Hi I am hoping someone can help me. I have been wanting to buy some wine to cellar to commemorate my daughters birth. I would like to cellar it until her 21st birthday or later. She was born in 2002 so that's the vintage I would like to get also I would like a California red but I don't know if its possible. I have been told that the French have the biggest wines and would last longest. Any help would be greatly appreciated

I think if you are looking for a Cali red that will last 20+ years then the 2002 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate has as good of a chance of making it until 2023 as any Cali red.

Storgage is going to be critical here, Thomas. If you don't have a proper cellar, or a friend with one, your wine may not survive in drinkable condition. I'd recommend a 2002 Ch. Lafite or a Ch. Latour. Guaranteed to have the legs to go 2 decades if stored properly.

PH

Thanks PurpleHaze and Seanr7 for the Info. Any more suggestions would be great, I do have a wine cellar so keeping the wine won't be a problem, not drinking it will be! I would like a few more choices so I can go out and compare. Thanks Again I have been wanting to do this for a long time. Regards Thomas

2001 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon

2000 Château Cadet-Bon

Congratulations! If you're thinking about buying her some wine, she must definitely be out of the terrible two's by now!

I also had a daughter born in 2002, and picked up some of '02 Lafite as well as some '02 Baumard Quarts de Chaumes. '02 Bordeaux is very reasonably priced right now (given the hype of the 03's. If you're considering a white, the QdC is definitely going to be long lived.

Some of the '02 French Burgundies are going to have a long life as well. I've picked up a bunch, but I'm too selfish to share everything with my daughter. For example, Faiveley's '02 Burgundies are supposed to be 30-50 year wines. Most of Vincent Girardin's Grand Cru's will last a long time, too.

Our first child will be born the first of next year so I hope that '06 will be a great year for wine. If '06 is a declared vintage I will buy Port.

The '02 Mouton should be drinking well on your daughter's 21st birthday. Some Costco stores have the wine @$99 which is a bargain for a 1st growth. From California, try the '02 Andrus Reserve or the '02 Oakville Cab. from Pine Ridge. Would stay away from Italian Super Tuscans since 2002 was not a banner year (due to rain) and the wines are somewhat diluted.

I've been told you can't go wrong with putting down d'Yquem.

If you bought her a case of d'Yquem, it wouldn't last that long. You would drink it first !!!. Much easier to leave a bordeaux alone for 20 years than the shinny yellow bottle I think Suckling gave it a perfect 100 and said it would last forever too. Hard to keep the corks in it for that long, when its good to drink now.

I would try and pick up some of the first growths in magnum format. Those are all wines that will age and the large format will help delaying that a bit for you.

Thanks to everyone for your input!!! Do you think I should wait a bit longer for other wines to be released? (thinking)

Buy a 750ml & Magnum of Montelena, Latour(wine of the vintage & expensive) or Lafite(everyone knows this wine name)- one for the 21st B-day & one for the 30th B-day(when they know what the hell they're drinking).

I agree a vintage port will easily last that long. If you want a cali cab Hmmm. Dominus, Mayacamas, Opus One, might last that long.2002 was terrible for southern rhone wines but you could go with a northern Rhone Hermitage from a good producer.That would make the haul.

That was one hell of a dumpster dive, MWG. The girl has grandchildren by now....

PH

don't forgot Sauternes,

There are definitely some very good 02' sauternes. the thing I love about sauternes is how they change color as the years go by from a golden yellow to an amber hue. 02' D'yquem would make a fine wine in any collection.

Probably great grandchildren by now!

I always post first and think later, or not think at all!

A great thread would be what wine pairs well with dumpster diving, depends on what restaurant!

I'm just a wine enthusiast, so no recommendations on the wine, but I have found several local wine shops that offer professional storage for reasonable rates. You might check around your area to see if the same is offered. For example, a local shop is offering 12 case storage space in their controlled wine cellar for jsut $12 a month. sConsidering a very good wine cooler of that size would run you at least $1000 on the cheap, you could store for almost 7 years at the $12 per month in the higher end unit at the shop for about the same price...without the up keep and maint costs.

Just a thought.