China Beats Bordeaux for Best Bordeaux Wine

At the risk of posting still another inconsequential topic, judging by the fact that nobody else mentioned it, unless I missed it, I thought it was interesting that a Chinese wine, 2009 Jia Bei Lan’s Bordeaux Blend, from the Ningxia Province, beat out every other entry in the world: from Bordeaux, the USA, Argentina, South Africa, etc., etc., for the best Bordeaux blend in the world, in Decanter’s huge annual World Wine Awards competition. Steven Spurrier headed up the prestigious blind tasting panel, comprising Gerard Basset MW OBE; Stephen Brook, Jane Hung MW and Michael Schuster, for the top international prize. Mr. Spurrier said that this surprise outcome put the 1976 upset at the Judgment of Paris (for which he was of course responsible) in the shade.

Now that China arguably makes better Bordeaux than Lafite, I wonder if the multitudinous billionaires and multi-millionaires in China might start stocking their cellars with their own wines to impress colleagues and lighten up a little on Bordeaux, thus taking some upward price pressure off. I can actually shed some light on this question by asking some of the Chinese investors I work with.

Interesting again to me was that a 2009 Spätburgunder won out other all over regions, including Burgundy, for best Pinot Noir. This doesn’t surprise me now, but my mind did not encompass the possibility when I dined at Gargantua in Frankfurt, not too long ago, and the owner, Klaus Trebes, brought out a bottle which he deemed second to no other Pinot Noir. Recognizing my dining companion and me as appreciative American epicureans, he regaled us with several small plates of his best dishes, explaining that Germans don’t understand and appreciate good food. (He said it, I didn’t.) At that table my wine tasted as good as any I had ever drunk, but I chalked the pleasure up to the halo effect of the gorgeous restaurant, beautiful woman with whom I was dining, and the supreme graciousness of our host. One of those get-there-a-6:00-and-close-the restaurant-at-midnight kinds of dining experiences.

In all, over 12,000 bottles were judged in this big Decanter competition. Steven concluded: “…you can’t take anything for granted in today’s wine world.”

Interesting, and I'd like to try the wine. But I wouldn't read too much into this- Lafite and major classified growths don't enter these things. The top Bordeaux wines were things like Boutisse, Roques Mauriac, Galius, Hourton, Brown (hey, one i've heard of), Clos Montesqieu-La Folie, Frachet Passon, etc.

Once in a while the WLDG system won't permit an edit. It says there is some error when I try. I quoted the Frankfurt restaurant owner very inappropriately with regard to his regular customers, in quick retrospect. He was joking, but I shouldn't have divulged the remark publicly for obvious reasons. If a moderator can please remove just that line, I would very much appreciate it.

[Jenise]

Covert, I tried but the system didn't allow me to edit your post.

[Jenise]

Interesting, and I'd like to try the wine. But I wouldn't read too much into this- Lafite and major classified growths don't enter these things. The top Bordeaux wines were things like Boutisse, Roques Mauriac, Galius, Hourton, Brown (hey, one i've heard of), Clos Montesqieu-La Folie, Frachet Passon, etc.

So no classed growths? I don't recognize these names either, except for Boutisse.

The folks on the UK forum were rolling around in stitches! Virginia Moore in the Telegraph was not impressed either.

Jamie Goode wrote....>

http://www.wineanorak.com/wineblog/unca ... ina-really

[Jenise]

Bob, thanks for the link. That was very entertaining and illuminating.

The folks on the UK forum were rolling around in stitches! Virginia Moore in the Telegraph was not impressed either.

Jamie Goode wrote....>

http://www.wineanorak.com/wineblog/unca ... ina-really

Decanter's World Wines Award competition has never been a high credibility event amongst serious wine lovers and this is likely to make it even less so.

Thanks for that link, Bob.

Covert, I tried but the system didn't allow me to edit your post.

Thanks, Jenise. The thread will be buried soon with no reference to my gaff in the title. It is a wakeup call. I will write my posts on Word from now on and take a rest before reviewing what I write to avoid this kind of thing going forward.

