2007 Bordeaux by Shaun Bishop

We Arrived in Bordeaux and It was Closed

Bordeaux was closed. Not just because the ATMs were closed when we needed Euros, not just because the restaurants were closed when we wanted lunch, and not just because the gas stations were closed when our cars were running low. Because most of the red wines of 2007 lacked a mid palate and a memorable finish; because the prices will be too high after two strong vintages and a weak US dollar; we declare the 2007 vintage officially CLOSED. Yes, closed before it even opened.

One scene sums up the vintage. We were tasting at Chateau Mouton Rothschild and the Baronesse Philippine de Rothschild HERSELF was there - never before have we seen her mingling and tasting with the trade. She must have known 2007 would require all salesmanship she could muster.

While the Baronesse was holding a glass of 07 Clerc Milon, I distinctly recall her telling Philippe Dhalluin, the Director of all of the Rothschild Estates, "ça c’est très férmès?!", which translates to "It's very closed?!" She had it right! Click here to watch this on video.

As it turned out, we found what the Baronesse said to be true and a recurring theme through our tasting of the 07 vintage - not so much that the wines were 'closed,' as that implies that they are merely in a stage where they are shut down and difficult to taste and one day will open up, but instead that many wines lacked much of the mid palate, texture and finish that may never come around. Indeed, many wines were closed and we mean closed, bolted, shut, out of business.

From Mar 24 to April 4, the JJ Buckley team was in Bordeaux to taste the 2007 vintage out of barrel. We sent 6 people - including our buying and sales staff. It was surprising how few other U.S. retailers were there this year. Even though the 2007 is expected to be a lesser vintage - to understand Bordeaux, you have to taste year in and out.

JJ Buckley is one of the largest buyers of Bordeaux in the United States, so we were greeted with open arms, tasted hundreds of wines, and visited with many Chateau owners and directors, negociants and other suppliers. It was a great trip for our whole team. Overall the 2007 vintage is exceptional for whites but weak for reds. In fact, what we tasted in many of the 2007 reds made us want to buy more of the 2005s and 2006s.

Of course, there were the exceptions:

• some real value wines (under $30),
• a handful of reds from Pomerol, Pessac Leognan, St Emilion, and St Julien,
• the whites of Pessac and Sauternes that showed beautifully and certainly as good as or better than their 06 and 05 counterparts.

In general, we found four important highlights of the 2007 vintage:
1. Less is More
2. Tannins
3. The Whites and Stickies
4. Stèphane Derenoncourt

Click here to view all our 2007 tasting notes online

Click here to download a PDF of this entire article and all of our tasting notes

A quick note on the weather

The growing season can be wrapped up in a couple of sentences: After a relatively mild January-March caused early budding, the flowering came early and somewhat irregular. Then, the summer months were terrible and rainy and by the end of August many were ready to completely write off the vintage. Then, September came and 'saved' the vintage with consistent sunshine and dry cool breezes through October and the harvest. This definitely explains the lack of mid palate that we found in so many of the 2007 reds.The grapes may have had good color and sugar levels but they did not have phenolic maturity needed for making great wine.

1. Less is More

We found that the estates who focused on the fruit and produced a wine without too much oak, and especially new oak, made very nice and delicious wines that will be accessible early, albeit with a fairly short lifespan. Wineries that spent their efforts after the harvest didn't get any value. Wines in the sub $30 category, where the focus is on producing great, ripe fruit and less on spending extra dollars after the grapes are picked, were the real winners. In other words, the estates that took what the land and sun gave them, properly managed the vineyard throughout the growing season, picked physiologically mature grapes (not just based on sugar levels and color, but phenolic ripeness), and then made a wine without the intention of over-extracting, over-oaking, or over-manipulating in some way, came out ahead and produced very nice wines. These wines were balanced, had nice fruit, not too much oak, integrated tannins, and showed an inviting approachability.

On a side note, as dramatic as this may sound, I believe this sub $30 category continues to be the most overlooked and under appreciated category in Bordeaux - in fact, these may well be the best wine values you can find anywhere in the world. Even more amazing is that this category continues produce great values even with a worthless dollar - these estates aren't making much (if any) money and the beneficiary of their hard work and passion continues to be the consumer.

