VINTAGE REPORT
"Fifty years ago we simply wouldn't have had a crop" stated Château Margaux's Paul Pontallier and there's no doubt Mother Nature,
the fickle force that shapes every Bordeaux vintage, gave the Bordelais their greatest challenge to date in 2007. An unseasonably warm April
ushered in the growing season earlier than expected before a damp May threatened mildew. A cool, wet June, July and August
(much like the mercurial Summer back on these shores) further hampered ripening and many were writing the vintage off already.
But as is so often the case a magnificent September rode to the rescue and it is a credit to the winemaking skill of the Bordelais that a vintage was produced at all - albeit at great expense.
And it's this factor that determined who made the best wines in 2007. Those who could really push the boat out in the vineyard,
almost exclusively cru classé estates this year, were rewarded with some lovely wines - elegant, fruit-forward clarets, made for the
medium term but with a deliciously fresh quality that will make them a pleasure almost straight from bottle. A vintage to be enjoyed
while the formidably structured 2006s and 2005s tiptoe towards their peak.
REDS
First growths:Mouton-Rothschild was lovely this year - deep and rich, though not quite as long as 2006. Lafite was very restrained and elegant,
clearly holding something back for its later years. Margaux was also very elegant with plenty of length and balance - a delicious wine already and an
excellent result for the vintage. Latour, always the most stubborn of the first growths from barrel was true to type, giving very little
away but certainly has the structure and fruit to develop into a fine claret. Haut Brion was impressive with firm tannins and excellent density on the mid-palate.
St-Estèphe: Very patchy and we struggled to score them highly as so many lacked ripeness and fruit - a common theme in 2007.
Having said that, there were exceptions in De Pez and Lafon-Rochet, both notable in their attractive, fruit-forward style.
The ever reliable Montrose was fresh and lively with plenty of rich, deep fruit, and the appellation's standard bearer, Cos d'Estournel, had no
peers in St-Estèphe in 2007 - a wine of polished elegance and exotic fruit. One of the stars of the vintage.
Pauillac: The pick of the left bank communes. Our favourites included Pichon-Lalande and Pichon-Baron, both of which had seductive and elegant
fruit, the Baron being slightly firmer in style. Lynch-Bages also stood out for its rich fruit and an attractive cedar finish, though it was not
quite as full as the brilliant 2006. And Pontet-Canet continued its run of form with a 2007 of atypical structure and concentration - an early
contender for 'pound for pound' wine of the vintage.
 St-Julien: Much harder going here but the usual suspects delivered some very attractive reds: Léoville-Las Cases was one of the longest
and most precise of all 2007s, Léoville-Barton was well made with an appealing spicy edge and Ducru-Beaucaillou had lovely silky tannins laced with dark fruit.
Margaux: Often the least consistent and most homogenous of the communes, Margaux was no different this year. There were some highlights though:
Kirwan and Giscours were both very well-made and had a little more balance and complexity then others. Palmer, whilst lacking the 'oomph' of previous vintages,
was still very smooth and ripe. Special mention goes to Château Dauzac's impressive 2007, with a richness of flavour that stood out amongst its peers in the Union des Grands Crus tasting.
Péssac-Léognan: Reds were decent in the main with good structure but were overshadowed by a raft of stunning whites (see below for details).
Aside from the region's iconic Haut-Brion and La Mission Haut Brion, Pape-Clément, Haut-Bailly and Domaine de Chevalier were the bright spots.
Saint-Emilion: Many of the 2007s from this large and always varied appellation were showing the worst aspects of the vintage, dilution and short flavours,
so careful selection was the key. The top estates had to flex their financial muscles, investing in a lot of hard work in the vineyard to
get the most out of their vines and fruit. Notable winners were Angélus, which given the vintage was surprisingly big and firm, an exceptionally pure
and precise Château Ausone (still the benchmark Saint-Emilion) and a beautifully balanced Troplong Mondot. We've also introduced a new wine to
our line up this year Château de Pressac, which produced a very serious 2007. It's an estate with terrific natural advantages and subsequently great potential. One to watch in the future.
Pomerol: In a difficult year Pomerol was a notch above its peers, due to its better draining and earlier ripening vineyards.
The finest estates impressed with their colour, fruit and accessibility and some of the lesser wines, usually associated with value, also held their own.
Stars of the show were a terrifically pure La Conseillante and a fine Vieux Château Certan - every bit as elegant and refined as the estate's impeccable owner, Alexandre Thienpont.
WHITES
Graves: As is so often the case, the white wines of Bordeaux shone at the expense of the reds - "undeniably a top vintage for white Bordeaux" said Robert Parker.
The best are characterised by exceptional purity, beautifully balanced acidity and very ripe fruit flavours. The pick was a deliciously crisp, very full
Haut Brion Blanc and a gem from Domaine de Chevalier that was bursting with exotic fruit flavours. And though not a Graves, Château Margaux's Pavillion Blanc was sensational despite coming in at a whopping 16% alcohol!
Sauternes and Barsac: A golden year for these world-famous sweet whites and just a fraction short of the region's last great vintage 2001. Almost without
exception the wines offer that classic Sauternes balance of honeyed richness, crisp acidity and botrytis complexity. It's no surprise to find Château d'Yquem
and Château Climens at the summit of quality in 2007 - they are both extraordinary wines - but just below these there some stunning 2007s such as Doisy-Daene, Doisy-Védrines and Rieussec. Hurry for these.
|
Shopping Basket
