2012 BORDEAUX: A "Run-DMC" Vintage (It's TRICKY TRICKY TRICKY.)

Last year I wrote that the 2011 Bordeaux offerings provided some gems if you were willing to take the time to unearth them. Well, Wineaux, prepare yourselves for some serious mining in regard to the 2012s.

Many high-end, famous critics (who get to attend the En Primeur tastings in Bordeaux) seem to agree that 2012 had quality issues much like 2011, and neither vintage was helped by the fact that 2009 and 2010 were stunning vintages all around. In 2012, ripening of the Cabernet Sauvignon was problematic, and Sauternes lost most of its crop to bad weather just before harvest. The dry whites fared well and the Merlot-based reds were salvageable, but 2012 will not be a vintage to remember, or to save.

However, this means something generally not a rule in Bordeaux: the 2012s will be far more accessible early on than those from the opulent vintages.

On a very snowy winter's day, I attended the Union des Grand Crus de Bordeaux tasting, which showcases 95 respected producers from all over Bordeaux. Generally I was not overly impressed with the offerings, although I managed to find one or two Châteaux from the different regions whose wine stood out amongst its peers. (Something to bear in mind: given the unpredictability of the vintage, many of these wines that are showing too tart or one-dimensional may almost certainly evolve in the bottle, and relatively soon, so while some show obvious potential now, others may yet surprise us.)

WHITE: 

Ranged from acidic and bright Sauv Blanc-driven wines,
to rounder, richer offerings buoyed by more Sèmillon in the blend.

2012 Ch. de Chantegrive Blanc: Amazing nose, ripe pear and peach, quince, SweeTarts. Very "sweetly tart" in the mouth, excellently balanced acid, but the word for sure is TART. Liked it though. TOP White. ~$22

2012 Ch. Bouscaut Blanc: 60% Sauvignon Blanc, 40% Semillon; really get the Semillon on the nose, and in the body. Rich and viscous, nice spice on the finish, warm and luxe, very well-balanced. ~$35

2012 Ch. Carbonnieux Blanc: Subtle nose of florals, grass and herbs. Florals, tart lime zest, tasty, but doesn't stand out. ~$45

2012 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc: Elegant tart tropical fruit nose, very vegetative and green, but grippy. ~$100

2012 Ch. de Fieuzal Blanc: Light tropical fruit, nice depth of flavor—yellow apple and minerals. Pretty tasty, but simple. ~$65

2012 Ch. Larrivet Haut-Brion Blanc: FAVE White: Taffy and melon nose. Nice spice and herbs in mouth to balance flavors. Rich and round. Oomphy. ~$55

2012 Ch. Latour-Martillac: 70% SB, 30% Sem, rich and round, very early and grassy, straw, tart citrus on finish. Nice. ~$35

2012 Ch. Malartic-Lagravière: Clean, steely lime. One note. Bit watery. ~$60

SAINT-ÉMILION:

You will see the St.-Éms were very categorized by tart red fruits,
in some cases, so tart as to be off-putting.

2012 Ch. Beau-Séjour Bécot: Spices on the nose! Macerated berries, very spicy in the mouth, nice integration, can drink now, though firm tannins are present. FAVE St.-Em. ~$52

2012 Ch. Canon-la-Gaffelière: florals, red fruits, herby, tart. ~$65

2012 Clos Fourtet: Dark berries, very tart, a little disjointed at present but very good potential. ~$75

2012 Ch. La Gaffelière: Very interesting nose, spicy, bright red fruits, some jam, pomegranate. Very tart. ~$53

2012 Ch. Troplong-Mondot: Very perfumey nose of rose petals, but also quite tart. ~$85

POMEROL:

In Pomerol, the tartness of the red fruits was tempered a bit
by earthiness and similar flavors.