Indeed, 2007 was not a year to try to do something with fruit that really couldn't handle it to begin with. If the contact between the (under ripe) seeds and the juice was too long or the press was not smooth, the wines turned out slightly bitter, tannic, and/or acidic. Far too many wines that are made in the 'low-yield fashion' and sell in the $50+ range, turned out terrible in 2007. It's difficult to extract fruit that's not really 'there.'


2. Tannins

On the whole, many of the reds of 2007 lacked the phenolic maturity of the grapes and core structure to handle too much tannin. Time and time again we found ourselves tasting wines saying "too tannic, too little fruit." Tannins come mostly from grape skins, stems, and seeds, but can also come from oak barrels, especially new ones. Those estates that did not add tannins through excessive new oak and properly managed the skin and seed contact with the juice, had a better chance of making a good wine in 2007. A good wine doesn't necessarily mean a wine you will age but at least it's enjoyable in the near term. The better 2007's are a softer, friendlier effort accompanied by nice fruit. They may not turn out to be a blockbuster, but will be enjoyable soon after bottling. In contrast, 2005s could easily handle the new oak, extraction, etc as there was simply much more fruit to work with.

3. The Whites and Stickies

2007 is a great year for the dry white wines of Pessac Leognan and the sweet wines of Sauternes.
Sweet wines are very difficult wines to taste this early in their development, but it is quite obvious that the 2007's possess great acidity, richness and complexity. In Sauternes, fall is by far the most important season of the year, and in 2007 September was dry but October and November were fairly warm and damp which was great for the botrytis. It was also a long harvest which is great for these wines, as it adds to their complexity. There is plenty of sweetness without the high alcohol of 03s and 05s and great, crisp acidity.

We believe these 07s are on par with the 01s - they are that good!

The dry white wines of Pessac Leognon also turned out fantastic. They are pure with beautiful complexity, balance, and fresh acidity. This may be the year that the American consumer takes notice of the white wines of Bordeaux, in particular Pessac Leognan. These wines are just so balanced, versatile, and age worthy. Pessac Leognon is producing not just great white wines but also beautifully balanced reds - in fact some of the best reds of the 07 vintage come from this region. This may very well be the start of a trend in overall quality of the appellation.

4. Stèphane Derenoncourt

Why in the world would I want to talk about Stèphane you may ask? We have been fans of Stèphane's work for some time, and have admired his ability to make great wines from different terroir and different vintages. Mr. Derenoncourt is a wine maker who consults for 70 different estates in Bordeaux and around the world (including Syria!). It really wasn't until our last day in Bordeaux this year, with tastings of several hundred 07 barrel samples behind us, however, that we realized exactly how good this guy and his passionate young team really are. It was clear that Stèphane's natural wine making inclinations would complement the 2007 vintage perfectly - his focus was on the fruit, not using post crush techniques to change the wine into something that it was not meant to be.

On April 3, we attended a tasting at Chateau La Gaffeliere that included all 2007 wines that Stèphane is responsible for making - about 70 different properties! Stèphane has told us time and time again, that he likes to adapt the winemaking to express the terroir of any one particular vineyard. His philosophy is based upon a profound respect of nature and the singular identity of each wine that he crafts. He works with the vineyard's ecosystem, looking to plant trees, bushes, or cover crops that will attract the insects that will be beneficial to vine growing with a minimum of pesticides. The ultimate goal is to achieve a natural balance without the human and/or chemical intervention. Stèphane says "When faced by the terroir, the more discrete a man's work, the better the wine."

Needless to say, the most impressive wines of 2007, tasted as a group in one setting, were the wines of Stèphane Derenoncourt. I almost thought we tasted a different vintage! Unlike so many other 07s we had previously tasted, many of Stèphane's wines were complete - seamless tannins, less 'manipulated' and simply delicious fruit. Obviously, these aren't first growths but they are very inexpensive - for the value that they deliver, they are very impressive. Some of the most impressive were: Pavie Macquin, Bellevue, Tertre Daugay, La Gaffeliere, Lucia, Domaine de l'A, Villemaurine, La Bienfaisance, des Fougeres La Folie, Beausejour, and Beausejour 1901.

In a difficult year like 2007, much comes down to the vineyard management and winemaking and it is years like this that a winemaking guru like Stèphane Derenoncourt and his wines really shine.

