August 2010
I've gotten a lot of flack for some of my opinions about these 2007 Bordeaux. While there certainly are many poor 2007s, the vintage is not a complete wash-out. It really depends a bit on what a person is looking for. 2007 Bordeaux, at their worst, exhibit bitter unripe tannins and... Read moreI've gotten a lot of flack for some of my opinions about these 2007 Bordeaux. While there certainly are many poor 2007s, the vintage is not a complete wash-out. It really depends a bit on what a person is looking for. 2007 Bordeaux, at their worst, exhibit bitter unripe tannins and dominant, green vegetal flavors, but is there more to this vintage?In fact, some wineries managed to make some pretty good wines. Those wines exhibit some vegetal tones along with good red fruit flavors in a medium bodied fresh style. It's a style of Bordeaux I can recall from 20 years ago. Many, heck even most folks think Bordeaux has made great progress since then, churning out vintage after vintage of rich, flamboyant, fruity wines, but to me, many of these wines lack both the complexity and elegance that Bordeaux once delivered.Now, I will be the first to admit that the overall quality of Bordeaux is higher than ever, but that came at a cost, and that cost can generally be described as a loss of distinguishing traits between the wines. The best 2007s may lack many things, but they do deliver on that front and for those people who enjoyed less intense vintages of Bordeaux there are good wines to be found in 2007. Now as far as value goes, that is a different question, and one that has to be answered on an individual opportunity basis.Picking up where we last left off: 2007 in Bordeaux was a significant year, and a difficult year, not only because of the weather, but also because it was the year that the Bordelaise chose to change their futures pricing model. They had grown tired of watching wine consumers, and shrewd retailers, reap such large benefits from their investments in the vineyard and the cellars. So 2007 rolled out with difficult wines, at much higher prices than previous, much more highly acclaimed vintages.The market reacted as one would anticipate, and by that I mean not particularly well. Many swore to forgo the futures campaign entirely; others bought much less than they had in the past. In general this move put the brakes on the sale of Bordeaux and raised much concern in the media. There was wide spread talk of Bordeaux shooting the golden goose – how could they have chosen such a move?Well, I’m not going to pass judgment on the Bordelaise, there are simply too many stories, too many chateaux, for a single, sweeping characterization to suffice. I will say that many chateaux have priced themselves out of my budget, and that really is too bad as Bordeaux is one of the grandest wines in the world – though fortunately for me I have found many less expensive chateaux to be making great wine, and more importantly – great wine for drinking, not collecting!As Bordeaux has changed through the years, my impression of it has struggled to keep pace. In my earliest days of drinking and collecting Bordeaux was difficult to understand. The wines were terribly variable, and almost all required cellaring to show well. Bad, and I do mean bad, vintages were a regular, if infrequent occurrence.But when you found a perfectly mature example of Bordeaux, well, it was magic! And it was affordable magic at that. At that stage of my life Bordeaux represented the pinnacle of the wine world, though a pinnacle in a minefield.Then the revolution began. Through the 1980’s the wines began to be consistent, and then consistently better! The prices moved up, much more so after the Parker scores were released, but en premier everything was still affordable. Lesser chateaux were very reasonably priced and were finding a niche. It was becoming a golden period for Bordeaux, and the Bordeaux drinker. I stocked up on the wines and drank them regularly, finding great values among the petits chateaux to tide me over until my classed growths matured.And then the 1990’s arrived, and things took a turn for the worse. After a trio of great vintages (1988, 1989, and 1990) we were presented with four mediocre vintages in a row: 1991, 1992, 1993, and 1994. Pricing remained fairly firm for many of these wines, and my interest waned as I saw little value in these wines. Nothing the Bordelaise could do would be able to magically transform vintage like these. They were tough to love, and for the most part would remain so.In the middle of the decade the back-to-back vintages of 1995 and 1996 showed Bordeaux to be back on top, but the pricing had begun to move ahead of the quality. It was a turning point of sorts. Prices now tended to move inexorably upward, and with large jumps in quality vintages.Of course after so many off years there was more than enough pent up demand to soak up these two vintage, but the Bordelaise goofed with the 1997, another dud of a vintage that was over-priced in a market that was sated. 