2012 Ch. Beauregard: Earth, spice box, black fruits. Tasty, complex, smoked meat on the finish. FAVE Pom. ~$43

2012 Ch. Le Bon Pasteur: Smoke, dark fruits, a bit of tart red fruit on the finish. ~$NA [60-70]

2012 Ch. Clinet: Woodsy, very tart but bright red fruit. ~$75

MÉDOC:

Many wines from the large Médoc appellation seemed to have
a good "multi-faceted-ness" and are outrageously EXCELLENT values. 

2012 Ch. Chasse-Spleen [Moulis-en-Médoc]: Lovely, complex nose. Luxe fruit, Asian spice, soy sauce umami, bit tight now but very good potential. TOP Méd. ~$30

2012 Ch. Poujeaux [Moulis-en-Médoc]: Very spice box-y! Cedar, red berries, tasty, bright red and purple fruit. TOP Méd. ~$28

2012 Ch. Cantemerle [Haut-Médoc]: Earthy, dusty, spicy cedar nose. Very bright and light, bit of licorice, rose florals. Hm! ~$30

2012 Ch. Citran [Haut-Médoc]: Love the nose! Ripe and round, red and purple. Very purple fruit, blueberries. This one's different and very interesting. TOP Méd. ~$20

2012 Ch. La Tour de By [Médoc]: Light, bit of spice. Somewhat thin, but pleasant. Very fruity and earthy elements. ~$22

MARGAUX:

Mostly positive things to say about Margaux,
also well-rounded, also great values for the appellation.

Manager Dominique Befve
showing off his delicious
Ch. Lascombes.

2012 Ch. Brane-Cantenac: Very earthy, cigar box, nice red fruits, round expression. Yum! TOP Marg. ~$50

2012 Ch. Cantenac Brown: Mesquite, cranberry, grippy tannins, but good blend of fruit and structure. ~$45

2012 Ch. Giscours: Warm, spicy, nice red fruit, not terribly impressive, though. ~$48

2012 Ch. Kirwan: Stunning nose, lush red fruit and perfume. Tangy red fruit, nice spice, cranberry, mocha. FAVE Marg. ~$40

2012 Ch. Lascombes: Very purple nose, very nice, violets. Very very tasty, very very purple! Cocoa powder, iodine. TOP Marg.  ~$65

SAINT-JULIEN:

More earthy, vegitative notes found here.

2012 Ch. Gloria: Nice, interesting umami nose. Not that much fruit expression—chalky tannins kind of rob it of fruit. ~$36

2012 Ch. Léoville-Barton: Herbs and floral nose, nice fruit. Lots of green pepper in mouth. Solid, but not my style. ~$70

2012 Ch. Talbot: Really merde-y nose, but purfumey too! ("Perfume-y merde," that's a new one.) Violets, very compact, complex, yummy. FAVE ST-Ju. ~$50

PAUILLAC:

Pauillac, like Margaux, seemed to hold a lot of potential.

2012 Ch. Haut-Bages Libéral: Love the nose, overripe blackberries, funky cheese thing. Very tasty, velvety, dense and dark, nice spice. TOP Pau. ~$40

2012 Ch. Lynch-Bages: Very herby, very cedar, mortadella, but woah—TOO young!! Very black tea tannic. (I was tasting with my friend, the Some Damn Good Wine guy, who said, "Uh…hold.") ~$100

2012 Ch. Pichon Baron: Not overpowering, but a complex nose: blueberry jam, whiff o' wood smoke. Elegant, fresh herbs, good red fruit, rose petals. FAVE Pau. ~$105

2012 Ch. Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande: Quite earty, cocoa, florals, red tangy fruit on finish. ~$100

(With the storm outside a-ragin', I wrapped up my tasting by beelining to the dessert wines. Alas, that meant I missed the three St.-Estèphe offerings, not to mention so many wonderful Châteaux from the regions I did sample. Oh well, no time to cry over missed wine!)

DESSERT:

Sauterns and Barsac ranged from too light to too cloying,
but still had some personalities shining through.

