This is my 5th annual “Birth Year” case blog post. This post can serve as a guide for readers who had children born in the year of 2013 and want to set aside some wine for them to enjoy when they reach the age to appreciate said wines. My 2009 list , 2010 list, 2011 list and 2012 list were published around this time in the preceding years.
2013 was hit and miss around the globe. Napa Valley was the clear standout and I have stacked the list accordingly.
Per previous year lists I attempted to find bottles from a diverse number of regions that have the capacity to age under appropriate cellar conditions for upwards of 20 years. I have kept the bottle price ceiling at $150. This is no small task given escalating prices in regions like Napa Valley and the Northern Rhone. These wines should all be available at retail right now. None of these wines should be very hard to find. Happy hunting!
- 2013 Corison Cabernet Sauvignon – Region: Napa Valley, Score: 94 points from Antonio Galloni, Price: $90.
- 2013 Calon Segur – Region: Bordeaux, Score: 94 points from James Suckling, Price: $65.
- 2013 Doisy-Daene – Region: Sauternes, Score: 95 points from the Wine Advocate, Price: $50
- 2013 Auguste Clape Cornas – Region: Rhone, Score: 97 points from the Wine Advocate, Price: $120.
- 2013 Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon – Region: Napa Valley, Score: 96 points from the Wine Advocate, Price: $135.
- 2013 Turley Petite Sirah Library Vineyard – Region: Napa Valley, Score: 94 points from the Wine Advocate, Price: $50.
- 2013 Dominio de Pingus Flor de Pingus – Region: Spain, Score: 94 points from James Suckling, Price: $80.
- 2013 Clos des Papes – Region: Rhone, Score: 94 points from the Wine Spectator, Price: $80.
- 2013 Troplong Mondot – Region Bordeaux, Score: 94 points from the Wine Advocate: Price: $90.
- 2013 Antinori Tignanello – Region: Tuscany, Score: 97 points from James Suckling: Price: $85.
- 2013 Dönnhoff Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Spätlese Nahe – Region: Germany, Score: 94 points from the Wine Advocate, Price: $65
- 2013 Pahlmeyer Proprietary Red – Region: Napa Valley, Score: 95 points from the Wine Adovocate, Price: $150.
If you have followed this series over the years then you may have noticed that wines like Spottswoode, Clape, Tignanello and Donhoff have made multiple appearances. Simply put these are fairly priced, world class wines that should age effortlessly for up to 20 years. The real beauty of this list is you should be able to source the wines without needing to belong to a mailing list. Look at reputable wine stores like Wine Exchange, JJ Buckley and K&L Wines.
Other wines to consider that will be more readily available later this year include Cabernets from Dunn and Chateau Montelena.
I’d love to hear about what wine you are setting aside for your children that were born in 2013.
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