1998 followed, a great left bank vintage but one that the Bordelaise would have had us believe was worthy of yet another price bump. Enough already!And then came 1999. A minor vintage, gentle, balanced, fresh, and cheap. Very, very cheap. Not only was the Euro tanking against the dollar, but the exceptional 2000 vintage was garnering rave reviews, and many people were saving their money for this grandest of grand vintage. And besides, 2000, it’s a cool number and a once in a lifetime kind of thing.Well, suffice it to say that the 2000’s flew off the shelves. The 1999’s lingered. I bought one here and there at close out prices, and since they were so affordable I just drank them. You know what, they were lovely. Easy to drink, fresh, yes a bit simple, but sometimes that is exactly what I want.So I bought more, some started to close down, so I bought others. I ended up with quite a few 1999’s in the cellar, and they added dept, a bit of weight, and lovely complexity. I was smitten by Bordeaux yet again! I bought the 2000s, and then things really began to change.The following vintages, 2001 and 2002, were looked at as lesser vintages. We were told they weren’t as good as the 2000s. Well, they certainly weren’t as big, nor as powerful, but they were balanced, elegant, well proportioned wines that were being sold for reasonable prices. “Good not great” they were called. I humbly disagree, but a die was cast. One by one the greatest wines of Bordeaux begin to resemble each other, they followed each other down the rabbit hole of bigger is better! Bordeaux, at least the handful of château that define Bordeaux in the US market, had chosen a path that lead to bigger scores, higher prices, and more homogenous wines: wines that lacked a certain something in many cases.So that’s where we are, where we have come, and I look at these great wines that I have bought, and I do love them, the 2000s and the 2005s, but I look back at the 1999s and, frankly, I miss them. I miss their approachability, their freshness, their food friendliness, and their affordability. The great Chateau of Bordeaux, on which I cut my teeth, seem to lack so much of what those little 1999s were able to offer – and the fact is that those little 1999s were, in many cases, those self same great Chateau!Back to the 2007’s then – what they are able to offer, in many cases, is that approachability, that freshness, that food friendliness, all of which makes Bordeaux an appealing option for any night. Too much of Bordeaux has Become a wine for special events, and special occasions. My recent trip to Bordeaux exposed my to so many wines, petite chateau, whose wines fit this bill, as do many of the 2007s.In a way I have come full circle. When I started out in wine I was looking for great wine experiences and I found them in Bordeaux. Now, some three decades later I have had many great wine experiences, and many a great Bordeaux, but what I look for today is fun. Wines should be fun to drink, not some arcane intellectual exercise.! They should make life better, make meals better, make conversation better, and they should absolutely not be reserved for special occasions. Guess what – I have found these wines once again, and many can be found in – you guessed it – Bordeaux.I’ll take a look next week at some of the regions in Bordeaux we should be looking towards for great wines, and great values. Bordeaux is really a huge, and varied region, so speaking of Bordeaux as some unified and consistent region really does everyone a disservice (something I have been guilty of and will try to remedy!).Just think about it, in this one vast region there are half a dozen red grapes, and three white varieties, used to produce white wines, red wines, rose wines (if you haven't tried Bordeaux rose, don't miss it), sweet white wines, sparkling wines, and even some Clairet – one of my favorite wines!So while we finish with the 2007’s today, we really do need to look to the future tomorrow, and there is no better place to begin than with the wines of one of the truly up and coming regions of Bordeaux. Stayed tuned for the next Bordeaux article and find out who I’m talking about! Pessac-LeognanDomaine de ChevalierSmoky, oaky nose, a touch stemmy with blackberry jam over cedary toast – good wild berry fruit up front, nice balance, soft tannin, good acid, tannins are a bit peppery, good length, crisp fruit on finish, hint of bitter tannin. (87-88) Chateau De FieuzalEarthy and lightly funky on the nose with integrated wood offsetting soft small red berried fruits – round in the mouth, very soft tannins, good bright red berry fruit, red currant, red raspberry a bit lean perhaps, but fresh and finely balanced, modest length. (87-88) Chateau La LouvierePerfumy nose redolent of spicy French oak with undercurrents of dried meats and sweet red fruits – sweet entry with a very polished mouthfeel, fine balance, smooth with ripe fruit, ripe tannins, and well integrated supporting acids, spicy wood tones on the moderately long finish. (91-92)Chateau Larrivet-Haut