Our recommended buying strategy for the 2007 Campaign:

• Seek out the whites of Pessac and Sauternes - these are great
• Keep 'collectible' buys to a focused group of wines - no reason to buy broadly
• Try the $10-$30 category of reds for early drinkers - great values here, but you can wait to buy these once they land in the US.
• Think about value and why you're buying the wines - if the wine seems too expensive, move on. There is no reason you should pay more just because the dollar is weak and the prices ex-Chateau are higher. Plenty of older stock in the marketplace that are great drinkers now (1999, 2001, 2002, 2004).
• In general, if you're debating between 06 and 07, go with 06.
• If you can afford to pay a bit more, absolutely buy 05s - they are simply great - night and day compared to the 07s or any other vintage for that matter, without a doubt.
• Keep in mind that Bordeaux (in general) remains one of the best values in the world of fine wine - especially under $30 but even up to $100.
• The appellations of Pomerol, Pessac, Sauternes, and parts of St Emilion and St Julien excelled for the vintage
• Many red wines, especially from Margaux, had very nice aromatics, but lacked stuffing and finish
• Stay away from the wineries that have a history of pushing the limits and over extracting, as the fruit simply was not ripe enough in 07. Instead these wines turned out austere and hollow.
• Don't shy away from the vintage as a whole - many of these wines will be early drinkers while you wait for the 05s to mature. That said, stick to the value wines under $30. No reason to spend more than you have to.
• Biggest disappointment of 2007 - Chateau Margaux
• Biggest surprise of 2007 - Chateau le Gay

Dr. Alain Raynaud on Chateau Quinault and Clos l'Eglise

Dr. Alain Raynaud, proprietor at Chateau Quinault, talks about his wine from the 2007 vintage, as well as Helen Garcin's wine Clos l'Eglise. Watch the video below:

Chateau Palmer - Director Bernard de Laage

Bernard de Laage, director at Chateau Palmer, candidly tells JJ Buckley about the 2007 vintage in this exclusive video. Also included are clips from outside and inside the actual chateau before we enjoyed a wonderful dinner. Check it out below:

Andy Frieden - First Look at Right Bank Wines

I arrived in Bordeaux after traveling from San Francisco for 25 hours straight...and hit the ground running.

The first stop was the Right Bank winery of Clos Fourtet where winemaker Tony Ballu and his wife Veronique greeted us. Tony’s wine, Pierre de Lune is what one may call a 'garagiste' styled wine with production of only about 200-300 cases. This gives the wine a hand-crafted quality as opposed to a huge brand name operation, where economies of scale help pay for the necessary marketing buzz to sell the wine. Here, the quality comes from knowing and working hard on the land, putting in pure sweat and elbow grease to create wines of density, fruit and with a polish that stems from a dedication to the craft.

Pierre de Lune is Tony’s own wine while his first job is that of regisseur at Clos Fourtet. The property which Pierre de Lune’s grapes come from has been farming grapes since the 1600’s! The first vintage of Tony’s was in 1999. Tony and his wife are passionate about the property and making wines with attention to detail. They abide by 'green harvesting,' where leaf-thinning and culling the vines yields 6-7 bunches per vine and reduces production to 35 to 30 hl/ha. Primary fermentation in stainless and malolactic in barrel (technique produces more aromatics). Barrique aging 50% new and 50% one year old barrels. Tony follows the new ‘de rigeur’ protocol, or required techniques that seem not to be just fashionable, but actually represent necessary and expensive attention to detail to make the best wines in Bordeaux.

Tony’s wines reflect the passion and dedication to both Viticulture and Vinification – the farming of the grapes and the winemaking. This is what I call a respect to the terroir or place where the wine is made.

I see it as 4 things from two tenants: Two are form Mother-Nature, and two are from Man.

Simply put, the weather above the land affects each growing season (hence the vintage date on the label) and the soils where the grapes grow are unique and definitely affect the taste and quality of the grapes to be made into wine. This is very noticeable in Bordeaux and there is definitely a big difference in terroir from the Right Bank to the Left Bank!

Then, man can manipulate the grapevines by planting on a hillside or orient the aspect of the grape rows' angle towards the sun. He can manipulate the trellising and height of the vines. If the grapes are behind schedule for ripening, he can pull leaves at certain times and cull grape clusters to reduce yields and concentrate the vines' energy to ripen the remaining grape bunches (commonly referred to as ‘Green Harvesting’) and finally, man can make stylistic choices in the winery by choosing various vinification techniques as they deem necessary.

