I’m talking about the last decade of Bordeaux, covering 2008-2017.
We all know 2013 is crap. I’m particularly interested in:
How do the “good but not great vintages” – 2008, 2012, 2014, 2017 – compare? What is the ranking among these vintages and how certain are people about that ranking? Vintage styles – e.g. which will drink earlier, etc.
How do the four supposedly “great” vintages – 2009, 2010, 2015, 2016 – compare?
How do the “good but not great” vintages compare to the supposedly “great” vintages? How much of a premium should we be willing to pay for the more expensive 2009/2010/2015/2016 compared to the other vintages?
What is the deal with 2011 anyway? Stinko like 2013, or worth owning at the right price?
Can those with more information than me weigh in? thanks for any thoughts. I could give opinions but I don’t think they’re very informed.
2008 is a seriously underrated vintage, and for the classicist, it is one worth seeking out. The wines are just about ripe and tend to be very terroir driven. Gilman really liked the vintage.
The marketing was very awkward because the Bordelais was sure there would be problems selling it, so prices were low, but luckily for them, the Chinese came into the market, bought out the wines.
On another note, I have real problems with Right Bank 2010s, a seriously late harvest year, with very high levels of alcohol.
2012 is a pleasant vintage for early drinking but nowhere near the quality of 2008 and 2014. When I tasted the 2014s, I was struck by the similarities to 2008, but it is a riper, a little less edgy.
Nice comments Mark. A lot of 2010 right banks are close to 15% alcohol, or even higher.
The only 2008 I have is Pichon Baron but it is really good.
I agree with WA that 2009 is superior to 2010 in many areas. I feel like 2009 is a little underrated by the cognoscenti because of a prejudice toward more tannic “classic” vintages. But 2009 has tremendous depth and charm and solid structure under that fruit.
In the Medoc, I have pretty consistently liked 2010s better than 2009s. Both have a good bit of ripeness, but the 2010s seem to have more acidity, which to me helps the wines taste more balanced.
Me too, if we are taking left bank. And 2005 even better. Not a fan of many rights banks in these three vintages, except for a few select Pomerols and St Ems. Alcohol too high in most, in addition to the ubiquity that St Em now seeks.
Let´s wait and see. Many 2009 wines are no longer the hedonistic puppies they were early on. They have lost their baby fat and what one will find now are mostly wines with a healthy structure (acid and tannins).
BTW: How informative is a general vintage chart? Isn’t it more interesting how a single chateau performed in a given vintage. I remember tasting about 120 Right Bank wines blind with the GJE. In this vintage you can find everything. Diluted wines with green aspects but wonderful Pomerols such as Le Gay as well. Therefore: is a vintage chart really helpful?
I wouldn’t say Parker “seriously underrated” 2008, unless you think it is better than 2009/2010:
“This vintage came out at low prices and the top wines have soared in value. However, most 2008s remain somewhat forgotten and under-valued vis à vis the two subsequent vintages. These are classic and outstanding wines that represent excellent value. 2008 is an exceptionally strong vintage in Pomerol and St.-Emilion as well as Graves. The Médocs are more mixed, but as the following tasting notes indicate, there are some top wines in this vintage even though they may not hit the high marks of the sumptuous 2009s or massive 2010s.”
2008 Pomerol may represent a fine arbitrage opportunity, as the wines are [apparently] excellent, but the price would be dragged by the general reputation of the vintage.
I agree, Jurgen, and don’t put huge stock in them. I think it’s a general start, but that is all. For example, look at 2011 Vieux Chateau Certan and Haut Bailly. While some may buck the vintage, clearly these wines excelled.
You want definitive judgments on the 2016s? They haven’t even been released yet and are not yet finished wines. Only people ITB and a few others like Leve have tasted more than a handful of these wines. I have had exactly one 2016 - a wonderful Pichon Lalande. How can I or most others (except those ITB who you have already condemned as a whole) possibly make this judgment at this point?
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