BrionSmoky and earthy on the nose with herbaceous tones giving this a stemmy quality and leathery notes to the fruit – elevated acids make this tart, light bodied, a bit neutral on the palate, soft tannins, clean finish, fairly fruity, stemmy tannins, a bit short, obviously quite fruit driven. (85-86) Chateau LaTour-MartillacToasty, roast herb, leather, hint of barnyard, dried grasses and wildflowers, a bit of chalk – highish acid but with covering fruit, a bit chunky, very black currant, soft tannin, nice mouthfeel and mid-palate weight, crisp tannin on the finish with good length. (89-90) Chateau Les Carmes Haut-BrionWoody, cedary, yet soil driven nose, notes of talc, flowers and gingerbread add some complexity – light bodied, bright, a touch simple, quite floral with astringent red fruit tones in the mouth, minty finish is a bit short. (85-86)Chateau Malartic LagraviereHugely herbaceous nose, Cabernet driven, black, gravel and even some tomato- a bit blocky in the mouth, structured and balanced with nice density and weight, but not much detail, tight, finish is short, should improve. (85-86)Chateau OlivierSubtle yet complex on the nose with smoky tones intertwined with slightly herbaceous black fruit and backing notes of oak spice – bright, a touch shrill, transparent, quite red fruited but with hard acids and a compact chalky finish. (85-86)Chateau Pape ClementRather intense nose full of wood, butcher’s wax, talc, cream, and rich floral perfumes – plush in the mouth, very finely polished tannins, deep, aromatic fruit, a bit small scaled but with excellent balance, nice tannins are firm but ripe, shows real focus and drive across the palate, good length and fruit persistence. (91-92)Chateau Picque CaillouBitter greens on the nose, raw wood with dusty, stony underlay and some tomato top notes – nice round feel, well balanced, integrated acids and tannins, small scaled but fresh with a bright fruit character, a bit creamy on the back end, short, tight finish. (87-88) Chateau Smith Haut LafitteCedary, oaky and toasty on the nose slick in the mouth, almost silky, tight and shallow, closed with no mid-palate or finish. (81-82) Tasted later at the Chateau with more detailed notes – please see the wine detail page MargauxChateau Brane CantenacFloral and light on the nose with a grilled meaty edge touched with baking spices and a bit of cooked rhubarb – lean entry, tight, soft ripe tannins, mid-palate is bright but a touch lean, dry finish is short and savory. (85-86)Chateau Cantenac BrownVery herbaceous nose, slightly oaky yet rather classic in a lean style, floral and berries with freshly crushed fruit notes – soft entry, rich and velvety feel, perhaps a bit too extracted, has a bit too much tannin, dark coffee flavors, a bit middy on the mid-palate, woody finish. (85-86)Chateau Du TertreHerbaceous nose but rather classic with tobacco, soil, dried herb, and black fruit tones – soft, rich entry, lots of ripe tannin, good underlying acids, nicely balanced, harmonious feel, approaching elegant with a lovely perfumed inner mouth character, nice length shows tobacco leaf and black currant fruit with gentle underlying wood spice. (89-90)Chateau FerriereCandied nose and yet somewhat salty too, weird – dry, honest if a bit ungenerous, uncovered mid-palate structure, some modest red fruit, innocuous. (81-82)Chateau GiscoursSweet roasted red peppers, dried tomato, spice, cigarbox nose, sweetly vegetal – soft and creamy entry, rich and almost mouthfilling, no detail, flavors are vegetal, sweet and indistinct, finishes hard and dry. (83-84)Chateau KirwanRoses and raw wood on the nose with underlying notes of red fruit, porcini, and spice – rather soft up front, silky across the mid-palate, nice earthy/forest floor toned fruit, a bit raw, some nice oystershell mineral tones, rather well balanced with good length and a nice layered finish, savory and fruity. (89-90)Chateau LabegorceSpicy and slightly herbaceous on the nose with notes of nutty oak, and some white pepper and allspice – soft, loose and unfocused in the mouth, it’s front loaded with fruit and then rather ungenerous on the short, lean finish. (83-84)Chateau LascombesOaky and slightly jammy on the nose with assertive nutty tones and black currant/black berry fruit – woody sweetness upfront, a bit lean yet showing an elegance on the midpalate with nicely ripe tannins and vaguely herbaceous fruit, slightly creamy black currant fruit, licorice toned finish of modest length. (89-90)Chateau Marquis de TermeCandied red cherry fruit on the nose, lightly herbaceous, a bit of blond tobacco, a touch of cookie dough, very nice nose – soft entry, then nice acids perk up the red cherry fruit, a bit simple but clear and honest if a bit short and rustic. (85-86)Chateau MonbrisonWoodsy berries on the nose, oaky and lightly toasty, some chocolate shavings with a touch of dried fruit/dried tomato – solid entry, good acids, tannins are a touch green, mid-palate is a bit hollow, fruit is a bit shallow, short harsh finish. (79-80)Chateau Prieure-LichineA