When you get the opportunity to purchase wines from people who have a history of working in a wine growing region, they have gone up the learning curve and figured out what to do in any difficult situation that arises within a given vintage. We like to work with seasoned professionals who fit this dynamic. And, certainly these two wineries take great care in producing wines that reflect the very best they can make from the vintage handed to them.

We tasted a mini vertical of both wines made by Tony: his own Pierre de Lune and Clos Fourtet wines from 2006 and 2007, as well as the ’04 vintage of Pierre de Lune.

The theme here is a purity of fruit accompanied by power and structure (acid and tannin help to balance the fruit) that we don’t often see in California wines! The reason simply is the effect that glycerol has on our domestic wines. The higher sugars at ripeness lend an almost sweet lushness to our wines resulting in what appears to be less structure and more of a fleshy, fat, rich mid-palate for ease of drinking and a very pleasurable early life of the wine. The only trade-off is that the lack of powerful structure tends to reduce our domestic wines' capacity for aging. Moreover, the fruit and mineral characteristics of these Bordeaux wines are very different from domestic Merlot and Cabernet wines from say Napa or Sonoma – mainly due to the lack of limestone there, which is very prevalent in Bordeaux.

The second stop on our tour s with Sofie Fourcade – owner of Cote Baleau, Chateau Grands Murailles, and Clos St. Martin. Here, we were treated to a glimpse into the glorified history that makes Bordeaux so interesting and compelling. Sofie is a descendant of the original owners who planted the first vines on the land dating back to 1743. And she still lives in the house from the time period. She actually resembles a picture of the patriarch in a picture from the period.

Having worked at a similar a winery in Napa Valley with a similar story, Chateau Montelena, I did not feel so much as an outsider, but realize how much history plays in winemaking.

We were greeted by Sofie, her winemaker, the courtier (the winery’s agent to the marketplace) and the American Importer Jeffery Davies. Make sure you see our videos from the tasting.

Cote de Baleau has the unique distinction of being the smallest Grand Cru winery in the Right Bank! Michelle Rolland is the consulting winemaker. The soil profile consists of Clay atop Limestone. The assemblage (composition) is 70% Merlot, 20 % Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.

The yields are 40 to 42 hl/ha; 8 to 9 bunches per vine; 11,800 vines per hectare - average in Saint Emilion are 5,500 vines per hectare to put things into perspective. This closely planted, dense vine system encourages competition among the vines and helps drive the roots deeper, thus increasing tolerance to drought and heavy rains. We found out that in 2007, those who waited to harvest in late October after the August and September rains were rewarded with ripe fruit and made the best wines in the vintage producing fruit forward wines that balanced the intense power and structure of the wine. 1000 cases on average produced.

After tasting, we sat down for lunch in the house from the 18th Century. Small greens with olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette served in the middle of a warm chevre based cheese wrapped with JAMBON-YUM.

Steak grilled over smoked wood-cuttings from Merlot vines and canes! COOL and unique smoky taste. The starch was a classic potato gratin which had a unique creamy sauce throughout the layers of potatoes. Cheese course consisted of soft brie, cave aged chevre, and olive infused pungent Spanish Manchega.

Sofie’s wines are gorgeous and the lunch was exquisite. All in all a great visit.

Baronesse Philipinne de Rothschild at Chateau Mouton Rothschild

This is some undercover footage of the famous and elegant Baronesse Philippine de Rothschild that JJ Buckley snagged during a tasting at Chateau Mouton Rothschild. Check it out below:

Red or White Monsieur? A Look at White Bordeaux in 2007

Standing out amongst the pack red wines we tasted this week, some of which mediocre at best, stood the White Bordeaux of Graves and the sweet wines of Sauternes.

While listening to many producers ramble on about their Red Bordeaux over the week I quickly gathered that the mantra of the 07 Vintage would be the elegance and freshness (aka - extremely light body) of their balanced wines (aka- lacking any sort of finish or character that would seem to at all differentiate one hollow / lean wine from the other). The whites on the other hand told an entirely different story.

It must have been a temporary lapse in the clandestine nature of the Bordelais when Tristian Kressman (Chateau Latour Martillac, Graves) told us in a surprisingly straightforward manner (something uncharacteristic to the Bordelais as I quickly learned) that most reds from the 07 vintage will indeed provide nice early drinking while your 05s are fast asleep in the cellar. The whites on the other hand, he said, ‘were beautifully fresh and focused, showing great mineral character that should allow them to age for many years.