Interesting, and I'd like to try the wine. But I wouldn't read too much into this- Lafite and major classified growths don't enter these things. The top Bordeaux wines were things like Boutisse, Roques Mauriac, Galius, Hourton, Brown (hey, one i've heard of), Clos Montesqieu-La Folie, Frachet Passon, etc.

So no classed growths? I don't recognize these names either, except for Boutisse.

You know what? I think about 20% of the tasters were MWs. I might when very drunk - no maybe only in my dreams - conclude that I have a better palate than them and Steven Spurrier. But in the light of day I might ask myself if there was possibly another dynamic at play. Remember, the experts tasted blind.

[Jenise]

Covert, blind with respect to which wine it was. But I got the feeling from the comments I read on Jamie Goode's site that they knew region, at least in the initial rounds.

My problem is being unable to equate this with any of the wines I tasted while in China. Even those touted by the Spectator for showing potential were pretty awkward and drecky to my tastes. Some just tasted of smog and coal dust, I kid you not. It would be easier to convince me that it was made from bulk Chilean juice (that a Hong Kong agent admitted importing to China) than actual Chinese.

Covert, blind with respect to which wine it was. But I got the feeling from the comments I read on Jamie Goode's site that they knew region, at least in the initial rounds.

Well, yes, obviously the regional judges knew it was from that region. But according to everyone who commented who was actually involved, it seems no one above that level who judged Bordeaux varieties overall prize knew what wine was from where. I have to agree with Chris Kissack that Jamie Goode's innuendo seems to lack much basis in fact- I'd say my respect for Mr. Goode dropped a tad from this exchange (especially as he is apparently a judge at competing IWC).

I wouldn't rush out to buy this even if it was available locally, but I'd like someone to offer some actual proof that this wasn't the honest result before claiming anything different. Blind tasting can often lead to unexpected (and unreplicable) results.

My problem is being unable to equate this with any of the wines I tasted while in China. Even those touted by the Spectator for showing potential were pretty awkward and drecky to my tastes. Some just tasted of smog and coal dust, I kid you not. It would be easier to convince me that it was made from bulk Chilean juice (that a Hong Kong agent admitted importing to China) than actual Chinese.

But you didn't taste this wine, correct? And Spurrier said in Telegraphe article he had never tasted a Chinese Bdx blend he had thought worth retasting before. But I've tasted dozens of mediocre to vile examples from regions, and then found a wine I've loved. Maybe someone just found something that worked (for at least some tasters).

Jenise wrote:
"My problem is being unable to equate this with any of the wines I tasted while in China. Even those touted by the Spectator for showing potential were pretty awkward and drecky to my tastes. Some just tasted of smog and coal dust..."

Hmmm, that's a little scary. I might want to see a chemical analysis before trying this Chinese wonder wine... poison pet food, toxic wallboard, and the like, come to mind.

[Jenise]

But you didn't taste this wine, correct? And Spurrier said in Telegraphe article he had never tasted a Chinese Bdx blend he had thought worth retasting before. But I've tasted dozens of mediocre to vile examples from regions, and then found a wine I've loved. Maybe someone just found something that worked (for at least some tasters).

Absolutely correct, Dale. I merely tasted every Chinese wine of every grape and color I could get my hands on while there, none of which tasted like what they were supposed to be. Just hard to imagine what changed.

Covert, blind with respect to which wine it was. But I got the feeling from the comments I read on Jamie Goode's site that they knew region, at least in the initial rounds.

My problem is being unable to equate this with any of the wines I tasted while in China. Even those touted by the Spectator for showing potential were pretty awkward and drecky to my tastes. Some just tasted of smog and coal dust, I kid you not. It would be easier to convince me that it was made from bulk Chilean juice (that a Hong Kong agent admitted importing to China) than actual Chinese.

I think everybody can form his or her own conclusions. Luckily for me I have a company office in Beijing so I can probably try a couple of bottles and decide for myself whether this wine is interesting or not, regardless of how China came by it. For what it is worth, I believe it came from where China says it did, just northwest of Beijing, and I can verify that. I read an account of the winemaker's (Li Demei) near genius, if not genius, talent, and education from Bordeaux University of Oenology and his internships at important chateaux, and I believed what I read.