little oaky on the nose, slightly jammy, wild red fruits over a very forest floor core – soft entry, good density of fruit, full of ripe tannins, giving the mid-palate a bit of a hard feel, a moderately long, slightly spicy finish, good balance. (87-88)Chateau Rauzan GassiesPerfumed, floral nose, very sweetly floral with a touch of brown sugar/baking spice in there and an underlying, integrated green pepper note – elegant entry, clear red fruits, soil tones framed by a bit of wood tannin gives this a dry backend but the finish is long and relatively complex. (89-90)Chateau Rauzan-SeglaQuite red fruited on the nose with some citussy tones, flower petals, touch of sweet cinnamon – lovely entry, round, nice density yet restrained, great freshness and transparency, big minty herb tones float above the ripe fruit, finishes with bright fresh fruit and great length. (93-94)Chateau SiranFairly herbaceous, very Bordelaise, dried bell pepper, cigar box, sweet red currant fruit – rather rich on entry, blocky, a bit extracted, nice fruit, full tannin load, nice acid cut on the mid-palate, powerfully built with an assertively oaky finish. (87-88) Saint JulienChateau BeychevelleTight, a bit oaky, sweet wood, earthy brown spice – moderately rich, nice density, ripe tannins, nice balance, a touch dry, savory backend peeks out under ripe full fruit that drives the long finish. (89-90)Chateau Branaire-DucruDense and dark smelling, cocoa, oaky, minty, very thin mints – soft entry, velvety, a bit opaque but the core of wild berry fruit does pop on the mid-palate, ripe tannins, seductive feel, good fruit drives through on the moderately long finish. (91-92)Chateau Gruaud LaroseTarry, big cigar butt nose, dark earth, slightly feral, a touch of lilac – smooth and polished in the mouth, dark, fairly powerful and deeply flavored with great structure that gives this an elegance in spite of itself, nice balance, fresh taut fruit, good energy on the finish. (93-94)Chateau LagrangeSubtly fruity nose, touch of black spice, cigarbox, sweet wood, caramelly – lean and fresh in the mouth, soft tannins, nice bright acids, lightweight and fresh, lovely purity to the fruit, great integrated baking spice accents, real length to the fruit and spice notes. (91-92)Chateau Langoa BartonBlack olive tapenade on the nose with notes of thyme, raw wood, juniper, and woodsmoke – a bit balsamic on the nose, dry, astringent, black olive fruit upfront, noticeable wood through the mid-palate, black tea and black fruit on the finish. (87-88)Chateau Leoville Barton Pencil lead, earth, dark spice, crème de cassis and toasted hazelnuts on the nose – polished in the mouth, a bit tough, finely focused with lovely structural balance, pretty packed with tannin and savory oak, black currant fruit, all in finish though the long finish is dominated by woody, hard tannins. (91-92)Chateau Leoville PoyferreSmoky oak, clay soil tones, smoked chili, sweet touch of caramel, blackberry coulis – velvet texture in the mouth, seductive soft tannins, mid-palate turns a bit loose and blowsy but quite texturally expansive, tightens up on the finish, a touch short but quite enjoyable already. (89-90)Chateau Saint-PierreHerbaceous on the nose but also sweet with rich, ripe Cabernet black currant fruit edged in earth and tobacco, very Bordeaux – soft entry, stylish, fresh and honest with brisk tannins and acids, slightly simple black olive and tobacco tinged black currant fruit, touch of bell pepper, soft tannins extend onto a slightly earthy, moderately long finish, lovely wine. (91-92)Chateau TalbotCandied fruit on the nose with a medicinal edge, some licorice and smoke here, almost grilled meats – soft and flannelly in the mouth, tannins are a bit dry, feels a bit extracted, nice fruit but the tannins are a bit intrusive, nice fruit paired with plenty of nutty oak on the finish. (87-88) PauillacChateau BatailleyVery herbaceous and minty nose, green notes battling with black currant fruit, bay leaf, marked by green – narrow and compressed entry, palate is full of green herbal tones and shallow fruit, some black fruit but green and a bit extracted right through the finish. (83-84)Chateau Clerc MilonSweet, almost strawberry scented nose with note of leather, creamy milk chocolate, and light oak spices – creamy entry, brightened by soft tannins which are very well integrated into the crisp red fruits, short finish, a bit simple but fresh and fruity. (87-88)Chateau Croizet-BagesLeathery and stinky on the nose with notes of dried fruits, freshly tilled earth, and caramel – Slick in the mouth, smooth, very fresh black raspberry fruit, soft ripe fruit tannin with integrated acids, clean and fresh, ends on some raw wood, a touch rustic. (87-88)Chateau d’ArmailhacOaky, tomato leaf, wood spice, black currant, black olive – sweet entry, olivy fruit, focused fresh feel to the black fruit in the mouth, properly ripe, nicely balanced, lovely layered feel, earthy and spicy toned mid-palate, good length, very nicely done. (91-92)Chateau Grand Puy DucasseOaky