I too suspect that these delicious whites can be stored safely for many years to come. In fact we tried multiple vintages (both red and white) of Latour Martillac, while at Tristain’s home with he and his son Stanislas and it was the whites that really caught my attention. While tasting from barrel, the 2007 Latour Martillac Blanc really stood out… It was simply beautiful - The balance of fruit, minerality, and acidity was sublime. A bottle of 1996 Latour Martillac Blanc (served with slowly cooked Sea Bass), showed what might be in store for the 2007. Elegant yet voluptuous, these whites are focused even in their youth with a streak of bright minerality (plus acidity that can cut through pretty much anything) The white wines in 2007 may prove to be the stars of the vintage.

Other Bordeaux Whites of note were the Pape Clement Blanc (Pessac), Haut Brion Blanc, and Smith Haut Lafite Blanc. These wines all shared in common, a subtle tropical component with a core of citrus fruits. These top performers had long and expressive finishes, boasting high acidity coupled with terrific minerality… Stick these in the cellar for 10+ years

Of the few Sauternes that I tasted I really think 2007 has something special in store for these sweet whites. Many dry wine producers spent the late months of 2007 fighting rot, whereas the folks in Sauternes were welcoming the noble-rot with open arms. Many tasters (myself included) believe the 2007s should rival the classic 2001s in quality and structure. Doisy Daene, Doisy Vedrines, and Chateau de Myrat really stood out. Whereas the La Tour Blanche and Lafaurie Peyraguey were extremely fat, but not quite as well balanced.

(On a side note - While at La Tour Martillac, we had the 2002 Suduiraut for dessert with an airy butter cake complimented by a fried banana in a decadent butter sauce. The acidity of the young Sauternes complimented the buttery dessert brilliantly. Keep an eye on the 2002s they are great Sauternes, which have been overshadowed and often overlooked because of the the stellar 2001 and 2003 Vintages) 2002s are priced very well for their level of quality)

Chateau Vieux Taillefer - Owner Philippe Cohen

In the following videos, owner of St. Emilion property Chateau Vieux Taillefer Philippe Cohen explains his and his wife's winemaking philosophy and techniques. He and his wife took over the operation just after the 2006 harvest, making 2007 their first full vintage at the property. In the second video, he discusses what kind of vintage 2007 was and what they did to produce the best wine they could.

The Stars of the Vintage - Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, and Ted Williams

After tasting about 400 wines over the past week it became evident that the Merlot based wines from Pomerol had really distinguished themselves from the plethora of under-ripe and one dimensional wines that surrounded them in tastings. In particular Vieux Chateau Certan, La Conseillante, and Chateau Le Gay really stood out to this taster. These wines were balanced, and boasted far better texture and complexity in the mid-palate than many of the other 2007s I tasted from surrounding areas. These producers showed that a 'less is more' approach would go father than those wines, which have been manipulated by over-extracting the under-ripe fruit and then subjecting the finished wine to loads of new oak.

While at Vieux Taillefer in St Emilion we were able to witness this "hands off" approach first hand. In fact at this newly renovated estate, human intervention is shunned upon at every stage of production. The finished product was beautifully refined and expressive of the terroir like many examples in neighboring Pomerol.

After talking to Alexandre Thienpont (Vieux Chateau Certan, Pomerol) and Christian Moueix (Chateau Petrus, Pomerol) it was clear that the producers who tried to make something that did not reflect the nature of the vintage wound up doing themselves injustice by over-extracting and over-oaking wines that were certainly not fit for either. Thienpont produced perhaps my favorite 2007; The Vieux Chateau Certan, which boasted luscious dark fruit, velvety tannins, and an elegant finish. The 2007 La Conseillante (Vieux Chateau Certan's neighbor) was also excellent and showing very well from decanter. (We also had a chance to taste 2005 and 2006 La Conseillante, both of which are absolutely beautiful wines that should last for well over 25 years).

