Bernard Bouvier's Fixin, 2006

I didn't know this brand, but I bought it because I dig a good Bourgogne and also because it said "vieilles vignes" on the bottle. I've never seen a label that marketed the maturity of its vines - which makes a substantial difference in the maturity of the wine itself.

This is a delightfully rich and complex dinner wine - there's depth, but a warm little kiss of tart too, for personality. Whatever age those vines are, you can taste them, and they make good on the promise.

Beaujolais Nouveau Goes Plastic ... for the Environment?

Srsly.

Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape, 2005

After over a year pining over it, I finally got to try my first Chateauneuf-du-Pape wine, a Beaucastel 2005. I had it over a steak dinner last week at a restaurant in New York.

It was depressing in the degree of disappointment. The crimson was not so crimson, and while the smell rose up as a lively licorice -- and maybe some fruit leather? -- the taste was watery and flat. I downed the glass for its numbing value and did not have another.

The winemaker's notes on Wine.com state Chateau de Beaucastel 2005 needs about 7-10 years of aging. "I can't see it being close to drinkable before 2014 and lasting up to 30 or more years," said Robert Parker in The Wine Advocate.

Well, I certainly wish I'd known that. I could've put Beaucastel on hold and had another. A nice safe chianti, for example. (Not a fan.)

Parisian Pawn Shops: Now Taking Wine

The Decanter reports that Parisian pawn shops will be accepting wine in exchange for cash for the first time ever. (Funny that it took so long.)

It all goes down courtesy of the Crédit Municipal de Paris, the "local authority" pawn shop, which typically deals in jewels and heirlooms. Wine will be stored in 80 percent humidity cellars under its building until owners redeem them. Wine that isn't eventually bought back by owners will be sold at auction.

The minimum value for pawnable wine is €60. If you're pawning, you can expect to cash in on about 50 percent of the value. (If you don't dig those rates, and can afford to wait for funds, there's always Wine Commune, where oenophiles hawk wares amongst their fellows.)

As of the 25th of March over 350 bottles -- totaling €60,000 -- have been pawned, including an '85 Domaine de la Romanée Conti worth €5,000.

Learn a bit about judging the value of old wines at the Wine Doctor. (Not terrifically optimistic.)