TN: Bordeaux 2018 from bottle

WINE TALK
21

D Zurcher wrote:
I’m 53 and you should see the list of 2019’s I have on order. I hope those that outlive me appreciate them > :slight_smile:> .

I am 53+ and am in the same boat. Hopefully our daughter enjoys red wine by then. Our son certainly does!

Ed

22

I didn’t buy a lot of 2018, given the prices and heat, but I did go in for half-to-full cases of Canon, Carmes, Branaire, and Rauzan-Segla… and a three-pack of LLC. I’ve found that your notes are pretty spot on in the past few vintages for my palate, so it sounds like I’m going to be happy with these purchases in the long run – thanks Panos! [cheers.gif]

23

My dad is in his 60s and still buying Bordeaux futures, but he’s also drinking for the here and now, so he won’t be holding onto them for very long.

24

I’m 48, and hadn’t bought futures since the ‘09 vintage…until the ‘19 campaign! Combination of high futures prices, Premier Cru scars, and concerns about waiting 20+ years for the wines to mature kept me out. The “low” pricing, high praise and vintage style of ‘19 sucked me in; bought many in half bottle. Hope they turn out to be a modern day equivalent of 1990, which I’ve been happily drinking for over 15 years. Have been mostly buying 80s and 90s vintages at auction, as well as lots of 2000.

Great report Panos! I do wonder how the 18’s will land in the marketplace, with the 19’s similar in quality, but considerably cheaper.

25

I’m kind of the same-I’m certainly not the “buy a case and don’t open one for 20 years” type. I opened a 2017 Clos du Marquis last night that was quite good. Will it be better in a handful of years? Of course, but I’ll open young Bordeaux pretty frequently-and I’ll hang on to many also. I still have a number of '98’s here which was one of the first Bordeaux vintages I started buying on release.

26

Thank you Vince for your kind remark. It has been fun to taste Bordeaux for the past 18 years upon release and then in bottle. Lately, it just takes me more time to put notes together. LLC 2016 and 2018 will be very fascinating to compare, but as we get older, I like the more obviously ripe vintages for LLC, since the wine can take lots of time to come around. So in more classical vintages like 2005 and 2016, one need more time for the optimal drinking window to open, while vintages like 2009 and 2018 will be ready sooner (I have six bottles of each of those!). Carmes is amazing in 2018! I went to the estate again to try from bottle with the director and it was delicious just as it had been from barrel. Good choices for purchasing.

Anyway, I am planning on organising personalised tours to Bordeaux once this pandemic is no longer a menace. Maybe that would interest you and others here?

Cheers,
Panos

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Younger Bordeaux can be damn delicious, indeed. Not all Bordeaux needs 20 years waiting. But it is amazing how much better the wine can be with that aging. What was that dictum comparing UK, US and French drinkers? The French drink their wines too young, the Brits too old, and the Americans just right? [cheers.gif]

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I’d definitely be interested, cheers!

29

I think a tour is a great idea. Id be interested.

30

I just read that the owner of Lilian Ladouys, the Lorenzetti family, had purchased Chateau Clauzet and Chateau Tour de Pez doubling it’s acreage , and it sounds like all three are now part of a single wine. Interesting.

31

Hi Panos

I saw your post above about the 2018 Bordeaux and wondered if you saw the thread I posted and had any comments.

The group had a lot of replies that were Great.

Thanks

Karl

32

Sorry to be so late to acknowledge your reply.
Good to know.
As things open up, I can actually try to make a plan.
Cheers,
Panos

33

Hi Karl,
Sorry for the (very) late reply.
Some solar vintages don’t shut down as much as others.
Many 2009s are drinking very well today: I had a Mouton 2009 last summer that showed impressive structure but was also savory and certainly open. Same thing with a recent vertical of Leoville Poyferré, which will be an article in The World of Fine Wine. The 2010, OTOH, is less expressive, but shows such underlying depth and cool fruit purity. I think someone in your thread posted that the 2016 Leoville Barton you mentioned can be stashed away for 10 years. Absolutely. That’s why it’s good to buy appellations like Medoc or Fronsac, as these can be more open, sooner, as well as the more expensive and often more structured appellations , especially from more “classical” vintages.

34

I’m calling Panos “Market Maker” from now on. He has pushed the price of Petit Village into, well, Pomerol range. Harumph.

I don’t know how I missed this post the first time around. Oh yeah, I WAS BANNED. Anyway, it is interesting reading about wines you kids will be drinking when I have returned to dust.

And Robert, I can’t believe you were actually concerned about LBP’s Sociando review. I’d take a Consumer’s Reports review more seriously.

35

HAHA, fair point!

Glad we each snagged yer more 2014 Lanessan. Jorge H just told me the 2018 was a yawner. I was not thrilled with 2015 or 2016, either. F’ng Bouard.

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36

Thanks for the reply Panos

So nice to read your comments above again.
I’m glad you took the time to look at the Bordeaux thread I started way back.
Such a phenomenal group of wine connoisseurs here…it’s really a treat to see these folks take the time to share their knowledge.

As I sit here and sip on my Caprili Brunello 2016, I can’t help thinking how struck I was by an earlier Chateau Montrose 2010 2nd Wine.
La Dame
Probably ranks up there with one of the best Bordeaux’s I’ve had.

Reminds me of the scene in Bottle Shock where he goes into the restaurant to solicit the Mr Tari for his wine competition and criticizes Mr Tari for opening his wine 20 years too early to which he replies he prefers them young.

It’s as if the universal POV is that Bordeaux needs Lots of aging.

Yet…you seemed to indicate that some can be had earlier and enjoyed.
That was good to hear.
I bought a few 2018’s although they were 2nd wines.
Les Griffons and Croix de Beaucaillou
Tried one of each and in a couple years they should be ok.

Alas…the 2016 6 pack of Leoville Barton still sits there in the wine fridge at 55 degrees.
Not sure what to do but I do intend to try one anyway.

Your notes on the 2018’s are obviously very much appreciated by everyone.

Thank you for the reply.

Cheers!