Although many wines in St Emilion were just as good as those in Pomerol, many others were hollow in the mid-pallate, overly tannic, and bitter on the finish. Some exceptions such as Pavie Decesse, Chateau Pavie, Ausone, and Valandraud showed what excellent winemaking can do in a vintage where the fruit was anything but exceptional. It just so happens that most of these wines are produced by super-stars in the wine world. In fact if there were trading cards for winemakers; Thunevin (Valandraud), Perse (Pavie), and Vautheir (Ausone) would be the Mantle, Williams, Mays.

Helen Garcin From Clos l'Eglise

Clos l'Eglise technical director Helen Garcin gives her two cents on the 2007 vintage and explains what was necessary to do to maximize the quality of the vintage. Make sure to hit play on the video below and remember, feel free to give your input by clicking the comments link in the blog.

Bordeaux in Five Days (First Impressions)

April 2, 2008

As I sit here in my hotel room within the quiet, limestone-clad city of Libourne (on the Right Bank of Bordeaux, not far from St Emillion) I cannot help but reflect on how little time I have had to do anything other than taste wines from the 2007 vintage at ludicrous speed. In fact this is really the fist time I have sat still since landing on Saturday March 29th.

This is my story and Im sticking to it (names have been changed to protect the innocent- You know the deal)

Not half an hour had elapsed after landing at Bordeaux International Airport on Friday (1:00PM local time after an all night flight) and I was already standing at Chateau Le Gay in Pomerol tasting my first 07s. I will admit, the adrenaline (which has since diminished considerably) was flowing freely when my feet hit the clay laden soil of Le Gay. I mean, I was now standing in the area wherein some of the finest wines in the world are born. With that said, I was not sure if I enjoyed the 2007 Le Gay because it was the first wine I tried since arriving in Bordeaux with no reference point for the vintage, or if it was because I was nearly delirious from the 18 hour series of flights. In any event, this was indeed a spectacularly well made wine (Yes it is Merlot based for all you Sideways people). After re-tasting the Le Gay three times and comparing it to hundreds of wines since then, my original impressions have been confirmed.

However, not all the wines from 2007 fared quite so well, and I think it is fair to say that the vintage as a whole was a rather difficult one for the Bordelais.

Two communes have really stood out over the past few days showing some very good wines; Pomerol, on the Right Bank, and St. Julien on the Left Bank… The Cabernet Sauvignon based wines (especially from Margaux and Paulliac) seem to lack texture in the mid-palate and overall complexity, whereas the Merlot based wines (most notably from Pomerol and a few from St Emilion) showed some mixed results with a few wines outperforming their counterparts by leaps and bounds. A lot of Cabernet based wines were thin and a bit weedy from an abundance of under-ripe fruit. Merlot (The basis for most Right Bank wines) luckily ripens a bit earlier the Cabernet Sauvignon (Predominant in Left Bank Bordeaux)

The results in St. Estephe and St. Emilion were mixed as well, with some voluptuous reds being tasted side-by-side with lean and uninspiring clarets. From St. Estephe, Lafon Rochet stood out as a very nice wine, whereas I found the Phelan Segur to be thin and weedy at best. Lynsolence, Faugeres, and Fleur Cardinale stood out in St. Emilion tastings. Stay posted - More to come!

Dr. Alain Raynaud

In this exclusive video, Shaun Bishop of JJ Buckley sits down with the Right Bank spokesman Dr. Alain Raynaud, who talks about the challenges of making and marketing wine from the Right Bank. Check out the video below:

Chateau Margaux - Winemaker Paul Pontellier

In this very informative video, Chateau Margaux winemaker Paul Pontellier articulates his thoughts about the 2007 vintage and what kind of wine he thinks it produced. He describes them as being charming and easy to drink with great length, and very consumer friendly as well. Watch the video below:

Chateau Mouton-Rothschild

We had the chance to visit the beautiful Chateau Mouton-Rothschild during our Bordeaux tour and speak with Philippe Dhalluin, director of the Chateau. He told us what he thinks about the 2007 vintage and the problems that it posed for Mouton-Rothscild and how they could be solved by having the correct grape variety on the correct terroir.

David Derby - Bordeaux Treats

Our team has expanded as our film technician Philip Nilsson and sales team member Andrew Frieden have landed in France. First stop: Chateau Clos Fourtet in Saint Emilion. The winemaker for Clos Fourtet is Tony Ballu, who also makes and owns a separate label Ch. Pierre de Lune, which loosely translated means: Moon Stone. Take a look at the video and get a picture of this fantastic property located in the heart of historic Saint Emilion.