2012 Ch. Coutet: Strong note of tangerine peel, very pleasant, but one-note. ~$70

2012 Ch. Doisy Daëne: Ripe melon, ripe pear. Really pear-y, actually. Very pleasant; nice finish and not too cloying. TOP Saut. ~$40

2012 Clos Haut-Peyraguey: Honey, apricot, honeysuckle. Very tasty, round and rich, but not enough acidity to balance = too syrupy. ~$55

2012 Ch. La Tour Blanche: Light florals, lemon verbena, good acid, lemon curd on the finish. Yum. Good balance. Very nice. FAVE Saut. ~$55

So there you have it, Wineaux. You major Bordeaux-lovers may just have to write off 2012—alas, the early reports on 2013 are also spotty—but while we wait for the "next big vintage," talk to your merchants and somms, and I bet you can find a decent bottle or two to enjoy in the meantime. To look on the bright side, unearthing the good 2012s will give you accessible Bordeaux at a relatively affordable price… it's still one of the world's best wine regions for a reason.

Cheers!

A WHIRLWIND OF GREATNESS(It Was a Sprint, Not a Marathon.)

Wineaux: if you had the crème de la crème of the best wines in the world laid out in front of you, and a mere two and a half hours to taste as many as you could, you might look like a refugee from "Supermarket Shopper" (or whatever that crazy program was) too. I had a map—notated in two highlighters AND a pen—and a plan of action, and woe to the lackadaisical taster who got in my way.

This was at a recent Grand Tasting evening at the Wine Spectator's New York Wine Experience. In the past, I'd been able to attend the whole weekend's worth of programming; the amazing seminars, the luncheons, and BOTH evenings of Grand Tastings with an extra hour each… and I still never made it to every wine.

This time, I could only be there for a fraction of the enormous event—I mean, they have over 250 Wine Spectator Award-winning wineries pouring at this session alone—but I had on comfy shoes and a lot of determination.

For better or worse, here's what I got to sample, with the quickest-notes-in-the-world—starred entries were particular standouts:

(And apologies to the winemakers who I was abrupt with, the fellow tasters I elbowed through, and the friends I ran into with a "Hi, no time to talk, let's touch base soon, make sure you go to XYZ's table, byeeeee.")

BUBBLY:

NV Bollinger Brut Champagne Special Cuvée: soapstone, bright mousse, ripe lemon, very nice! ~$50

NV Henriot Brut Rosé Champagne: rich fruit, compact and complex—just gorgeous. ~$55

NV Krug Brut Champagne Grand Cuvee: (full disclosure—this was my first stop, I beelined to the Krug table!) warm and toasty, rich, always lovely. ~$135

* 2006 Perrier-Jouët Champagne Belle Epoque: brioche, florals, stunning, rich, toasty mousse, nutty. ~$135

WHITE:

2012 Far Niente Chardonnay: ripe yellow flowers, bruised apple nose. Very dense, lovely in mouth, taffy, melon, spicy finish. Nice! ~$45

2007 Hugel Gewürztraminer Vendage Tardive: floral, litchi, rich, very subtle. Doesn't seem as sweet as the 100g/l residual sugar would imply. ~$50

* 2011 Kistler Chardonnay Trenton Roadhouse: poured out of magnum. Spot-on nose, baking spices, rich fruit, super tasty, with light and lifting acidity. ~$140 (bt)

2011 Kongsgaard Chardonnay: subtle floral nose, compact and savory on finish, yellow apple, great balance. ~$110

* 2011 J.J. Prüm Riesling Graacher Himmelreich Spätlese: beautiful florals, o my gosh, amazing, creamsicle (!), orangey, spicy and interesting. ~$30

2007 Trimbach Riesling Frédéric Emile: petrol, white flowers, pear, white peach, steely, clean, minerally. Always a fave. ~$63

BORDEAUX:

