Chronicle 58. 2007 red Bordeaux: conclusion and chart of the best wines

2007 red Bordeaux: conclusion and chart of the best wines Chronicle n° 58 (May, 5th 2008) The vintage is average and very heterogeneous. There are successes of estates more than appellations. In such circumstances, one should look at each wine in a case-by-case basis and be very selective. I made sure to tell you the wines of doubtful ripeness (green notes on the nose often inducing a narrow finish). Those will not evolve well. During my tastings, I have often thought about the 1993 vintage (for its flowing and fluid character), the 1997 vintage (for its lack of richness in the mid-palate), or the 2001 (for its soft, melted and very aromatic characters). Also keep in mind that there are some wines from 2007 that are better than 2006. This variety of perception complicates producing a synthesis. It will take barrel ageing to reach more precise and definitive perceptions. For now, the 2007 Bordeaux red wines appear as wines of thirst, medium ageing potential and with a strong pleasure note. This last point is new. What can be imagined when summer is not successful in Bordeaux? For sure, some wines of green nose and harsh on the palate. Wines that you have been recommended to keep for a long time as if time could give them what they lack. This idea of mediocrity is not the profile of the successful wines of 2007. Their tenderness of structure, their easy aspect and the vibrancy of their fruit along with their coated tannic presence invite to an early drinking. Indeed, only power and complexity are lacking. Unexpectedly, there are very good wines in the midrange this year. In the high-end, ratings seem to be proportionately lower. However, emulation and interest in the vintage are created by the high-end. PRICES As usual, prices will be established in accordance with the hierarchy of the estates rather than according to their intrinsic taste value. This means that even if some wines are very good, distributors will buy them if they stay in the market price. Indeed, bargains will exist. For example, at an almost equal rating with 2005, I do not think that Fleur Cardinale will sell its 2007 at the same price. Its owner knows it, feels sorry, but can do nothing about it. It is only later, about two to three years after selling as futures, that the market may raise its value for this wine. This was the case for the 2002. With that in mind, one is better off buying the 2007 right now. The current international economic situation (strong euro versus dollar currency) and the average reputation of the vintage are not favorable to the sale of 2007. Negociants, which individuals buy from, will pay the big brands the price asked by the property, in order not to lose its right to purchase the following year. Already, these merchants know they will need to finance their stocks. Hence, they will buy minimum quantity and will reference very little properties. So who will sell these wines? Most likely the big retailers will. Therefore, I expect to find many wines sold in the wine trade fair in France during the autumn of 2009. TWO NEWS REGARDING THE SPEECH ON WINE The 2007 vintage is not a speculative vintage or a vintage of long ageing potential unless you buy in large containers format. Along with this vintage, two innovations appear in Bordeaux. Both involve the evolution of the speech on wine. The first novelty is to tell consumers that it is not because one estate is famous, that one should keep any vintage fifteen to twenty years in their cellar before drinking it. Producers and retailers will start daring to say that