Moving along we drove around the corner about 2 kilometers (a mile) to Chateau Cote de Baleau, where we were greeted by Sophia Fourcade, who also is the proprietor at Chateau Grandes Murailles and Clos St. Martin. We all introduced ourselves before adjourning to the parlor for a tasting of the 2007 vintage of each of the Chateaus. As a palate cleanser we were served NV Pol Roger Champagne: crisp, dry and refreshing, a splendid intro to lunch. Our hosts served a trio of Chateau de Baleau from the 2000, 2001 and 2002 vintages to provide a reference of how we can anticipate their wines to develop. Over lunch we discussed the long history of Bordeaux and how it has been the standard barer of fine wine for hundreds of years. Bordeaux is the only wine region that has the quality and history to sell its product years before delivery.

A key member in this complex hierarchy is the courtier who assists with maintaining the value of the Chateau with various distributors. The name courtier dates back a long way, and refers to a merchant who works and negotiates on behalf of the court, or in this case the Chateau. This allows the Chateau to focus all of its energies on what it does best, making wine, and the merchant to do what they do best: obtain the best possible price for the Chateau. After our history/economics lesson it was back to tasting wine at Fleur Cardinal.

Most every winery you will ever visit will refer to their winery as ‘state of the art.' In the case of Fleur Cardinal it is really true. If Mom could see this place she would smile. Clean does not begin to describe how immaculate everything shines. The wine flows by force of gravity so as not to be traumatized when it is racked or moved in anyway. Every year they use 100% new oak barrels. Here is a place that is making the most of what nature provides, no mistakes between the vineyard and into the bottle. This was a fine example of how good a wine can be made in 2007.

Next up is a double treat. In 1984 Chateau Pavie was my first visit in Bordeaux as an amateur, and now I was going to return as a member of the trade. I still vividly recall driving up the hill and entering the cave where they kept some barrels. There was a natural spring that flowed through the cave and provided enough humidity to coat the walls with a thick blanket of multi-colored mold, even in July. As were tasting in the new showroom I asked about this cave. It seems that the hygiene was very poor there and it had not been used in anyone’s memory. I was feeling old.

The second treat was more personal than it was wine related. The owner, Mr. Gerard Perse, is a passionate bicyclist, and in his youth was scouted by teams to race professionally. Mr. Perse had recently added another bike to his stable and I expressed an interest in seeing it. As a busy man running several companies, he wasn't present when we arrived. But there in the tasting room against the wall it rested. Walking up to the bike I noticed how Mr. Perse is able to make such wonderful wine. There was a napkin carefully placed between where the handle bars and seat would, if they could, touch the wall. It is in the details that greatness is born. No detail is to small to help improve wine. This is how great wine was made in 2007.

David Derby - Bordeaux Update

When I last gave my bearings I was in the south of France trying wines made of Grenache, Syrah and other grapes that flourish in the sun. My goal for this trip was to write a daily blog so we would be close to ‘real time’ experiences. I must confess here and now that I need at least 4 hours of sleep EVERY night. With 18 hour days filled with visiting wineries etc, I have been literally "sleeping on the job."

For the past week, I have been in Bordeaux experiencing the adrenaline rush of my first en premier campaign of Bordeaux futures. While I have visited Bordeaux many times by glass and bottle, it has been close to 25 years since I stood in a Chai (cellar) and spit on the floor. To say Bordeaux was different, then, would be an understatement. Over the years the Bordelaise have slowly allowed in new technologies to advance the quality of their wines. What was cutting edge technologies way back when are simply outdated today. What that means to the 2007 vintage is immense. There was a time when there were more ‘challenging’ vintages than quality vintages, but with the knowledge and skill of the vineyard manager and winemaker today, many vintages are saved that would have most certainly been lost.

Most Chateaux agree that for 2007 the problem was a ripening issue. The smaller the number of grapes on the vine, the more ripeness per grape. Some Chateaux removed grapes in July, doing what is known as a green harvest. Many winemakers believe that this was too little, too late. The vineyards that practiced a heavy pruning or were working with soil types that naturally produce a low yield gave the best grapes.