As you know, there are a lot of miracles going on in China. Off topic a little - or a lot, but yesterday Lynn bought me a suit to mimic one that she had seen Michael Weston wear on the new TV show, Burn Notice. Mauve colored. She patterns my entire wardrobe after that show. I toured the Seneca Lake wine trail last week (with Lynn) wearing my Michael Weston outfits and Lynn was sure everybody noticed how great I looked. How wonderful that she would be so besottedly delusional after 45 years of marriage, eh? Thirty years ago Lynn would spent up to $1,000 to buy me a fantastic looking suit. This suit she bought yesterday was 90% wool and 10% cashmere. It looks like it cost $1,000, but she paid $215, after standard sale and store discounts. The material and cut were amazing. Where from? I had to know. Of course, China. By the way, I was quite impressed with the freshness, great acidity and unique typicity tastes of the Finger Lake vinifera wines. We winery crawled to taste a gallon of them. Thanks: saves me another post.

Back to topic: Yes, the regional tastings were not entirely blind: the tasters at least knew what regions they were tasting. And like you I can't get my mind around how Chateau Boutesse won out over all Bordeaux, including classed growths??? - if it actually did. I purchased eight bottles of Ch. Boutisse and will get to check out a bottle soon, after the shock of its transit wears off. I can say that last year when Decanter selected 2005 Chateau Lynch Moussas over all other classed growths in another blind tasting, I could relate to the choice after drinking it myself, in Bordeaux, sans bottle shock or heat damage. As I said, there is something strange going on and I hope to get to the bottom of it if I have to phone, or fly over to meet, the Decanter staff. At least it makes my hobby interesting.

Jenise, I'd assume/guess that 98% of wine produced in China is absolute undrinkable dreck, with 1.9% being barely palatable plonk. But that doesn't preclude 0.1% having at least some quality. As Covert notes, the winemaker seems to be very serious, and to have invested time and money in finding a site conducive to what he wants to do. So I have no trouble believing both that you tasted nothing but dreck, and that this particular wine won plaudits from an experienced tasting panel.

Again, these contests are only competitions between the wines entered. I think you can be pretty sure that the vast majority of classified Medoc wines don't enter, nor probably any of the 1er GCC St Emilions or top Pomerols. There might be a scattering of lesser regarded classed growths (Pedesclaux or R-Gassies or the like), but the name chateaux have nothing to gain from entering. I'm not surprised that a wine like Boutisse would win- modern easy Merlot dominated, likely to show well young.

I employ an efficiency tactic that is somewhat unique. I call it my heuristic method. Because I am a schmuck, and accept the fact that I am, I don’t mind other people knowing it, too. So, unlike most other people who are also schmucks but hide out in a vain attempt to hide that fact, I toss out my scantly researched rudimentary opinions about questions that captivate me in hopes that others, who know things about the topics from a variety of perspectives, will exercise the very human proclivity to criticize, and ipso facto educate me much more quickly about my topic than I could educate myself through exhaustive research.

There is something very wrong with the DWWA’s, but I still do not know what. On the surface they look crazy. Dale was helpful in pointing out the probable fact that most major chateaux do not submit their bottles for consideration. And by looking at the Decanter awards issue in more detail, I see that none of the tasters suggested drinking windows for any of the entries, implying that they were basing their opinions on how much pleasure the bottles afforded today, rather than how they thought they would evolve at their peaks sometime in the future. More confusing is figuring out what vintages were under consideration. Most of the bottles tasted were 2009’s, which made the exercise look as if only recently bottled samples were being considered. Of course 2009 Lafite would not show well today for pure drinking pleasure. Yet, there was one 2004 receiving an award: Boutisse, again! adding some intrigue; one 2005 Cru Bourgeois and 2008 Talbot!!?? Hundreds of inconsequential generic-type 2008 and 2009 Bordeaux and some satellite samples were entered, all studied intently by experienced tasters in a scientific lab-like environment designed to screen out as much competing stimulation to the senses as possible. It appears to be an immense exercise in human futility, an enormous folly, or pipeau, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. But that can’t be the case, either, can it????????