well done but lighter vintages should be drunk before aged ten years in bottle. Their interest is to be clear on the subject to avoid many disappointments. It is important that the mistake made with the 1993 and 1997 vintages never happens again! I would just like to remind that since producers can produce good young wines, it is not necessary to ask time to perform the refining that was missing before bottling. The second novelty concerns barrel ageing. In the early 2000, I had extensive discussions with Stéphane Derenoncourt about the fact that I tasted very good wines as futures, which then lost their qualities during barrel ageing (I am not talking about unrepresentative samples). He was the first person to adapt the barrel ageing process to the intrinsic taste quality of the wine in barrel. Overall, the classic technique of barrel ageing seems too standardized. It is a crude mechanical process (same gestures and same rhythms regardless of the vintage) that would qualify for being nuanced with cellar workers who practice it. Traditionally, Bordeaux knows very well how to age in barrel the moderately ripe vintages. But is the method also good for riper vintages? With a fragile 2007, Bordeaux seems ready to move officially on that topic. I think this new attention could positively alter the final profile of the 2007 vintage. Of course, the wines will not gain flesh, nor power. However, better management of the precision in barrel ageing could preserve and even increase the pleasure of drinking these wines, by eliminating any action that could inadvertently dry the wine or reduce its fruit expression. HEART'S DELIGHT: THE ESSENTIALS OF THE VINTAGE At number four this year these wines, Le Cygne de Fonreaud, Seguin, La Maurianne and Clos Puy Arnaud are to be cellared in priority. For sure they will cause trouble to many results when you will serve them blind side by side to the most famous names. The icing on the cake is that their value remains unbeatable. 2007 BORDEAUX FUTURES: 477 wines Chart of the Best wines Exceptional vintage for dry white wines, very good for sweet wines and average for the reds. The ratings are established in absolute values, which is in my view the only way to compare vintages between them. I have given the wines which are underlined and in italics my highest score as a Futures . It means that 2005 stands a good chance of becoming the best ever made in the growth. My next tastings to be held before and after the wine has been bottled will confirm or not this trend. They are, in their price and score categories, to be sought after. Heart’s delight: these wines are the essential of the vintage (in bold and italics in the text). Exceptional Wines rated between 96 - 100 None 53 Excellent Wines rated between 90 - 95 Aile D'argent, Angélus, Ausone, Beau Séjour Bécot, Branon, Cantenac Brown, Cheval Blanc, Clos Floridène white, Clos Fourtet, Clos Haut Peyraguey, Clos L'Eglise, D'Yquem, Domaine De Chevalier white, Ducru Beaucaillou, Extravagant De Doisy Daene, Fleur Cardinale, Guiraud, Haut Brion red and white, L'Evangile, L'Eglise Clinet, La Clémence, La Mission Haut Brion, La Mondotte, Lafite Rothschild, Lafleur, Lagrange, Latour (Pauillac), Laville Haut Brion, Le Pin, Leoville Barton, Leoville Las Cases, Léoville Poyferré, Les Forts De Latour, Liber Pater Liquoreux, Margaux, Mouton Rothschild, Nairac, Palmer, Pape Clement white, Pavillon Blanc, Petrus, Pichon Longueville Baron, Pontet Canet, Rabaud Promis, Raymond Lafon, Rol Valentin, Suduiraut, Troplong Mondot, Trotanoy, Trottevieille, Valandraud, Vieux Château Certan. 