2009 Ch. Angélus: dusty cocoa powder, really dense and rich, licorice, earth, graphite, yum. ~$350

2009 Ch. Cheval Blanc: soft red fruits, tangy and dense, bright, elegant, smoke. ~$1500

* 2007 Ch. Haut Brion: VERRRRY earthy, licorice, violet, elegant though SO dense, blackberry, cassis, black cherry, bit of leather and tobacco. ~$475

* 2001 Ch. Lafite Rothschild: tarragon, SAGE—heady nose, tangy, drinking very well, purple fruits and flowers (I'm really enjoying the '01s I've had of late—maybe not a standout vintage for Bordeaux, but they're pretty tasty!) ~$750

2010 Ch. Lynch-Bages: spice, blueberry pie, still obviously very young and dense but actually nice balance. Intense black fruits, excellent potential. ~$180

2007 Ch. La Mission Haut-Brion: earthy, bit savory, dried herbs, approachable now, not too big, florals lighten it up. ~$380

2008 Ch. Mouton Rothschild: loads of terroir, very smooth, elegant, cassis, balanced. ~$600

2007 Ch. Palmer: cedar closet, spice and earth, luxurious in the mouth, subtle but present structure. ~$240

2004 Ch. Pichon-Longueville, Ctsse. de Lalande: Asian spice, earth, red jammy fruit, kind of soft finish but nice structure, drinking very well now. ~$140

BURGUNDY:

* 2006 Bouchard Clos Vougeot: liquid earth, potpourri perfume, plush fruit in mouth. Amazing. ~$160

2011 Drouhin Chambolle-Musigny: light macerated berries, earthiness on finish. ~$65

2012 Faiveley Gevrey-Chambertin Les Cazetiers: love the earthy terroir, round and rich fruit, not knockout finish but warm and long. ~$125

2010 Jadot Nuits-St.-Georges Les Boudots: lots of floral perfume, intertwined elements, compact and rich, very structured. ~$85

* 2010 Latour Corton Grancey: RASPBERRY! (Dried and candied.) So yummy. Elegant, floral, excellent balance, yum! ~$120

RHÔNE:

2001 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape: green pepper, vegitation, kind of awkward nose, but comes together in mouth, still tight and a long way to go. ~$100

2011 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chappelle: warm, red fruits, spicy and rich, very nice. ~$150

2010 Ch. de Saint-Cosme Gigondas: floral, still very young, red fruits, spicy, kind of at the "terrible twos" I'd say. ~$60

* 2012 Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau: oooooh, wow, sexy red fruit, LOVELY nose. Good red fruit in mouth, formidable but elegant. ~$75

CALIFORNIA:

2011 Araujo Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele Vineyard: uber-spicy, mesquite, hickory, very woodsy. Seems Bordeaux-ian, lots of earth elements, subtle fruit, very interesting, pedigreed. ~$495

2011 Beaulieu Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve: dense black and red fruit, cedar, lovely in the mouth, spicy, brassy yet approachable. ~$100

1989 Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve: perfume! Nice red and black fruit, holding up SO well, still lots of structure. Wow. ~$80

2010 BOND Quella: soft nose of blueberry pie. Tangy, rich, purple and blue fruits, not too overblown, beautiful. ~$425

* 2012 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon 40th Anniversary (not Special Selection): such an amazing nose, lavender, ANISE!, so unusual, chocolate bar, spearmint, amazingly special. ~$55

* 2010 Dominus: cassis, blueberry, blackberry liqueur, DENSE, opulent, lush, wow. ~$230

* 2010 Harlan Estate: Cocoa powder, licorice, violets, blue fruits—sexy nose. O. M. G… dense, rich, multi-faceted, big but balanced. Woooow. ~$850

1997 Heitz Cabernet Sauvignon Martha's Vineyard: earthy nose, but lovely fruit and herbs on palate. Good integration, nice length, soft finish. Holding up gorgeously. ~$195

