How is 'Modern" Bordeaux aging? Thinking of 2009 and 2010

[Howard_Cooper]

@Gregory_Dal_Piaz

I know they are young, but with a decade in the bottle, are they looking more like classic Bordeaux, or are they just weird?

As I am wrapping up my wine buying I am looking at a bit of a hole in Bordeaux. I bought very little between 2005 and 2015, and while i don’t need to backfill this interval I was thinking of a few bottles from 2009 and 2010 to round out the cellar selection.

I didn’t buy Bordeaux after 2005 because of the emergence of more “modern” Bordeaux, and my hesitancy was based on some general consensus regarding ageability of the wines as well as my tasting experience, which seemed to indicate a decided turn toward ripeness and lushness that didn’t really fit into my preferred Bordeaux profile.

I am not sure when the region fully committed to this move, and it might have helped in vintages like 2001, 2002, and 2004, but with enough time in bottle now to reassess I am hoping to hear your collective opinions on how “modern” Bordeaux is ageing. In particular, how are the 2009s and 2010 for those bold enough to have dipped into these relatively youthful vintages.

Maybe I should just stick to the best 2001s,2002s, and 2004s and be done with it!

Are you asking about 2009s and 2010s generally? I would be interested if there is a difference between wines from these vintages that are made in a more traditional manner and those made in a more modern style. I don’t taste that much younger Bordeaux anymore, but I attended a Leoville Poyferre vertical in 2019 and found the 2009 version to be stewed and really unpleasant to drink. Others loved it. Now, this is a winery where the wines are really no longer made in a style that I like so was the issue winery, vintage or both. On the other hand, I also preferred 2005 and 2010 Montrose to the 2009 in a separate tasting. And, this is a winery I like. TN: Chateau Montrose with Mr. Herve Berland - WINE TALK - WineBerserkers So, maybe it is the vintage.