and almost soapy on the nose, a touch gamy even with a nice pink peppercorn tone – soft in the mouth, a bit indistinct, nice fresh tannins, very little follow through, nice tobacco and ripe herb tones on the finish though. (85-86)Chateau Haut-Bages-Liberal Woodsy, herbal, sweet wood swimming in sweet, plummy fruit – powerful and yet soft with well integrated structure blanketed but rich, slightly extracted feeling fruit, it’s really lovely with just enough rigid structure to keep it from getting cloying, tight on the finish but with sneaky length and excellent balance, a crowd pleaser. (91-92)Chateau Lynch BagesHerbaceous with green tobacco on the tight, slightly hard, woody nose – tight on entry, focused with juicy, ripe tannins, bright acid, polished if a touch lean on the mid-palate, yet full of ripe fruit on the backend, needs some time but everything is here and in proportion. (87-88)Chateau Lynch-MoussasSlightly herbaceous with rich, dark cherry fruit with an underlay of ripe tomato and aromatic wood - soft entry, shows surprisingly evolved fruit, nice tannins, simple but pleasant. (83-84)Chateau Baron Pichon-LonguevilleQuite floral on the nose and quite complex with notes of pencil lead, smoke, black currant, vanilla, and green olive – soft in the mouth, tannins turn a touch stiff on the mid-palate, almost elegant with a silky overall feel, nicely balanced, good focus and fine length to the fresh black fruit. (91-92)Chateau Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de LalandePerfumed nose, floral with violets then tobacco, slight underlay of ripe herbaceous tones, lovely elegant feminine nose with suggestions of crisp red fruits – Light in the mouth, elegant, bright and pure fruit, uncomplicated feeling, truly ripe tannins, silky, so fine and elegant in the mouth, deceptive, has really good richness to it and power with a long, fine complex finish that shows just a suggestion of herbaciousness. (93-94)Chateau Pontet-CanetLots of oak on the nose with big notes of candied cinnamon spice, red fruits, citrussy tones and hints of sandalwood and even some exotic guava tones – a bit thick on entry, seamless if still showing strong oak influences, lots of jammy fruit, black currant, crème de cassis, acids are b a bit spiky, tannins are powdery and raw on the moderately long finish. (89-90)Saint – EstepheChateau Cos LaboryVery oaky, smoky, dried tomato, menthol, licorice, a touch pruny with cocoa notes – sweet, really sweet like pastry glaze, soft and weighty in the mouth, has plenty of rich fruit but too much extracted, dry tannin too, lots of depth to the honey and cocoa tinged dark fruit but those tannins clamp down quickly on the short finish. (87-88)Chateau De PezEarthy and even a little poopy on the nose with smoky shale tones and hints of green peppercorn accenting the subtlely sweet black fruit – nice and chunky on entry, fine balance with soft tannins and integrated acids in balance with the nicely intense ripe fruit, nice purity to the fruit, not big on the backend but shows good length. (89-90)Chateau Lafon RochetChalk dust, pencil lead, spicy red fruits, wild raspberry with a touch of bramble – nice plush entry, good focus with ripe red fruits, nicely earthy mid-palate, tannins build on the back end with layered fruit and mineral notes, tannins are crisp and offer nice bite in the mouth but cut the finish a bit short, very solid though. (89-90)Chateau Ormes de PezSmoky and autumnal on the nose with rich brambly fruit, dried herbs, slightly gamy notes that frame the lovely perfumed core of wild berry fruit, - gently elegant entry, transparent fruit, mouthwatering acids, fresh and crisp feeling, to the red currant fruit with hints of juniper, not a powerhouse but elegant, balances fruit and mineral note through the moderately long finish. (89-90)Chateau Phelan SegurHerbaceous and vegetal on the nose with an underlying woody sweetness – indistinct in the mouth with nice richness but not much focus, acid is acceptable, tannins really build up, sort of just lays across the palate. (81-82)A word about scoringMany people have written me to remark that my scores for these 2007 Bordeaux seem quite high. I would respectfully agree but just wanted to add a few details about my scoring of wine. I try to score conservatively, and generally against the potential of the vintage as opposed to any other vague absolute scale of quality. I tend to enjoy some delicacy in many wines, and thus may be more forgiving of the high acid, slightly under-ripe nature of vintages such as 2007 in Bordeaux. That being said, I have no agenda with my reviews, they are what they are and I urge you to take them as such. Any wine review is simply a snapshot of that bottle of wine at that given time and place. So many things affect our experience with a wine that extrapolating too much out of a wine review would be much like writing a film review after seeing a few frames, or writing a book review after reading just a few pages. (hide)
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