On 4 May 2011 Bibendum Wines Ltd. held its sixth annual Bordeaux "En Primeur" tasting in the Nursery Pavillion at Lord's Cricket Ground in London. Not having been to the "En Primeur" tastings in Bordeaux in April, I was very glad that I happened to be in London at the time and I seized upon the opportunity to attend.
If I have counted correctly, some 93 Châteaux presented their wines, usually a barrel sample of the 2010 vintage and an older wine. It was obviously a bit of a pity that the first growths and their right bank counterparts were not present, but on the other hand the current pricing of these wines renders them (almost) irrelevant for most people, including me, so perhaps it is better not to be tempted by them...
Much has already been said about the 2010 vintage in Bordeaux. All agree that it is a great or at least very good vintage. The wines I tasted clearly bore this out. According to some, 2010 is a "once-in-a-lifetime-vintage" - the fourth of the decade already after 2000, 2005 and 2009. Even a cat with nine lives will die soon at this rate! The Bordeaux marketing machine is once again firing on all cylinders. It is also clear that it is more classically styled than the more voluptuous 2009.
The weather Gods may have provided Bordeaux with a somewhat different growing season than in 2009, but they have been clement again. Perhaps they are being a bit too clement lately; particularly on the right bank producers are struggling to keep alcohol levels at bay. Not all are successful; in Saint-Emilion wines weighing in at 15.8% ABV have been reported and even though this does not necessarily mean that the wine is defective, it is clear that the spectacular increase in alcohol changes the balance and character of the wine. A number of right bank producers said to me that they really needed the cabernets to keep alcohol levels below 15% in their wines, ending up somewhere between 14% and 15%. I have found no reason to question their balance.
The warmer terroirs on the left bank, e.g. in Pessac-Léognan, are also having to manage alcohol levels very carefully. Veronique Sanders told me that at Château Haut-Bailly they excluded certain batches from the Grand Vin in order to avoid a final cuvée in excess of 14% ABV as they felt that this would detract from the grace and balance that are the hallmarks of Haut-Bailly. They did a sterling job; the 2010 weighs in at a level 13.9% ABV and is a study in energy and harmony.
I do not propose to give a full report on the 2010 vintage or tasting notes for all the wines at the tasting. Many experts have given their views and I do not purport to emulate or surpass them. Check out Jancis, Robert, James (2x), Neal, Michel & Thierry, Steven, Beverley, Serena or René et.al. What I will do however, is provide you with some brief comments on wines that are favourites in the ElizabethOnFood cellar, marked (*), and on some other wines that really caught my eye. Here goes:
Château Giscours 2010. 71% Cabernet-Sauvignon, the highest percentage ever. Relatively masculine (for Margaux) style (but) with great fruit and definition.
Château du Tertre 2010 (*). No Cabernet Franc in 2010 - the Cabernet-Sauvignon was so beautiful that the Franc, arguably one of the defining (up to 20%) elements of Du Tertre, was excluded. In this somewhat unfamiliar guise still a typically generous and feminine wine. If pricing remains sensible, great QPR.
Château Gruaud-Larose 2010. Not a wine I buy regularly, but the 2010 struck me as particularly good; typical power and weight and well-balanced.
Château Léoville-Barton 2010 (*). Classic. Stop. Buy. Stop. Will take a lot of time. Langoa good too, but clearly the younger brother this year.
Château Pontet-Canet 2010 (*). The essence of Pauillac. Great stuff. Must have.
Château Lafon-Rochet 2010 (*). Charming with its 29% Merlot. Not as precise as some, but that is not why I buy this wine. Yum. QPR should be good.
Château Montrose 2010. Immensely powerful and impressive. I tasted it immediately after the Pontet-Canet and it almost dwarfed the latter. Is this down to the weight of the 37% Merlot?
Château Haut-Bailly 2010. See above.
Domaine de Chevalier 2010 (*). The red is exemplary, the white sensational.
Château Figeac 2010. Made the most of its Cabernets this year. Wonderful balance but will need time.
Château Petit-Village 2010 (*). Confirms the huge improvements made at this Château and the quality of its terroir. Good QPR - considering.
Château Gazin 2010. Slightly lighter than some, but I was particularly taken by the supreme quality of its tannins - and the charm of its owners who were present in person.
Château La Conseillante 2010 (*). Such fragrance and elegance - and at the same time very serious. You can't score style and beauty. Hurrah!
After all these cheerful comments, I feel compelled to say something about an uncomfortable matter. It has to do with the 2007's which many producers also presented at the tasting. Not everything went well in Bordeaux in the first decade of this century, but 2007 really seems to be the ugly sister. With very few exceptions, I (once again) found the wines to be aromatically pleasing but seriously lacking on the palate. Not only in weight, but also in charm - the characteristic that is the redeeming aspect of so many 2007 Burgundies. I can't see myself buying any 2007 clarets, to be honest.
In Sauternes however, 2007 is a wonderful vintage. The Suduiraut at the tasting was so beautiful. Likewise the Climens 2005 - a dance in a glass! As to the focal point of this event: it is early days yet, but 2010 claret will clearly merit our continued attention.
Xavier Auerbach
