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Thoughts on 2009 Bordeaux

Alongside swarms of other rabid oenophiles, I recently attended the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux tasting in Chicago.  In general, I was blown away by the quality of wines in this vintage.  With few exceptions, these wines were bold, expressive and really remarkable.  Certainly worth the hype they’ve received.  The biggest surprise is how approachable many already are.
For those who don’t typically explore wines from Bordeaux, this is the vintage to do so, especially from St Emilion and Pomerol.  Many of these could pass for their new world counterparts.  For those with more “classic” Bordeaux tastes, there are limitless choices for you as well, although arguably better (albeit pricier) are coming in 2010.
I’ve ranked my top ten from the tasting.  Please keep in mind, this is a subjective list.  These aren’t necessarily the “best” of the day, nor the most expensive.  These are simply the ones with which I was most smitten.
Please feel free to share any thoughts, observations or questions.
Honorable Mentions:

Larrivet Haut Brion Blanc, Pessac Leognan
Canon la Gaffeliere, St Emilion
La Tour Carnet, Haut Medoc
Cantenac Brown, Margaux
Doisy Daene, Sauternes
10. Troplong Mondot, St Emilion
A beautiful, elegant St Emilion. From a strictly enjoyment perspective I would rank this higher; but my major complaint is the price tag. I just didn’t consider this wine twice as good as others in its category.
9. Cantemerle, Haut Medoc
Driven by merlot, the blend works well with the ripeness of the vintage. I loved the body and mouthfeel of this wine. Impressive but not intimidating. A little heat on the finish should dissipate over time.
8. Leoville Barton, St Julien
This was beautifully crafted, with amazing depth and a very muscular structure. Definitely built for the long haul, with potential for decades of evolution. My only complaint is the very big, hefty tannins which will give way with time, leading to a wine with incredible substance and nuance. For those with extreme patience.
 7. Lascombes, Margaux
Always an intense, impressive wine, this vintage is no exception and its name was on everyone’s lips that afternoon. Massive, inky, almost aggressively tannic, with concentrated currant, blueberry, toasty vanilla and hints of earthy truffle. Superb potential but I wouldn’t touch it for at least 8 years.
6. Suduiraut, Sauternes
Wonderfully frangrant. Superconcentrated with fresh peach, apricot and lemon curd with hints of caramel and honey. Enough acidity to keep it honest. Intrigued by cellar potential but gorgeous now.
5. Lafon Rochet, St Estephe
Critics throw around the phrase “sleeper of the vintage” a lot these days, but this is definitely mine for 2009. I loved this classy, expansive St Estephe. Black currants, spice, hints of tea leaf? Impeccably balanced, fascinating and an amazing value.
4. Armilhac, Pauillac

This emobdied everything great Bordeaux should be. My notes merely read “……..” A hefty, distinctive body with impressive length and everything in place. Should evolve quite nicely but already surprisingly approachable.

3. Smith Haut Lafite, Pessac Leognan

I was remarkably surprised here. Usually Graves and Pessac are too earthy and too taut for me; but this wine was round, approachable, subtle and texturally flawless. Intensely concentrated flavors of black fruits, licorice and charcoal.  It shared a table with Pape Clement and beat it, easily.  This could be the perfect wine for those with more classic Bordeaux palates.
2. Pavie Macquin, St Emilion
Here I believe I found Nirvana. Initially I was overwhelmed by vanilla, but with patient swirling and a revisit later, I encountered amazing fruit, with luxurious, thick cassis intermingled with hints of foliage, charcoal and the signature St Emilion pencil lead. Others made a case that this wine was “overripe” or “too modern” but I found it absolutely delicious, with the perfect balance of fruit, structure and elegance. This is what I am looking for in a great Right Bank. I wanted this to be my favorite but it was very slightly edged out……
1. Clinet, Pomerol
For me this was the most expressive, most beautiful wine of the day. I found it surprisingly soft and silky for its youth. Gobs of plum, with layers upon layers of lush black fruits, fig and espresso. Very voluptuous and forward- almost flamboyant- but still incredibly elegant, with a finish that is still lingering a month later. Truly remarkable. It’s hard to imagine wine ever getting much beter than this.
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Grape of the Month: Pinot Noir

I’m often asked what my favorite kind of wine is.  My answer, like most wine enthusiasts I know, is “I don’t have a favorite.”  I think of wines like parents think of children– you love them all equally, just in different ways.  One might be pretty, one might be the funniest, one is usually the smartest, one is artistic and so on.  Obviously my family is not a good example since I am all of the above.  But typically, good parents give equal affection to all.  And so, I love all my grapes.  One is soft and elegant, one is loud and flashy; one is best with certain foods, one is perfect for sipping by the fireplace.  They’re all wonderful; I don’t play favorites.

