The Bordeaux 2009 Barrel-Tasting Reviews Are In

The preliminary reviews of the much-anticipated 2009 Bordeaux have finally been filed by all of the major players in the field: Robert Parker, Wine Spectator, Decanter, and Jancis Robinson. (Take a look at this chart for an overview.) And while there are some real areas of disagreement, the overall impression is that the ‘09s will live up to all the hype surrounding them.

Earlier this week, Parker released his preliminary scores and impressions of the wines, and, as Decanter.com put it, his “ringing endorsement of Bordeaux 2009 shows the vintage has brought together American and European palates as never before...In his assessment of the vintage, published [earlier this week], the influential American critic says 2009 'may turn out to be the finest vintage I have tasted in 32 years of covering Bordeaux.’”

Of course, not all the critics agree on all the wines, and, as always, there is some debate about what, exactly, a great Left or Right Bank Bordeaux is supposed to taste like. And predictably, much of that debate centers on the amount of alcohol or ripeness that a wine possesses, with the parties falling into their predictable camps (Parker of the more-is-better bent and Robinson less so; the Cos d'Estournel is one of the wines causing a fair bit of controversy).

All of these scores, however, are just impressions at this point: The wines, after all, still have a significant amount of time to go in barrel, and their blends will continue to be altered before they are finally bottled. As such, they’re still quite young, and different from the final form they will ultimately take. (Check out this excellent piece, from the Wall Street Journal, about the nature of tasting these wines so early.)

Despite all the drama and small-scale disagreements, though, most of the big critics seem to concur that 2009 was an extraordinary year, and that the wines have the potential to be among the greatest in recent memory.

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Second Labels

So-called second-label bottlings of great wines are nothing new. And, in fact, they make perfect sense: They’re a great way for producers to make the most out of less-than-perfect fruit, or of their vines that are just too young to plumb the depths of profundity that their more mature ones do. From a consumer’s standpoint, they often afford the opportunity to experience the general character of a great wine without the necessity of spending all the money that the big brother requires, or giving the juice as long a repose in the cellar before it’s ready to be enjoyed.

What is new, however, is the price being asked for some of these second labels, most notably Carruades de Lafite. According to a recent news item on Decanter.com, “Carruades 2008 is still at around £1,000 [per case], but it is predicted to keep climbing closer to the other first growths once in bottle.

“Gary Boom, managing director of Bordeaux Index, told decanter.com, ‘Today a case of Carruades 2004 would set you back £1800, which is considerably more than the £1650 you would pay for a case of Mouton 2004.

“‘And this for a wine that cost around £280 at initial release. The 2008 may not climb as high as the firsts, but it is likely to go higher than Cos and the other Super Seconds.’”

So the question is this: Is the second wine of Chateau Lafite worth as much as, or more than, a bottle of top Second Growth like Cos d’Estournel, Leoville-Barton, or Pichon-Lalande or –Baron? Or, for that matter, a top Fifth Growth like Lynch-Bages?

It’s a tough call, and, like so much in the world of wine, a matter of personal taste. I’ve personally found that my preference is vintage-specific. For example, a recent bottle of 1996 Lynch-Bages was absolutely wonderful, but comparing it to the 2000 Carruades (opened at the same dinner) is unfair to both, since the latter was just starting to develop, even 9 years after the fruit was picked. It will be singing in another five to ten years. And give me a Leoville-Barton anytime and I’ll be a happy man.

So, really, it comes down to this: Drink what you love, try wines that you haven’t had before, and keep in mind that every vintage is different. And always look for opportunities to taste wines that are too young, at their peak, and slightly over the hill. It’s the best way to start building a sense of context for everything you taste, and you never know when you’ll find your next favorite bottling.

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Prats + Symington Chryseia 2004

One of Portugal’s most famous dry reds, Chryseia is the result of a dream partnership between Charles Symington (if you’ve had Warre’s, Dow’s, or Graham’s Port, you’ve had his family’s wines) and Bruno Prats (of Chateau Cos d’Estournel fame). In fact, in the fewer than 10 years since the first vintage, Chryseia has become one of Portugal’s most sought-after dry red wines.

There is a fantastic overview of the grape-selection and winemaking on the Chryseia web site, but the short version is this: The wine is the result of Bordeaux-style winemaking techniques being brought to bear on the traditional grape varieties of the Douro Valley.

I recently had the chance to taste the 2004, and though it’s young, it nonetheless still offers plenty of modern-style pleasure, marked as it is by grilled meat, rich plums, well-integrated new oak, and dark, dark cherries. Like you’d expect from the dream team of Symington and Prats, all the pieces are in their appropriate place in this wine, and the result is abundantly enjoyable.

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