2010 Merry Edwards Pinot Noir RRV Georganne: warm and inviting, verrrrry spicy, red fruit, yum, nice balance. ~$80

2011 Peter Michael Cabernet Sauvignon "Au Paradis": high-toned red fruit, dusty earth, really gorgeous in mouth, integrated components, fruit, earth, herbs, violet… ~$200

2011 Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon To Kalon Reserve: cedar, earth, really fantastic, blueberry, elegant, violets, so lovely. ~$135

2011 Phelps Insignia: berry salad, velvety, luxe, herbs, chocolate, earth, solid and very nice! ~$180

* 2009 Revana Cabernet Sauvignon: dense, luxe, blue and black fruits, cherry, blackberry, really amazing. Elegant, spice, warm and rich, very nice—love it. Good structure too. ~$140

1994 Ridge Monte Bello: Earthy, luxe, dense nose, wet leaves, this is a 1994?!?! Still bright. A special wine. ~$230

WASHINGTON: 

2010 Cayuse Syrah Bionic Frog: really interesting, meaty, spice (I wrote "really interesting" AGAIN,) ignore cutesy label, something very cool going on! ~$250

* 2008 Charles Smith—K Vintners Syrah Morrison Lane: (they'd left by the time I arrived at the table, but I shook the last few drips out of the last bottle standing on the table!) Pepper, perfume, violets yessss, melted milk chocolate, lavender, YES. Wish I'd had more. ~$50

ITALY:

2008 Barbi Brunello di Montalcino: smoky, spicy, pleasant fruit in mouth. ~$50

2007 Biondi-Santi Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Greppo: spicy, kind of light, but nice red fruit and spice. ~$190

2010 Pio Cesare Barolo Ornato: Anise, red fruit, elegant and sexy, nice structure, still a long ways to go. ~$110

* 2011 Gaja Sori San Lorenzo: red cherry pie, elegant, luxe - rich, supple red fruits. SO LOVELY. want more!! (Helps that I was chatting in Italian with Angelo Gaja himself.) ~$425

2011 Giacosa Barolo Falletto: tart ripe fruit on the somewhat closed nose, but lovely in the mouth; earthy, fruity, very elegant, "feminine, but a little slutty :-)" ~$170

* 2006 Masseto: earthy/dusty, really yummy, florals, spicy black and blue fruit, excellent integration—YES. $~800

2006 Ornellaia: bit earthy, spicy red fruit, rich. ~$190

2009 Planeta Syrah Maroccoli: great ripe nose, lots of fruit, so super tasty, nice example of Sra in Sicily. ~$37

2007 Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Paganelli Riserva: very nice and spicy, rich, velvety, good spice/red fruit balance. ~$85

* 2010 Sassicaia: very perfumey nose. Wow—really dense, purple florals, tasty, bit spicy, nice balance. Excellent. ~$160

SPAIN:

* 2004 CVNE Rioja Imperial Gran Reserva: very earthy and spicy, tomato sauce. Dense, lots of tannins, loads of earth and integrated red fruit. ~$130

2002 R. López de Heredia Rioja Viña Tondonia Reserva: subtle nose, spices, red fruit, very nice, leafy, has a way to go. ~$40

2010 Muga Rioja Aro: soft, light and spicy nose. Very quaffable, still lots of structure. ~$175

2006 El Nido Jumilla: lavender, ripe red fruit at the nose's finish, super jammy, dense, great packed fruit. ~$135

2004 Vega Sicilia Unico Gran Reserva: meaty, warm, nice balance, rich, earthy, minerally. ~$370

AUSTRALIA:

2012 Mollydooker Carnival of Love Shiraz: blue fruits on the nose, dense, spicy, rich and lovely, red cherry liqueur, integrated. ~$70

2011 Penfolds RWT Shiraz: red fruit, BBQ (heat, coals,) spicy and dense red fruit, yum, bit of a bruiser but I like it :-) ~$145

* 2012 Two Hands Shiraz Bella's Garden: cherry liqueur, jammy red and black fruits, it's a monster! Just awesome, smooth and rich, very nice. ~$58

LEBANON:

2007 Ch. Musar: really amazing nose (maybe my favorite Musar I've ever tasted,) clay, earthy, such specific terroir, spicy. ~$30

DESSERT:

* 2009 Ch. D'Yquem: perfume, honey, florals (could inhale this nose for days,) bit of botrytis, candied orange peel, ginger—luscious. ~$850

~          ~          ~          ~          ~

Okay, now that I see the above all laid out before me, I admit that I did a PRETTY DECENT job! But there were a few that eluded me, as they were all poured out when I got to their tables. To share my woe, I missed:

2007 Tignanello, 2010 Gaja Ca'Marcanda, 2009 Diamond Creek Volcanic Hill, 2004 Dom Perignon, 2010 Paul Hobbs Beckstoffer Las Piedras, 1996 Ch. Margaux, 2005 Murrieta Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva, 2011 Opus One, 2012 Pahlmeyer, 2010 Plumpjack, 2008 Roederer Rosé Champagne, 2010 Shafer Hillside Select, and NV Taittinger Prélude Champagne.

(Frowny-face.)

It was also tough to skip so many tables "on purpose" (I didn't make it to any Ports at all!) but such was the nature of the beast. Next year, I hope to be back for the entire event, so I don't have to be the Tasmanian Devil of sipping and spitting. But looking back, I think you'll agree I made the most of my brief time at the Wine Spectator NY Wine Experience Grand Tasting this year.

Cheers!

NAVIGATING 2011 BORDEAUX... IS IT WORTH THE EFFORT?

While the title of this post may not suck you in quite like that of a time-wasting buzzfeed quiz, the fact remains that the 2011 vintage in Bordeaux is a bit snarky and is going to require some effort on your part to seek out the best it has to offer. But fear not, there is very good wine to be found!

Coming on the heels of the back-to-back stellar vintages of 2009 and 2010, Bordeaux's 2011 vintage was defined by topsy-turvy weather throughout the growing season which challenged the region's winemakers. However, savvy Wineaux can find some gems that also benefit from a "lesser" vintage's general reduction in price.

Absent a coveted invitation to the "en primeur" tastings in Bordeaux (a sneak-peek for industry professionals,) my first introduction to the new vintage is the Union des Grand Crus de Bordeaux tasting held in New York each January. This year, 99 Châteaux presented offerings in a crowded ballroom at the Waldorf-Astoria.

THE WHITES

An early thought was that the 2011 white Bordeaux survived the difficult vintage fairly well. The 2011 Ch. Bouscaut Blanc (Pessac-Léognan) had a nose of light florals and herbs, with a dry, steely finish of bright acidity and refreshing lime notes. ~$32

I also quite enjoyed the 2011 Ch. de Fieuzal Blanc (Pessac-Léognan). Nose of ripe melon and taffy, with a solid, well-balanced finish of balanced fruit and crisp acidity. ~$58

Another favorite was the 2011 Ch. Larrivet Haut-Brion Blanc (Pessac-Léognan), with lush stone fruits and a bit of straw, a rounder expression in the mouth yet still very good acidity. ~$42

THE REDS

On to the reds! First stop was the St.-Emilion sub-region of Bordeaux, on the "Right Bank" of the Dordogne River, where Merlot dominates the blend. The 2011 Ch. Canon (St.-Emilion) showed a nice soft berry nose with cassis, licorice, and violets. In the mouth, the smooth bright red fruit was balanced by good tannins and a little vegetal note on the finish. ~$115

The 2011 Ch. Figeac (St.-Emilion) had lush fruit on the nose, with a bit of earth and sweet oak. The laser-like raspberry in the mouth was balanced by not-overbearing tannins. ~$123

More berries were found in the 2011 Ch. Pavie Macquin (St.-Emilion)—my notes say, "Incredible nose! Berry salad galore!"—and the palate was packed with fruit and some woodsy notes. This has excellent potential to develop, but the nose is already intoxicating. ~$70