But if I were stranded on a deserted island with one bottle of wine, it would have to be an elegant, refined, exceptional Pinot Noir.

Pinot is the great king of Burgundy, where it has thrived for hundreds of years.  From the heralded vineyards in the southern part of the Côte de Nuits come the most elegant, complex and wonderful wines of this type, and arguably the best wines in all of France and perhaps the whole winemaking world.  But alas, these wines are not cheap; in superior vintages the top Burgundies sell at auction for thousands of dollars a bottle.

So, as usual, we turn to the good old US of A to provide us with some reasonably priced but quality wines.  California cornered the market on pinot for quite some time in this country.  From Mendocino all the way to Santa Barbara, this grape has earned a stellar reputation for fruit forward, wonderfully approachable wines.  Some of these may not be wines of amazing structure, especially around Monterey and along the coast; but they are affordable and universally appealing.  Many California pinots, however have earned extremely high praise from enthusiasts all over the world, including the folks at Wine Spectator who named Kosta Brown Pinot 2009 the best wine of 2011.  So Cali gets most of the attention, as usual.  But recently the success of pinot noir from Oregon has oenophiles’ heads spinning.  In Willammette Valley especially we’re finding intriguing wines of amazing depth and complexity that, some argue, rival even the great Bourgogne.  Critics have heralded 2008 Oregon’s best vintage thus far and it appears it’s only getting better.

In Germany, pinot is called spatburgunder.  In my experience, these aren’t typically wines of great distinction, but are interesting and quite approachable.  Pinot is one of the parents of South Africa’s hybrid pinotage, which is gaining some momentum here due to a rise in quality imports.  We’ve also recently discovered some pinot from New Zealand that is worthy of praise.  At quick glance, then, it seems pinot noir can grow almost anywhere.  But the best environment for pinot involves warm days, cool evenings, lots of fog and a great deal of talent and patience in the vineyards.

Now, with this finicky grape, you really get what you pay for.  If you spend ten bucks on pinot, expect a light, fruity wine reminiscent of Kool-Aid at best, cough medicine at worst.  If you spend a bit more, you earn a little depth and complexity.  One you cross the twenty-five dollar threshold, there is a dramatic improvement.  It’s an unfortunate but very real part of life with this spectacular but variable grape.

Pinot Noir

It’s also important to note: this grape is probably the truest expression of terroir.  That is, these wines are completely different depending on from where they came.  In northern California, look for mostly fruit forward, elegant wines with soft, silky tannins.  In central and southern Cali pinot is heftier, more robust, spicy and even sometimes a bit sweet.  In Oregon, pinot is more delicate and subtle, driven by earth tones and hints of tea leaf and truffle.  New Zealand’s versions are known for their minerality and high acidity.  In France, all the best components come together to create wines of amazing depth and distinction.

Pinot is probably a sommelier’s favorite grape as it is the most versatile wine for pairing with food.  Its low tannins, high acidity, and elegant balance make it the perfect match for many cuisines.  Its best counterparts include meatier seafoods like swordfish or salmon, pasta, duck, and of course, anything with mushrooms.

Recommendations:

  • $10-15: Angeline, Cartledge & Brown, Gunther Schlink, Oyster Bay
  • $15-30: Saint Gregory, Byron, Melville, Maysara, Coopers Creek, Sineann, Luca, Capiaux Cellars, Cashburn
  • $30-60: Merry Edwards, Louis Jadot Beaune Clos du Ursules, Ata Rangi, Domaine Serene Evenstad, Patz & Hall Hyde Vineyard, Loring Clos Pepe
  • $60-100: Domaine Louis Latour Corton Grancey, Domaine Faiveley Gevrey Chambertin, Kosta Browne, Martinelli
  • Before you die: Domaine Romanée-Conti