest caliber Bordeaux has to offer.”
Lot 2076, Vintage 1991, Harlan, Estate, Napa, Leland Little (June 16)
“California Cult wines are wines that are are highly desirable and collectible. Harlan Estate is one of the ‘ultimate cult’ wineries. This intense and complex Bordeaux-styled red wine shows terrific balance, structure and character with blackberries and cocoa. The 1991 Harlan Estate is one of the best examples Napa has to offer.”