180 Very Good Wines rated 87 - 89 Alter Ego De Palmer, Barde Haut, Barrabaque Prestige, Batailley, Beauséjour 1901, Beauséjour Duffau, Belair, Bellegrave (Pomerol), Belle-Vue, Bellevue, Berliquet, Beychevelle, Bouscaut white, Branaire, Brane Cantenac, Brio De Cantenac Brown, Brown white and red, Cadet Bon, Calon Segur, Cambon La Pelouse, Canon, Canon La Gaffeliere, Carruades De Lafite, Certan De May De Certan, Chapelle D'Ausone (La), Charmail, Clauzet, Clerc Milon, Clinet, Clos Des Jacobins, Clos Des Princes, Clos Du Jaugueyron, Clos Du Marquis, Clos Floridène red, Clos Manou, Clos Puy Arnaud, Corbin, Cos Labory, Coutet, D'Angludet, D'Armailhac, Dassault, De Carles, De Fargues, De Fieuzal white, De Malle, De Pez, Destieux, d'issan, Doisy Daene Liquoreux, Doisy Daëne Sec, Doisy Vedrines, Domaine De Chevalier red, Domaine De L'A, Domaine De L'Eglise, Du Tourte white, Duhart Milon Rothschild, Durfort Vivens, Esquisse De Ch. Nairac, Fayat Thunevin (Pomerol), Ferrand Lartigue, Ferrière, Feytit Clinet, Figeac, Fonroque, Gazin, Gloria, Godeau, Gracia, Grand Corbin Despagne, Grand Mayne, Grand Pontet, Grand Puy Lacoste, Gruaud Larose, Haura Liquoreux, Haut Bailly, Haut Batailley, Haut Bergey white and red, Haut Carles, Haut Condissas, Haut Marbuzet, Haut Villet Cuvée Pomone, Hosanna, Jean Faure, Kirwan, La Bienfaisance, La Chapelle De La Mission Haut Brion, La Conseillante, La Croix, La Croix De Beaucaillou, La Dominique, La Fleur (St Emilion), La Fleur De Bouard, La Fleur De Gay, La Fleur Petrus, La Gaffelière, La Gomerie, La Lagune, La Louvière Red, La Marzelle, La Mauriane, La Providence, La Tour Blanche, La Tour Carnet, La Tour Du Pin, La Violette, Lafaurie Peyraguey, Lafon La Tuilerie, Lafon Rochet, Langoa Barton, Larcis Ducasse, L'Argilus du Roi, Larmande, Laroque, Laroze, l'arrosée, Lascombes, Lassegue, Latour Martillac white, Latour Pomerol, Le Bon Pasteur, Le Clarence Haut Brion, Le Clos Du Beau-Pere, Le Crock, Le Cygne De Ch. Fonréaud, Le Moulin, Le Plus De La Fleur De Bouard, Le Prieuré, Les Carmes Haut Brion, Liber Pater red, l'inclassable De Rémy Fauchey, Luchey Halde red, Lucia, Lynch Bages, Lynch Moussas, Lynsolence, Magdelaine, Malartic Lagraviere white and red, Malescot Saint Exupéry, Marojallia, Marquis D'Alesme Becker, Montrose, Moulin Haut Laroque, Nenin, Pape Clement red, Pas De l'ane, Pauillac (3ème vin du Château Latour), Pavie, Pavie Macquin, Pavillon Rouge, Péby Faugères, Petit Cheval, Petit Mouton De Mouton Rothschild, Petit Village, Phelan Segur, Pibran, Pichon Longueville Comtesse De Lalande, Picque Caillou white, Potensac, Prieure Lichine, Quinault L'Enclos, Quinault L'Enclos Cuvée Muda, Rauzan Segla, Rayne Vigneau, Reynon white Vieilles Vignes, Rieussec, Saint Pierre (Sevaistre), Sanctus Du Ch. La Bienfaisance, Seguin, Sigalas Rabaud, Smith Haut Lafitte white and red, Sociando Mallet, Tertre Daugay, Tronquoy Lalande, Valandraud white, Virginie De Valandraud,Vrai Canon Bouché. 223 Good Wines rated 84 - 86 Andron Blanquet, Balestard La Tonnelle, Beauregard, Beausejour (Montagne St Emilion), Bel Air (Sudrat), Bel Air La Royere, Belgrave, Bellefont Belcier, Bellegrave (Pauillac), Bellevue De Tayac, Bergat, Bernadotte, Blason De L'Evangile, Bonalgue, Bourgneuf Vayron, Bouscaut red, Broustet, Cadet Piola, Caillou, Camensac, Cantegril, Cantenac, Cap De Mourlin, Carbonnieux white and red, Caronne Sainte Gemme, Cassagne Haut Canon La Truffière, Chadenne, Chantegrive white and red, Chasse Spleen, Chauvin, Cissac, Citran, Clarke, Clement Pichon, Climat De Ch. Cantenac, Clos Badon, Clos De L'Oratoire, Clos De Salles, Clos Du Clocher, Clos Dubreuil, Clos La Madeleine, Clos Margalaine, Clos Saint Julien, Corbin