Moving a bit west to the tiny region of Pomerol, the blacker fruits of Merlot come forward. One favorite was the 2011 Ch. Beauregard (Pomerol). Complex nose of earth, herbs, chocolate, and blackberry. Velvety mouthfeel, with violets and blackberry liqueur. Very nice! ~$50

The 2011 Ch. Le Bon Pasteur (Pomerol) had a nose of black cherry and blackberry which came through in the mouth, as well as a touch of charcoal; nice weight, very decent. ~$67

And the 2011 Ch. La Conseillante (Pomerol) was solid, with a nose of earth and lavender, integrated tannins and a quite smooth finish. Very nice. ~$125

Coming around to the "Left Bank," where Cabernet Sauvignon is king, a standout for me was the 2011 Ch. Poujeaux (Moulis-en-Médoc) with a kind of flirty nose of red berry and cassis. A very elegant fruit expression rises out of its structure, and it is an incredible value at ~$36

My mother has long been a fan of Château Cantemerle, so I had to try their latest offering: the 2011 Ch. Cantemerle (Haut-Médoc) showed dark fruits, wood, and earth. There was an excellent balance in the mouth although it didn't overpower. I'd say it's quite approachable for drinking earlier (maybe I need to stock some for her birthday!) ~$35

I found the Ch. Citran (Haut-Médoc) very interesting. It had a lovely, intriguing nose (my notes say, "Got a whiff of... CELERY?!") With lots of dark fruit in the mouth, balanced by a nice brightness. ~$24

And the 2011 Ch. La Tour de By (Médoc) had a nose of blackberry pie and earth. It showed a bit lighter in the mouth than I had hoped, but there was a very decent fruit expression and solid balance. ~$25

Arriving at the Margaux tables, I was knocked out by the 2011 Ch. Brane-Cantenac (Margaux)—with a round, very fruity nose, (notes read: "OOOH,") and a palate full of red berry liqueur and terroir, this was exceptionally well-crafted. ~$55

And its next-door neighbor shone as well: the 2011 Ch. Cantenac Brown (Margaux) had a nose of earth and berry syrup, with a nice complexity in the mouth and strong cherry notes—elegant, rich and luxe. ~$52

Another fave was the 2011 Ch. Labégorce (Margaux). Although the nose was light, it had a lovely note of licorice, and then showed extremely dense and velvety in the mouth, with some bright red fruits, blackberry and black cherry, a touch of earth and herbs, and some chocolate. Yum. ~$30

I also was taken with the 2011 Ch. Rauzan-Ségla (Margaux) and its interesting nose of many soft components which exploded into "loads and loads" of lush red and black fruits. Some cherry-berry "sweetness" headed up this fruit-forward wine. (A little more "New World" in style, for those of you who don't love those earthy and tannic elements.) ~$95

The 2011 Ch. Giscours (Margaux) had interesting notes of cola and mesquite on the nose, and was a very solid style, though it definitely needs time to develop. ~$50

I headed next to the St.-Julien section of the ballroom, and was very impressed with the 2011 Ch. Branaire-Ducru (St.-Julien). Lots of cedar and earthy terroir on the nose, "this is amazing," great plum fruit, nice earthy elements, very balanced and a rich mouthfeel. ~$55

Sometimes tasting these pre-release Bordeaux feels like infanticide as they can be so overpoweringly structured in their youth, but in tricky vintages like 2011 you can find wines that are pretty approachable and consumable even now, like the 2011 Ch. Gruaud Larose (St.-Julien). It had a nose of cocoa and cinnamon ("ooh, yeah...") lots of fruit and mesquite, and although relatively light, was well-balanced on the finish. ~$65

I also loved the 2011 Ch. Lagrange (St.-Julien) with its very herby, rosemary, and cherry liqueur nose. With a velvety finish, it was extremely balanced. "Yummy & sexy & I like a LOT." ~$60

I'm typically a fan of the Léovilles, but think they both need much more time to develop: the 2011 Ch. Léoville-Barton (St.-Julien) was a bit fumbly, although its masculine, leather elements were balanced by lots of berry fruit and mint. ~$75  And the 2011 Ch. Léoville-Poyferré (St.-Julien) had a great nose of earth, forest floor, and dark fruits, but was very tart and acidic in the mouth. ~$80  I expect these both to flesh out with time, however.

