Bordeaux

Bordeaux

Bordeaux is anything but easy. The 2005 vintage was much hyped. The 2009s are mega-hyped. The good ones are sublime. You gotta lay out some serious scratch for the good guys. The plonk is, well, plonk.

Interesting article in Forbes: Drinkable or Cellarable Bordeaux.


Big (and Medium) Guns

Angélus
St-Emilion
Full bodied St. Emillion (usually around 62% merlot).

Berliquet
St. Emilion
Rich, dark and decadent. Sweet, ripe plums and cream nose with a generous waft of vanilla/new oak. Fat and generous with silky, soft tannins. Jancis loves this one.

Carruades de Lafite
Pauillac
Second of Lafite Rotschild. Juicier, fresher, more merlot.

La Chapelle de la Mission Haut Brion
Pessac-Leognan
Second of Haut-Brion.

Chasse-Spleen
Moulis
Chateau Chasse-Spleen is the leading estate of Moulis, a small and easily overlooked commune on the left bank of the Gironde, sandwiched in the No Man's Land between St Julien to the north and Margaux to the south. Lots of blackberry and dark chocolate on the nose. James Suckling says "soft tannins and an aftertaste of chocolate and delicate fruit." WS says 90 pts. Splenetic it is not.

Cheval Blanc
St-Emilion
Incredible richness of Cabernet Franc here, with blackberries and dark chocolate character. Not cheap. A 1995 sells for over $4K.

La Clemence
Pomerol
Don't let the label fool you. 92 points RP, who tastes... "kirsch along with a hint of caramelized fruit, medium to full body, abundant amounts of sweet tannin, and a muscular, concentrated, powerful finish." Eighty bucks.

Clos du Marquis
St-Julien
One of the best second labels for the buck. WS says "Starts slowly, then climbs up and up." We say: we wish we had more than one bottle.

Cos d'Estournel
St. Estèphe

La Croix de Beaucaillou
St. Julien
Second of Ducru Beaucaillou

Ducru-Beaucaillou
St. Julien

Les Fiefs de Lagrange
St. Julien
Opulent and fine second of Lagrange

Gaffeliere
St. Emilion
"Superb depth, brilliant precision...a phenomenal effort," says Parker.

Chateau Gloria
St. Julien

Gomerie
St. Emilion

Gruaud-Larose
St. Julien
Plummy aromas, with leaf and tobacco undertones. Medium-bodied.

Haut Bages Liberal
Pauillac
Dark, almost inky, intense aromas of cassis, mineral and light vanilla. Full-bodied with very well-integrated tannins and a long finish. WS 91 (2003)

Haut-Brion
Pessac-Léognan
Look for the pink foil. The 2005 gets rave reviews.

Lafite Rothschild
Pauillac
Big guy. Cool photos.

Lagrange
St. Julien
Parker loves the 2006.

Larcis-Ducasse
St. Emilion

Lascombes
Margaux
"One of the appellation’s up and coming stars..." (RP)

Latour
Pauillac
“Captivating, harmonious, electrifying…”

Léoville-Barton
"Powerful, superb concentration, loaded..." (cellar it for a while)
St. Julien

Léoville-Poyferré
St. Julien

Louviere
Pessac-Léognan

Lynch Bages
Pauillac
Rich, dense and ripe with black fruit flavors.

Margaux
Margaux
Lots of cab. Parker opines: “An elegant, seamlessly constructed effort…”

Mission Haut-Brion
Pessac-Léognan
Sibling/rival of Haut-Brion. Parker likes it better, and says of the 2006, “It is already thrilling to drink, although it is still very youthful Drink it over the next 25-30 years." 94 points WS.

Montrose
St Estèphe
Top of the second growth pops.

Mouton-Rothschild
Pauillac

Ormes de Pez
St.Estèphe
"Restrained... saturated... a sweet nose... fine flesh and good follow through." WA
(65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc)

Pagodes de Cos
St Estèphe
Second of Cos d’Estournel.

