WTN: 14 Bordeaux from cheap to pricey

[David M. Bueker]

Table & Vine has been holding a month long set of Bordeaux tastings. I miseed the first two, but went last night for #3. #4 is next Monday & I will be there as well.

Two inexpensive whites:

2008 Chateau Les Vergnes Blanc
Grassy, slightly creamy, rather lean, though it went well with the shrimp. Good value at $8.99 if you are into that grassy thing.

2008 Chateau Cadillac Blanc
Lean and tart. Rather herbal. I did not care for this. $11.99

And on to the reds:

2008 Chateau Les Vergnes
Bright red fruit, almost Beaujolais like. Grapey, easy to quaff. Would be nice for a spring/summer party of non-geeks. $8.99

2005 La Fleur de Laussac (Costes de Castillon)
Very floral on the nose, but a disturbing note of oxidation crept in very shortly after pouring. Rather tannic, and with the oxidation element I doubt this can age into something nice. $19.99

2005 Chateau La Fleur Poitou (Lussac St. Emilion)
Oaky with rather pale fruit. Not interesting. $11.99

2005 Cote Pontoise (Haut Medoc)
Slightly balsamic (but not in a bad way) black fruit, very linear, touch of vanilla and good acid structure. Not bad at all for easy drinking. $14.99

2005 Chateau Fombrauge (St. Emilion)
Creamy vanilla/blueberry milkshake. I used to buy Fombrauge up to 2000, and it was never this extreme. But wow this was a monster that I could not warm up to. $39.99

2007 Chateau D'Aiguilhe (Cotes de Castillon)
Still modern, but this was a breath of fresh air after the Fombrauge. Still dark fruit, but quite balanced and fresh. It developed more oaky notes with air, but never, ever got near the thickness of the Fombrauge. Nice value for $20.

2005 Chateau Certan Marzelle (Pomerol)
Well mannered, elegant red fruit and appropriate structure. Very nice stuff that drinks well now. I don't get the $74.99, but I like the wine very much.

2004 Chateau Haut Marbuzet (St. Estephe)
Tough to follow the 2005s which made this seem watery by comparison. I think the balance was nice, but might have preferred this in anotehr context. $39.99

2006 Chateau Saint Pierre (St. Julien)
Like the Certan Marzelle, this is well mannered and elegant in a classic Bordeaux way. There's more complexity to the aromas/flavors than all the prior wines with tobacco, earthy & fruit elements all together with a finishing kick of tannin. Very nice wine even at $54.99.

2005 Chateau Bahans Haut Brion (Pessac Leognan)
2nd wine of Haut Brion & it shows. Again quite elegant, with suave red fruit, distinct minerality and a very nicely formed acid/tannin structure. I coudl drink a lot of this. I would go broke, but I could drink a lot of this. $69.99

2005 Chateau Branaire Ducru (St. Julien)
Warm, creamy black fruit. Quite ripe, but not overdone. Amazingly drinkable right now, but has balance to age for at least a while It does not seem to have the structure to make old bones, but it sure has the fruit. $89.99

2005 Chateau Leoville Poyferre (St. Julien)
Richer than the Branaire. A little bit meaty as well with very distinct black cherry fruit. This is also very soft, and even more forward than the Branaire. $139.99

So there were some nice wines, though nothing that blew me away. I liked the D'Aiguilhe a lot for value (and they have it in halves for $11). I would enjoy drinking many of the high end bottles, but cannot justify the pricing.

Hmmm. This report does not bode well for Alex's contention that there is a wealth of very good Bordeaux for $14--20. Maybe in Bordeaux???

Maybe a timely subject for next month's focus would be budget Bordeaux. And let the chips fall where they may.

[David M. Bueker]

We did budget Bordeaux a while back. The chips fell.

The chips fell.

Where?

D'Aiguilhe is, I believe, 80% merlot, and very gulpable. The 2003s were drinking very nicely two years ago.

[David M. Bueker]

Wait a minute - you and I agree on a Bordeaux?

As for budget Bordeaux, it was March 2008 in Wine Focus. So a little while ago, but not forever.

Wait a minute - you and I agree on a Bordeaux?

As for budget Bordeaux, it was March 2008 in Wine Focus. So a little while ago, but not forever.

When have we disagreed? I count on you to tell me when Bordeaux halves have awaken from their slumber...

I meant, where did the chips fall?

[David M. Bueker]

The chips fell poorly.

Quite a nice lineup (particularly at the higher end, although yikes at the prices), makes me wish I didn't have a class on Monday evenings.
I'm shocked at how drinkable those 05s seemed.

BTW, look out for the 2006 Haut Bergey Graves - Nicholas at T&V recommended it some time back, opened a bottle recently and really enjoyed it (about $25, the only Bordeaux QPR I've found in a while for my tastes).

Hoke,

>>> This report does not bode well for Alex's contention that there is a wealth of very good Bordeaux for $14--20. Maybe in Bordeaux???

There are, conservatively, six thousand châteaux in Bordeaux. If the importers don't know how to, or won't go out of their way to find the good ones...

David,

- Fombrauge is a style I do not like. It is a huge estate - annual production of nearly 400,000 bottles - and heavily promoted by the aggressive Bernard Magrez sales people

- d'Aiguilhe: This is a perennial favorite. You summed it up nicely. Modern but not over the top.

- Certan Lamarzelle: It's tough to get to know Pomerol. The estates are so small and distribution is somewhat bizarre. I've never certainly have this J.P. Moueix wine. Annual production: 12,000 bottles.

- St. Pierre: This wine is getting better and better and is one of the most interesting QP ratios among the great growths.

- Bahans Haut Brion: Glad you enjoyed this. The château, unfortunately, is not making it any more. They have decided to call the 2nd wine "Le Clarence de Haut Brion", which I think is not such a good move. However, it's not as bad as their simply eliminating the great growth La Tour Haut Brion and sending out press releases that this was going into La Chapelle de la Mission Haut Brion from now on when, in fact, it's going into La Mission itself...

Best regards,
Alex R.

I would bet that one could find 2006 St Pierre being closed out for $40 or so within year or two. No reflection on the wine, just pricing comment on a vintage no one is fighting over. Things fall apart; the center cannot hold.

2005 prices are holding so far, but so many just too expensive for me. I paid around $32 for 2000 Bahans (not on futures), $19 for 2004. $70 is just too much for a second for me.

2005 Chateau Branaire Ducru (St. Julien)
Warm, creamy black fruit. Quite ripe, but not overdone. Amazingly drinkable right now, but has balance to age for at least a while It does not seem to have the structure to make old bones, but it sure has the fruit. $89.99

David, What do you consider "old bones"? I bought some of this to lay down for my niece as its her birth year. Should I consider drinking it and replacing it with something else more likely to hold up until she turns 21?

Speaking of cheap Bordeaux, anybody have thoughts on Chateau Teyssier, specifically the 2006 vintage? Thanks.

[David M. Bueker]

2005 Chateau Branaire Ducru (St. Julien)
Warm, creamy black fruit. Quite ripe, but not overdone. Amazingly drinkable right now, but has balance to age for at least a while It does not seem to have the structure to make old bones, but it sure has the fruit. $89.99

David, What do you consider "old bones"? I bought some of this to lay down for my niece as its her birth year. Should I consider drinking it and replacing it with something else more likely to hold up until she turns 21?

I would not worry too much. When I say "old bones" I am thinking 30+ years.