I did love the 2011 Ch. Talbot (St.-Julien) with its earth, cedar, and pine-y nose. More of an old-world style, it had a long, balanced finish with integrated tannins. Perhaps less fruit expression than many, but very good as it is. ~$50

Just north of St.-Julien lies the commune of Pauillac, which many feel is the premier Left Bank sub-region. And the 2011 Ch. Batailley (Pauillac) was suitably impressive, with its sweet merde-y nose, and elegant, feminine feel in the mouth. With a strong note of lavender, it was very smooth and quaffable. ~$55

The 2011 Ch. Grand-Puy Ducasse (Pauillac) had a great nose of floral perfume and raspberry, but alas was a bit angular and acidic in the mouth. Perhaps some time will bring its fruit to the forefront. ~$48

But I loved the 2011 Ch. Grand-Puy-Lacoste (Pauillac) with its fruity and barnyard-y nose, and elegant, syrupy red fruit. Not a huge wine, but it can age, although it is definitely drinkable now. My notes say, "Fun!" ~$67

My notes also hinted at a bit of a dysfunctional relationship with the 2011 Ch. Lynch-Bages (Pauillac). With its nose of merde, herbs, and some green vegetables, it had good fruit and very well-balanced tannins, and I wrote, "Wow—knocks you down... but you kinda like it. HUGE." ~$100

Another wine I look forward to revisiting is the 2011 Ch. Pichon-Longueville Baron (Pauillac). The nose was toasty and a little meaty, but it needs time to develop although I enjoyed that it had some "...earthy, herby, woodsy goin' on." ~$115

But I loved the 2011 Ch. Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande (Pauillac). The nose was very herbaceous, with lavender, violet, and licorice. There was good red fruit development, wood, and a ton of different little components which kept drawing me back. "Yummmm." ~$115

FOR DESSERT

Back in my younger days, I was a sucker for the sweet dessert wines of Sauternes and Barsac. While these are also wines that benefit from aging, I was curious to see if any I tasted now would knock my socks off... and one absolutely did. However, many were a bit cloying, without strong enough acidity to balance their sweetness.

I did enjoy the 2011 Ch. Guiraud (Sauternes) with its notes of candied pineapple and baking spices. It had decent acidity, and was a little different from the usual suspects but very interesting. ~$64

My second favorite was the 2011 Ch. La Tour Blanche (Sauternes). Very lemon verbena nose, candied lemon peel, well-balanced, nice weight. Good components. ~$63

But the sock-knocker-off-er was the 2011 Ch. Bastor-Lamontagne (Sauternes). Very pale gold in color, with a nose of honey and candied melon. It had a bit of botrytis (the noble rot which looks atrocious but adds a specific, wonderful complexity to these wines.) Lovely orange blossom note, with nice balancing acidity and excellent weight in the mouth. ~$33

It is true that many white, red, and sweet offerings from Bordeaux were unbalanced and/or unimpressive, but I was pleasantly surprised to find so many enjoyable wines—and ones you don't have to wait ten years to drink. It is absolutely worth seeking out some of the above, and the pricing for these wines is fairly affordable (for Bordeaux!)

And since you time-wasted here, I'll just tell you: you are Chandler from "Friends," you would have gone to the "Breakfast Club" high school, you are Wolverine, your aura is yellow, your font is Garamond, and your super power is the power of instant lava. You're welcome.

Now go seek out some 2011 Bordeaux!

Cheers.


[NB: All prices are pre-release estimates. And my camera was about to give up the ghost, so apologies for the lack of clarity in some of the photos.]