Palmer
Margaux

Pavie Macquin
St Emilion

Peyre-Lebade
Haut-Medoc
A Rothschild property

Pichon-Lalande
Pauillac

Sarget de Gruaud Larose
St. Julien
A Berry Bros. favorite

Smith Haut Lafitte
Pessac-Léognan
One of the classics. Medium bodied, sophisticated. Usually around 35% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc.

St. Pierre
St. Julien

• • •

(Relative) Bargains

Carignan, Côtes de Bordeaux. This is the appellation that used to be called Premières Côtes de Bordeaux, and this property has been one of its top performers in recent years. Rich and sweet with fine sandy tannins and freshness. Another Jancis fave.

Courteillac, Bordeaux Superieur. Bordeaux blend, a Forbes favorite, made under the watchful eye of Michel Rolland, the foremost wine consultant in the world. Dark and supple, fruit forward but not a glass of jam, tastes of blackberry, coffee and chocolate. 88 - 90 points Parker. "Full-bodied, with silky tannins and a light toasty oak and citrus fruit aftertaste. Balanced and pretty." Try Garnet.

De Fieuzel, Pessac Leognan

De Pez, St. Estephe

Haut Bergey, Pessac Leognan

Jonqueyres, Bordeaux Superieur. Robert Parker says Chateau Jonqueyres makes “high quality wines that can compete with more famous estates.”

Lalande-Borie, St-Julien

Landes de Cach, Pauillac

Les Grands Marechaux (Cotes de Blaye) 91 pts WS

Les Ormes de Pez, St-Estephe, is full-bodied, with soft, velvety tannins and a long finish. 89 pts WS.

Picau Perna, St. Émilion. Astor Wines says, "This merlot-based Red offers all the elegance and plummy fruit that you want in a Bordeaux. You'll also find a touch of a touch of fresh herbs, soft tannins and an elegant finish." Try Astor or PJ Wines.

Poitevin, Medoc is immediate and charming. This dark, ruby-colored claret is crammed with delicious, ripe berry fruit aromas that leap from the glass.

Puy-Blanquet from St Emilion. A Mouiex wine (and a bargain). Thanks Cafe Cluny. Try JJ Buckley.

Malescot-St-Exupéry, Margaux

Mondorion, St-Emilion (From the new property of Patrick Leon, of Mouton family)

Pagodes de Cos, St-Estèphe (Second of Cos d’Estournel. "long, delicious finish. Very racy and linear." 91 Points WS.)

Pontet-Canet (Pauillac)

Puygueraud, Cotes De Franc (a tiny appellation tucked away next to St-Emillion) (WineLegend.com)

Reignac de Tizac (Parker fave)

Sarget de Gruaud Larose (available at K & L Wines and WineChateau.com)

St. Valery, St-Emilion

Tertre de Courban (Bordeaux Superieur) Vaynerchuk calls this one a "very easy-drinking red."

Vallee De Valeur, Cotes de Blaye, another WineLegend favorite, is silky and rich, but tannins not soft enough, wine not complex enough.

• • •

Are the 2005 and 2009 Bordeaux vintages any good?

Robert Parker says of the 2005 crop: "I have never tasted so many extraordinarily rich, concentrated, massive wines so high in tannin and extract, yet with such precision, definition, and freshness. It is clearly a singular vintage that should evolve into one of the great vintages..."

"What an incredible vintage," agrees Jancis Robinson.

As for 2009, "incredible" and "exceptional" are oft used words, and the prices are already sky high.

2009 vintage: info, links and recommendations here.

• • •

Jancis Robinson's 2008 Bordeaux picks

Jancis Robinson's FT article on the 2009 vintage

More Jancis on the exceptional 2009 vintage

PJ Wine's 2009 offerings

KL Wines Bordeaux

Bordeaux Wine Classification

IntoWine vintage chart