Bordeaux 2011 in bottle

Following 2010 was never going to be an easy act. Following 2009 and 2010 was going to be an impossible act. Arguably, no-one really wanted a vintage that could live up to these immense years. Could anyone handle another ‘vintage of a lifetime’? I for one had already encountered four, which was making me feel quite old; our poor Chairman must be feeling positively ancient!

It was immediately obvious to all that 2011 was not a rival to 2009 and 2010, but this should not in itself be a reason to condemn it. Aside from the small wines, 2009s really aren’t ready for drinking. 2010s will take longer still, so either we rely on our vast reserves of ‘61s and ‘82s until our 2009s and 2010s hit their straps, or we’re going to need a few vintages to fill in. I for one have been thoroughly enjoying some 2007s recently, so much so, that I feel inspired to write a blog on them. ‘Less-good vintages’ definitely have a place. But before anyone starts reading too much between the lines, 2011 and 2007 don’t have that much in common.

Inside the packed Opera House we found a relatively consistent group of wines. Sure there were ups and downs, but this is a big tasting – there were plenty of turkeys at the corresponding 2009 and 2010 tastings. Starting with the Pessac reds, we found plenty of sweet fruit. In fact we were quite surprised by how ripe and generous some of these wines were. The usual stars, Domaine de Chevalier, Smith Haut Lafitte and Haut Bailly were all delicious, but those who like the exotic would be advised to go for Malartic Lagraviere. Bravo to the Bonnies – a terrific wine that I’d very much like to have in my cellar!

St Emilion is a region I approach with trepidation. Much to my surprise, this flight provided some of the most exciting and polished wines at the tasting. John Kolasa at Canon continues his good work, Troplong Mondot was massive yet quite seductive and Canon la Gaffelière was a complete surprise package – either my palate has completely changed or their 2011 is demonstrating a refinement and elegance I don’t normally associate with this estate. This is without doubt the smartest Canon la Gaffelière I can remember. The standout wine though was Clos Fourtet. Their 2009 and 2010 received high praise from Parker and this is a very worthy successor.

In Pomerol, Gazin has firmed up; this is one of the few wines at the tasting that had real structure. This may require a few years, but will be a stunner. La Conseillante was as understated and distinguished as usual. In the Medoc, some little wines such as Beaumont, Chasse Spleen and Poujeaux all showed well. The soft, approachable tannins and ample sweetness of the vintage make these wines more accessible than ever. Brane Cantenac and Rauzan Segla were the stars of Margaux – no surprises here then… St Julien and Pauillac were not as consistent as we remembered them. There are some real highs: Leoville Poyferre, St Pierre, Gloria, Gruaud Larose, Pichon Lalande, Grand Puy Lacoste and Pichon Baron, but there were a few question marks over Lynch Bages and Leoville Barton. Both showed brilliantly from barrel, so maybe they are just in a difficult adolescent stage.

Our view of the Sauternes and Barsacs has not really changed. The wines are big and rich, but are not overly complex. In our view, those who declared 2011 to be an excellent year for sweeties slightly missed the mark. Some wines have definitely improved in barrel, but this is not another 2001. Our pick again was the wonderful Doisy Vedrines. Olivier’s wine has real tension and complexity. The bouquet is a melting pot of tropical fruit; the palate is awash with noble flavours and the acidity is remarkable. This is a Barsac I really want to drink!

In summary, there is much to like about this group of reds. There are good colours, lots of sweet, seductive, mid-palate fruit, soft tannins and freshness. They remind me of how 2001s started showing after a few years. It isn’t a vintage to lay down for decades, but the wines will give lots of pleasure. In the current, subdued market, it is difficult to make a compelling case to buy these, however, as they become available, they will be some of the best priced examples of physical stock, and they will drink well young. So while people wait for 2009s and 2010s to come around, the 2011s could be the answer.

Bordeaux 2011 - Day 4

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Our final day in Bordeaux and a chance to fill in one or two gaps and re-taste and re-affirm. First stop Calon Segur. This is the first vintage we have tasted without the formidable gaze of Madame Gasqueton, but the new regime seems to have found their feet. Despite the well publicised hails that affected St Estephe, Capbern Gasqueton and Calon Segur have produced very handsome, classical, delicately perfumed wines, which charmed us all.
 
Crossing the Pauillac quayside for the umpteenth and last time, we headed for the Pichons. Baron displayed even more depth and sweet fruit than the sample at the UGC tasting. This is a very attractive, seductive Pauillac with just a hint of Pomerol exuberance. It's also worth mentioning Suduiraut, another AXA property, which has excelled in 2011. Pichon Lalande is the polar opposite to Baron - this is pure classicism, fine Pauillac fruit and handsome structure - we left impressed!
 
Our upbeat mood was short lived as we headed to the Margaux UGC. A delightful Rauzan Segla towered above the others; I'm not sure it's proper wine terminology, but there were many ‘dogs’ from this commune. What a shame, they should have consulted Luc Thienpont and Jacques Boissenot... Back up the D2 to Latour - and what a Latour. Deep and elemental, brooding, complex, intense, magical and vivid - an extraordinary wine. Sadly yields are similar to 2010, so there will be around 9000 cases produced, and only a fraction of those will be released.
 
Next, a visit to our charming friends at Ulysse Cazabonne. This was a great opportunity to re-taste many samples and enjoy a glass or two of Rauzan Segla and Montrose with luncheon. Petit Chateau that stood out included: Haut Marbuzet - charming and seductive, La Chenade - impressive Lalande de Pomerol and our old friend Chateau Teyssier. Re-sampling the cru classes re-confirmed our positive notes on Rauzan Segla, Leoville Barton, Canon, Domaine de Chevalier and Haut Bailly, whilst we were wowed by a much more impressive sample of Figeac.
 
