Bordeaux Grands Crus Classés 2007-2010 - 11th May 2011
I attended a thoroughly fascinating and insightful tasting at Somerset House on Wednesday 4th May organized by a group of prestigious Cru Classé Bordeaux Properties; 67 wines in all were available to taste of which the majority were red with a handful of dry whites and Sauternes. This was an extremely popular tasting, indeed as you can see there was precious little room to swirl a glass, and it was a superb opportunity to see how the newly released 2010 vintage compared to the prodigious 2009, and to revisit 2008 and 2007.
Overall thoughts: This confirmed further my belief that 2010 is a very special vintage – the best wines here (of which there were many) showed great richness and concentration and had considerable acidity and tannin and yet lovely freshness also. I would imagine these wines will still be drinking well in well over 20-30 years time! It was interesting to compare with the 2009s, another candidate for legendary vintage status. Some of these had started to close up but the majority still showed the richness and opulence that characterized the vintage and the same gorgeous texture – lower in acidity than 2010 and a very different style but equally high quality, these wines will cellar beautifully but will be approachable much sooner than 2010. The 2008s and 2007s had a tough time of it coming after 2010 and 2009 though there were still some very good wines on show, the 2008s fresh and elegant with good concentration in the best examples but a noticeably lighter frame and less flesh. Finally the 2007’s - a much maligned vintage but the wines I tasted were very pretty and light and certainly offered delicious drinking now, not a vintage which will make old bones but will provide a very satisfying drop over the next 3-7 years.
List of producers:
Smith Haut Lafitte, Guiraud, d’Aiguilhe, Clos de l’Oratoire, Canon La Gaffelière, La Mondotte, Gazin, Angélus, Bellevue, Canon, Rauzan-Ségla, Le Crock, Moulin Riche, Leoville Poyferré, Pontet Canet
Selected Highlights:
Smith Haut Lafitte Rouge 2008 Pessac–Léognan (lovely elegance, texture and weight)
Clos de l’Oratoire 2008 St Emilion Grand Cru Classé (Silky palate with delicious fruit)
Canon La Gaffelière 2009 St Emilion Grand Cru Classé (Pure, focused and decadently rich)
Gazin 2010 Pomerol (Deep, brooding power and a superb finish)
Angélus 2009 St Emilion 1er Grand Cru Classé (Seductive, exotic and multi-faceted – simply stunning)
Rauzan-Ségla 2010 2eme Cru Classé Margaux (Showing better than 2009 today – very long and precise)
Branaire-Ducru 2009 4eme Cru Classé St Julien (Gorgeous texture – awash with quality)
Le Crock 2009 St Estèphe Cru Bourgeois (Lovely flavour – likely to be great value)
Leoville Poyferré 2009 2eme Cru Classé St Julien (Destined for greatness)
Pontet Canet 2010 5eme Cru Classé Pauillac (Powerful with a palate that builds and builds)
Served with Lunch:
Angélus 2007, Branaire-Ducru 2002, Canon 2000, Canon La Gaffèliere 2000, Le Crock 2005, Gazin 1999, Guiraud 2002, Pontet Canet 2003, Rauzan-Ségla 1999, Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc 2007, Smith Haut Lafitte Rouge 2000
Aaron Irons, May 2011
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