Bordeaux - An overview of recent vintages
As a continuation of our series of vintage overviews, Amanda Skinner turns her attention to Bordeaux in this edition. Concentrating on recent vintages, she begins with the splendid 2005 vintage and covers ten years back to 1995.
Bordeaux tends to have a longer life and indeed drinking window than Burgundy, so there is less likelihood of you having a nasty surprise if you have left your wine a little longer than the drinking dates that we have suggested on your Stock Certificates, provided that they have been stored in perfect conditions once they have arrived in your home from Vinothèque. Equally, some of you will be lucky enough to have colder cellars, which undoubtedly arrests the evolution of the wine. I was reminded of just what a difference cellar temperature can make with a customer whose cellar I have had the privilege to advise upon for some 15 years. I visited him in the summer to give him some guidance on drinkability and was dismayed to find a substantial collection of 1996 and 1997 négociant white burgundies. I advised him to drink them and not to be surprised if he found that many were over the top!
Some months later, he reports that he has been getting through the stock but, so far, there have been no out-of-ondition bottles. Fortunately, for him, his very cold cellar has clearly saved him from potential disappointments. I would also add that as each of our palates is individual, the overviews below should be viewed only as a guide.
2005 Vintage
A great vintage which will be long-lived and indeed have a long drinking window. Such was the maturity and purity of the fruit at harvest, the wines will probably be very drinkable at a relatively early stage but patience will undoubtedly be rewarded.
2004 Vintage
At the time of their release, in spring 2005, the 2004s tasted pretty awkward with high tannin levels. In the best wines, the tannins were refreshing and this was a welcome return to a more classic style of Bordeaux. At the other end of the quality spectrum, there were some quite brutish, rasping and under-ripe tannins. A year later, whilst in Bordeaux to taste the 2005s, they had really come together and, with all the hype and excitement surrounding 2005, they looked like very good value. Prices have gone up since but they still represent excellent value, especially when compared to 2005 and 2006 levels. I would not touch any wines yet, other than perhaps those of Montagne-St-Emilion, Fronsac, some less expensive Pomerols and Crus Bourgeois, Moulis and Haut-Médocs and, even then, I would decant them. I would not think of anything else until 2010, at the earliest.
2003 Vintage
The heatwave vintage. You can start drinking your Haut Médocs, Crus Bourgeois and Moulis as well as the Montagne-St-Emilion, some less expensive Pomerols and St-Emilions and the Fronsacs from now. Some of the second wines, particularly on the Right Bank are also ready for drinking. Most of the rest, I would expect to start to hit their stride in 2010 with the exception of the First Growths which will need a couple more years – you could safely start to drink them from 2015. The likes of Cheval Blanc and Lafleur will also be drinkable from 2010.
2002 Vintage
A late vintage, at least by the standards of recent times and at the top end, the wines will be long-lived. Médoc, Haut-Médoc, Cru Bourgeois, lesser St-Emilions and Pomerols and Fronsac should all be on your “drink now” register. St-Estèphe, Margaux, St-Julien and Pessac-Léognan will all be relatively early drinking, say from 2009 although you should exclude your Super Seconds and First Growths from that starting date and indeed most of the Pauillacs, which would still appear to be the strongest appellation. We tasted a range of 2002s with Lilian Barton in April 2006 and were particularly seduced by 2002 Langoa- Barton and, whilst there is no hurry, that is one of the wines that I have earmarked for drinking this Christmas. Pomerols and St-Emilions are starting to drink now; I would drink up the wines at the lower end but the upper end I would start to drink from next autumn although they will be fine over the next five years.
2001 Vintage
2001 will always be in the shadow of the superb 2000 vintage but that is not to say that this vintage is a disaster. I would say, however, that it is a vintage to serve now. Of course the First Growths will be fine for another ten to 15 years and most of the Left Bank Super Seconds for five to ten, but recent tastings have shown the wines to be drinking well already.
2000 Vintage
A truly great vintage. Some of the second wines are delicious now – Moulin Riche from Léoville Poyferré for example and wines from Haut-Médoc, Cru Bourgeois and Moulis and 5ème Cru level wines from Pauillac, St-Julien, Margaux etc. The minor Pomerols, St- Emilions and Fronsacs can also be enjoyed now. It is acknowledged that great vintages are good to drink even in their infancy so if you are tempted to try your Figéac 2000 or Bourgneuf 2000 or, from the Left Bank, Talbot, Beychevelle or Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande you will not be disappointed, but they will of course continue to improve over the next five to ten years.
1999 Vintage
This vintage has produced wines on both the Right and Left Banks that are already drinking well, from 2ème Cru classification down. I would suggest that try your 2ème Cru and First Growths from next year. St-Emilions and Pomerols are drinking well now but there is no hurry. I would leave the top Pomerols, though, such as La Conseillante, Lafleur, Hosanna, La Fleur Pétrus and, of course, Pétrus.
1998 Vintage
A fabulous Pomerol and St-Emilion vintage and the wines are starting to show well but even the “lesser” wines have time on their side and so I would suggest that you need not hurry. Fronsacs and Canon Fronsacs, Haut-Médoc, Cru Bourgeois and Moulis wines can all be enjoyed now. As for the rest of the Left Bank, recent tastings would definitely suggest that there is more to come and they should be allowed to
evolve further.
1997 Vintage
You don’t need to hurry if you have First Growths and the top 2ème Cru Classés such as Léoville-Las-Cases or if you have larger formats, but for the rest I would say drink up. They are certainly not going to get any better.
1996 Vintage
The great Cabernet Sauvignon year and, as you would expect, still quite unevolved with their tannin levels remaining high. There are one or two exceptions, Château Batailley being a wine which we’ve re-tasted and found to be drinking well. You could probably start to open your 5ème Cru Classé wines but there is certainly no hurry. Rain in late August and early September in Pomerol and St-Emilion caused dilution in this Merlot dominated region and my recommendation is to drink these wines.
1995 Vintage
The Right Bank wines of Pomerol and St-Emilion are starting to drink well. However, if you are lucky enough to have Pétrus and Lafleur in your wine collection or cellar, you should leave them where they are.
The lesser wines, for which you would have paid up to £100.00 per case in bond in 1996 are delicious now, offering round, plump fruit and plenty of charm. The story on the Left Bank is rather different where the lesser wines are drinking well; your wines from the Haut- Médoc, Cru Bourgeois and Moulis can be enjoyed now. Some of the St-Estèphe and Graves wines are starting to show well, especially where they have a
relatively high Merlot content. Recent tastings of Pauillac and St-Julien, reveal that the wines, even at 4ème and 3ème Cru Classé level, still need time.
Amanda Skinner
Chief Operating Officer