The rest of the afternoon was spent tasting at the Haut Medoc, Moulis and Listrac and the Sauternes and Barsac UGCs. Already being billed as a vintage to rival 2001 and 2007, the sweet wines are impressive, but on this evidence not all successes. Rieussec is massive and will reward lengthy cellaring, Nairac was the surprise package and Doisy Vedrines stole the show - bravo Olivier Castéja, the 2011 is spellbindingly vivid and is a must buy come the campaign. To say that Haut Medoc was patchy is something of an understatement. One or two wines like Chasse Spleen, Cantemerle and La Lagune shone, whilst many were failures. Careful consideration will be required when buying from the less fashionable appellations.
 
So, in summary, the wines exceeded our expectations. Given the unusual growing season, 2011 will go down as a triumph of modern viticultural techniques and a challenge to winemakers. It was also a vintage for the optical sorting tables. Those with the means and technology had a better chance of success, but gentle extractions were also key. This is no 2009 or 2010, but the best wines are really interesting and if, and it is a big IF, they are priced correctly, these will prove worthwhile additions to collectors’ cellars. We keep our fingers crossed for a quick campaign and leadership and prudence from the First Growths.

Bordeaux UGC - The 2008s

The Bordeaux circus rolled into town today. There was not too much talk of industrial action and petrol supplies running out; we were all gathered to re-taste the fascinating 2008s. Many of the Chateaux are still harvesting their Cabernets and they couldn’t resist telling us about their 2010s; remarkable quality, but tiny yields. Many spoke of the young wines as real contenders to the 2009s, but we shall reserve judgement until April.

Back to the 2008s. When we first tasted these in April 2009, the economic outlook was bleak to say the least. The metrological reports suggested a summer that had been even less glorious than 2007, so, it was fair to say that the prospect of tasting and selling the 2008s was not something we were particularly looking forward to. However, we made the trip and we were pleasantly surprised by many of the results.

Despite the cool August, the best wines had a real concentration, coupled with really precise flavours and good acidities. Not `Classic` meaning bad, but `Classic` meaning good, to steal a phrase from RUN DMC. The economic outlook remained gloomy, so Chateaux such as Angelus, and the 1st growths made the bold decision to release first and at very attractive prices. The market place tentatively bought the top ten or so wines, but it wasn’t until Robert Parker waxed lyrical about the 2008s, that merchants and customers started to by a wider range of Chateaux. The rest as they say is history.

So, how are the wines showing now that they are in bottle? This is not a consistent vintage; we were very picky and we advise customers to be cautious with their purchases too. Yes the best wines are fabulous, but there are some stinkers too. The big question is, has Parker stuck his neck out too far on this one? Many wines achieve similar or better scores in 2008 than they achieved in 2005. 2008 is no 2005, but there are some fine wines. On the basis of today’s tasting, Pontet Canet, Lynch Bages, Pichon Baron, Leoville Poyferre, Beychevelle, Conseillante, Haut Bailly, Domaine de Chevalier, Rauzan Segla and Leoville Barton are all very smart wines and will offer collectors much enjoyment. The biggest surprise is the improvement of the Margaux commune. We were very disappointed by our initial tastings, but many of these wines have improved in barrel. Despite the weakness of sterling, many of these offer very good value (particularly when compared the magical 2009s). Other than the wines mentioned above, there were particularly strong showings from Ormes de Pez, Lafon Rochet and Poujeaux. The dry whites are crisp and classic, whilst the unsung sweeties are delightfully crisp with beautifully precise flavours. There is enough botrytis present, but these are not blockbusters. Guiraud and de Fargues were the richest offerings on show, whilst Climens was the most complete.

All in all, there are some jolly good wines from 2008, and the fact that this is not a 2005 or a 2009 is reflected in the prices. If you pick carefully, 2008 offers some of the best value buys on the market today.

The Southwold Tasting - Day 2 PM

Having tasted the best the left bank had to offer before lunch, it was the turn of the most celebrated names from Pomerol and St Emilion in the afternoon. The top eight wines all excelled. By a short head Ch Angelus (19/20) was my highest marked wine; it was not included in the earlier St Emilion flights, so this was its first outing. The ripe cabernet franc aromas seduced the taster with succulent yet aromatic wild fruits, silky texture and beautifully defined tannins. Ch Petrus had darker rich fruit and sweet oak aromas, enormous tannic structure, and great promise. Le Pin showed luscious, polished sweetness and the beautiful gravelly minerality contrasted the classy dark fruits and fabulous length of flavours. The terroir of Ausone really comes through in this 2006; exquisite harmony, cool, classy, silky textured, it possesses tremendous potential. Both L'Eglise Clinet and Vieux Chateaux Certan both scored 18/20 only half a mark behind the runners up, more perhaps because of their density and vast tannic structure, however, there is delicious underlying fruit.

Two flights of Margaux followed and were of a consistently high standard - all without fail having ripeness, which was not the always the case with the 2005s. Ch Palmer, which performed so well amongst the 1st growths was less expressive in the appellation flight; tight, firm, and brooding. Pavillon Rouge showed its pedigree; intense and all on finesse. Giscours; explosive ripe fruits and broad shoulders. Kirwan; big structure and plenty of substance. There were also impressive ‘06s from Malescot St Exupery, Lascombes and Rauzan Segla.