Collector Wines

Some wines are so good, you almost feel bad while uncorking the bottle. You’d much rather stockpile them in your cellar until you have a collection to rival Dionysus himself. The journey to find the most tempting and inaccessible collector’s wines can be difficult and stressful, but the end result is always worth it. If the stars align, you end up with a selection of wines so awe-inspiring, you just want to sit in your cellar and admire them. There is no occasion in the world that you can’t contribute to with a bottle of extra-rare fine wine, and you can compete with other local collectors and try to outbid them for choice bottles.

The main issue when it comes to acquiring highly collectible bottles is that they’re often hard to obtain. It makes sense, of course – the most prestigious collectibles are the least accessible bottles, ones that can sometimes necessitate a 10-year wait. Also, it should go without saying that many of the world’s finest blends cost a pretty high amount of money. However, that isn’t the case for all of them. At some point, it all comes down to developing an eye for the market and being able to recognize which wines to target before they’re declared classic masterpieces by the general populace.

This is where we come in. We’ve arranged a selection of extremely well-made and luxurious collector’s wines, ones that will make even the most stoic and emotionless critic drop to their knees in sheer envy. Every wine on this page is a veritable work of art, a bottle you can bring out when making a good impression is more important than anything else.

2004 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne

It’s fascinating to taste the 2004 Brut Blanc de Blancs Comtes de Champagne after the 2002, something I have been able to do on a few occasions. The 2004 is all about minerality, precision and tension. It doesn’t have the sheer richness or power of the 2002, but it makes up for that with its crystalline purity and sheer energy. Bright hints of lemon oil, white flowers and crushed rocks are layered into the pointed, vibrant finish. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2034.This is a fabulous set of new releases from Taittinger. The 2002 Comtes de Champagne is easily one of the very best young Champagnes I have ever tasted. Over the next year or so, Taittinger plans to list more information about their NV wines on the back labels, something that is a huge positive for the consumer.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPI am thrilled with the way the 2004 Comtes de Champagne continues to evolve in bottle. A few years ago, the 2004 was quite focused and linear, in the style of the vintage, but more recently, the wine has begun to fill out beautifully. The 2004 remains bright, with a full range of citrus, white flower and mineral nuances that dance on the palate. A brisk, saline-infused finish rounds things out beautifully in a Comtes that impresses for its crystalline purity. I expect the 2004 will always remain a bit cool next to the more opulent 2002, but it is still drop-dead gorgeous.Vinous Media | 96 VM(Taittinger, Comtes de Champagne, Champagne, France, White) It was a dry vintage up to August, which turned exceptionally wet and cool. September saved the vintage with the ideal weather conditions - low rainfall and cool nights. The graceful nose opens to white flowers, ripe apricot and citrus hints. It is tense and refined, with a vivid mineral core balanced by pristine acidity and some toasted notes on the finish. It’s not the most expressive today, but wait for it to awaken. This is built for cellaring. (Drink between 2025-2040)Decanter | 96 DEC(Taittinger Comte de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut) Like so many of the top 2004 bottlings from Champagne, the ’04 Comtes de Champagne is showing all the signs of a very long life of utterly classic evolution for this bottling. At our vertical here in New York in October, the wine was showing great potential, as it wafts from the glass in a blossoming mélange of pear, white peach, very complex, chalky minerality, brioche, a touch of vanilla bean, orange zest, discreet floral tones and a lovely, smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied, and racy, with a very fine core, laser-like focus and grip, elegant mousse and great cut and bounce on the very long and still fairly youthful finish. Comtes de Champagne is always so well-balanced out of the blocks, that it always seems accessible, but this wine really deserves at least a solid handful of more years of bottle age before starting to drink, as it is only at the outset of its vinous journey. (Drink between 2018-2045)John Gilman | 95+ JGA rich and enticing aroma of roasted hazelnut heralds this elegant blanc de blancs, with flavors of pastry, poached apple, crystallized honey and candied ginger riding the finely detailed mousse. This is a touch smoky, presenting a resonant minerality on the finish. Drink now through 2029. 500 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

As low as $235.00

VIEW OPTIONS

Browse by Wine Type

Browse by Wine Type

Collector Wines
wines

Collector Wines