Michotte, Cornélie, Cote De Baleau, Coufran, Couhins White, Couhins Lurton white, Couhins Lurton red, Croizet Bages, D'Agassac, D'Aiguilhe, D'Aiguilhe Querre, Dalem, D'Arche, Dauzac, De Carlamagnus, De Cruzeau White, De Fieuzal Red, De France white and red, De Francs "Les Cerisiers", De Gadras, De Gironville, De Laussac, De Myrat, D'Escurac, Deyrem Valentin, Domaine De Valmengaux, Du Gaby, Du Glana, Du Retout, Du Taillan, Edmus, Faugeres, Fayat Thunevin Lalande De Pomerol, Ferrande white and red, Fonbadet, Fonbel, Fonplegade, Fontenil, Fontis, Franc Mayne, Fugue De Nenin, Gaillard, Gigault Cuvée Viva, Girolate, Giscours, Gombaude Guillot, Grand Corbin, Grand Puy Ducasse, Grand Village white and red, Guibot La Fourvieille, Guillot Clauzel, Haura, Haut Bages Averous, Haut Bages Monpelou, Haut Beausejour, Haut Breton Larigaudière, Haut Breton Larigaudière Le Créateur, Haut Corbin, Haut Sarpe, Haut Villet, La Bridanne, La Chapelle d'Alienor, La Chenade, La Clotte, La Commanderie (St-Emilion), La Commanderie De Mazeyres, La Couspaude, La Croix De Gay, La Croix Figeac, La Croizille, La Dame De Montrose, La Dauphine, La Fleur d'arthus, La Fleur Gazin, La Fleur Peyrabon, La Grave Trigant De Boisset, La Lauzette Declercq, La Louvière white, La Petite Eglise, La Peyre, La Riviere, La Rose Perriere, La Rousselle, La Sergue, La Serre, La Tour De Mons, La Tour Figeac, La Vieille Cure, Labegorce, Labegorce Zede, Lacoste Borie, Lafont Fourcas, Lalande Borie, Lalande St Julien, Lamarque, Lamothe, Lamothe Guignard, Lanessan, Laniote, Larrivet Haut Brion white, Latour Martillac red, Layauga Cuvée Renaissance, Le Pin Beausoleil, Le Sartre white and red, Le Thil Comte Clary white and red, Les Cruzelles, Les Fiefs De Lagrange, Les Grandes Murailles, Les Ormes De Pez, Les Ormes Sorbet, Les Tourelles De Longueville, Les Trois Croix, l'inclassable, Luchey Halde white, Marquis De Terme, Mazeyres, Meyney, Milens, Mille Roses, Mirebeau, Monbrison, Montviel, Moulin De La Rose, Moulin Du Cadet, Moulin Pey Labrie, Moulin Riche, Moulin Saint Georges, Moulinet, Olivier Red, Paloumey, Patris, Pensées De Lafleur (Les), Petit Gravet Aîné, Petit Gravet Cuvée Marie Louise, Petrus Gaia, Peyrabon, Peyrou, Picque Caillou red, Pierbone, Plince, Poujeaux, Pressac (De), Preuillac, Prieurs De La Commanderie, Rahoul white, Rauzan Gassies, Reserve De La Comtesse, Reynon red, Rochebelle, Rollan De By, Romer, Sansonnet, Sarget De Gruaud Larose, Segur De Cabanac, Serilhan, Siran, Soutard, Suau, Taillefer, Talbot, Teynac, Tour Des Termes, Tour Haut Caussan, Tour Seran, Trianon, Trois Moulins, Turcaud, Veyry, Vieux Château Palon, Vieux Robin Cuvée Bois De Lunier, Vignot, Villars, Vray Croix De Gay. 21 Wines which mainly leave you with a feeling of dissatisfaction - Scores lower than 83 Barateau, Bastor Lamontagne, Cantemerle, De Cruzeau red, De Rochemorin white, De Rochemorin Rouge, De Sainte Gemme, Desmirail, Du Tertre, Filhot, Fontaine De L'Aubier, Haut Bages Libéral, La Bessane, La Chapelle De Potensac, La Tour De By, Lachesnaye, Olivier white, Rahoul red, Ripeau, Romer Du Hayot, Rouget. Best regards, Jean-Marc Quarin ______________________________________________________________________________ © Copyright: All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the author: Jean-Marc Quarin Sarl, 10 allée de Ginouilhac, BP 40, 33320 Le Taillan-Médoc. France. Tél. 00 33 (0)5 56 35 83 93. Fax 00 33 (0)5 56 35 86 50. E-mail : jmquarin@wanadoo.fr

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Chronicle 58. 2007 red Bordeaux: conclusion and chart of the best wines

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