We understand that the Wine Spectator are first to publish their scores for 2009 Bordeaux. We haven’t had a chance to look for ourselves, but James Suckling is apparently in typically buoyant mood, rating many wines near to perfection. We too have succumbed to the allure of numbers. In a highly scientific approach all eight members of the team have been asked to rank their favourite wines from the vintage. There are six categories: `First Growths`, including La Mission Haut Brion, Le Pin, Lafleur, Cheval Blanc and Ausone; `Left Bank and Graves` (excluding 1sts); `Right Bank` (excluding 1sts); best value buys (from either bank); top five Sauternes/Barsac and top five dry whites. The top ranked wine from each taster is awarded a maximum `dix points`, all the way down to the tenth placed wine, which receives just one point, a bit like Eurovision... then we tot up the scores and voila, we have a comprehensive list of the best wines.The results are in and we start with the First Growths. 75 out of a potential 80 is quite an endorsement for Latour, a staggering wine and quite deserving of first place. It is also interesting to note that the list alternates between left/right bank until no. 8, making it difficult to call as a left/right bank vintage at the very top end.
Latour - 75
Le Pin - 67
Margaux - 59
Ausone - 57
Lafleur - 46
Lafite Rothschild - 40
Cheval Blanc - 38
Haut Brion - 25
La Mission Haut Brion - 17
Mouton Rothschild - 16
Results for the other categories will follow in the coming days.