[David M. Bueker]

The DWWAs have been, as you ask, "full of sound and fury, signifying nothing" for a long time. It's as if The Sporting News ranked a Double A baseball team as "best in the world" because no Major League or even Triple A team entered the competition for consideration.

The DWWAs can sometimes point out a good value opportunity, but that's about it.

As for drinking windows, Decanter never really went in much for those, but do they still use the little bottle icons, where a horizontal bottle means "lay it down" and a vertical bottle means "ready to drink"?

The DWWAs have been, as you ask, "full of sound and fury, signifying nothing" for a long time. It's as if The Sporting News ranked a Double A baseball team as "best in the world" because no Major League or even Triple A team entered the competition for consideration.

Good analogy. I'd say I pay as much attention to the DWWAs as I do Gold Medals from state fairs and other competitions (Clos de Plonk is a double gold medal winner, whoo hoo!).

The DWWAs have been, as you ask, "full of sound and fury, signifying nothing" for a long time. It's as if The Sporting News ranked a Double A baseball team as "best in the world" because no Major League or even Triple A team entered the competition for consideration.

Good analogy. I'd say I pay as much attention to the DWWAs as I do Gold Medals from state fairs and other competitions (Clos de Plonk is a double gold medal winner, whoo hoo!).

I hadn't paid any attention to this competition before, or else I would have probably just dusted it all off and not commented about the International Winner. Because I am intimately involved with China in another industry, and because the Chinese have disturbed my Bordeaux buying pattern, the declared winner caught my attention. Still, I question if there might be more to the whole seemingly useless exercise given that such luminaries as Steven Spurrier are in charge of it. Are we suggesting that he and the couple of hundred other tasters, including a few MWs, involved are fools, or in best the case commercial whores, deserving of the ridicule of just about everybody else who has any interest in wine? Somehow it doesn't add up for me.

As an aside, I look forward to drinking one of my eight 2008 Chateau Boutisses tomorrow night, for science. I will report back on it...like it matters what Covert Harris thinks about it. And I will also report on what I think of the Chinese winner, if I can get my hands on a bottle. I should be able to.

Isn't anybody who works for Decanter and/or knowledgeable about the goals and experimental design of the competition a member of this forum so that he or she could clear up some of the fog? Why is it important to pick winners out of a bunch of near generic wines? Where better wines entered? Why just one classed growth, Talbot? What years were chosen for the competition and why? Why is there one, but just one, bottle older than 2005 in the Bordeaux section? Where was the cutoff? What is the point? Etc.

It seems that you have to pay about a hundred pounds to enter your wine. The organisers do not go onto the open market and buy say Palmer, Latour etc.

One poster (a French winemaker) on UK forum wrote......>

I'm flicking through DWWA edition now. We thought it was quite funny that they go into great detail of explaining the entire process but carefully miss out the fact that people have to pay Decanter around £100 for every wine they submit.

One thing I noticed in the Languedoc section is that the producers who submitted the most wines got the gold medals. One very dominant UK brand gaining 38 awards. That's £3800 just for the wines that got awards. One could say that it's just weight of numbers but there is more to it than that. When you have around 10% of the wines submitted coming from one producer, it tilts the perception of the whole tasting. Panelists will become biased towards that style. The Languedoc is particularly susceptible to this because the vast majority of the wines submitted are made in a particular style to suit the British palate - big producers like Paul Mas, Gerard Bertrand, La Baume and Mont Tauch dominate the DWWA, partly by creating an idea of what Languedoc wine SHOULD taste like. Wines which stray away from that style, which means the majority of good Languedoc wines and notably the ones most appreciated by wine lovers and experienced critics, tend not to do so well.

There is also an awful number of very basic wines submitted.

[David M. Bueker]

Link to the UK wine board thread here: Decanter Wine Awards.

You're not the only one with questions Covert.