What makes this vintage especially challenging for the consumer is there are only a few generalizations that can work as a guide. This was a year with some surprises at every corner. Some Chateaux superseded the quality of their neighbors and the region in general. Others stumbled and seemed to be resting on past glories and hoping no one would notice. One well known journalist made up their mind and only tasted one third the normal number. They just gave up. What was required, which is exactly the strategy that JJ Buckley took, is to taste 3 times as many. There is a lot of sub-standard wine for 2007, make no mistake about it. On the other hand, there are some select Chateaux that produced wines that offer some of the most pleasurable drinking. JJ Buckley notes will soon follow, which will give you a window into who we visited and what we tasted.

Interview With Christian Moueix of Chateau Petrus

In this exclusive interview, Alex Lallos of JJ Buckley Fine Wines asks Christian Moueix, proprietor of Chateau Petrus, to express his thoughts on the 2007 vintage in Bordeaux. Monsieur Moueix eloquently elucidates the merits as well as the downfalls of the vintage and what winemakers had to do in order to make the best wines possible.

2007 Bordeaux - What does it mean for '05?

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2007 is the greatest vintage of all time.

Nobody else is going to say it, so I figured it would be a good attention getter. Now that it's out of the way, it is quite simply not true. Depending on your stance this is both good and bad!

Let's start with why it's bad since that is the simpler answer: lesser quality wines means less wine on the market worth drinking.

The benefits of a weaker vintage are much greater. I've tasted a few '05s again while here, and simply everything that we've all been saying about it for the last two years is absolutely true. The 2005 is arguably the best vintage in the last 60 years if not all time. The wines are full of fruit, power, tannin and acidity all balanced with extreme finesse. What does this have to do with 2007? Anyone who purchased '05s for investment purposes should be smiling. Simple market logic; lower quality vintages like '06 and '07 create increased demand for the 2005, thus driving the prices up. The additional unstated truth behind this statement is this: get any available 2005 futures while you still can. The wines are in the process of being released from the Chateaux now, and once they are released the prices will jump above futures pricing.

On a side note, our team ran in to Parker earlier this week; his notes should be forthcoming on his next '05 update. I had that in mind when I drank another bottle of the '05 Aromes this evening with dinner, and that bad-boy shone with the steak and duck on the table. It is likely that this wine will be included in Parker's next score release. Having tasted thousands of wines from '05, '06 and '07, I know the quality that is in that bottle, and I'm hoping to see his thoughts on it as well.

A further benefit of a lesser acclaimed vintage such as '07 that must not be overlooked is how drinkable the wines will be upon release. Most of these Chateaux have been operating for decades, if not hundreds of years. Over that time they have picked up a trick or two about dealing with difficult vintages. It is quite apparent that weaknesses in the vineyards cannot be masked in the winery, but by reacting early and correctly to changes in the vineyard, a talented winemaker can pull of very pretty, approachable wines. The 2005 vintage was truly monstrous, and most of the wines need to be put away and forgotten about for years to show their true potential. What then can one do to pass the time? The answer is simple: drink the lovely perfumed and approachable 2007s. Many of these wines are almost drinkable already. By the time they are released they will have soft, approachable tannins, combined with elegant structure and delicate aromatics. This is not a collectors' vintage, but one to bring out the wine drinker in all of us, testing how Bordeaux reacts in a challenging environment. While there are some sure losers in this vintage, there are also some pure beauties, and it would be a crime to pass them by. Careful choice must be made when buying any '07s though, because while some are pretty and will be approachable early there are definitely many that are thin, lack fruit, and have fairly harsh tannins. These will likely not ever be particularly enjoyable.

Of course when it comes down to it, the dollar is king (or, more accurately, the Euro is king). What will the pricing be like? While nobody is willing to make official statements yet, the general consensus seems to be that prices will be fairly similar to 2006, if not a bit lower. (Due to the exchange rate slightly lowered Euro prices in '07 will mean that '06 and '07 will largely be the same in the US dollar. This further makes 2006 a decent buy and 2005 a must buy.) Since we do unfortunately have the Euro working against us, my list of wines to buy in '07 will likely shrink further once pricing is released. The key there though is "shrink", not quite "disappear" completely. On a more personal note, those interested in white Bordeaux, buy and drink '07! Harvest largely happened before the rains, so the fruit is ripe, rich and concentrated, and the acids are high; amazing purity and elegance.

To summarize, those looking to the 2007 wines are in for some great early drinkers, and a whole slew of thin tannic wines to avoid. To the collectors and those looking for truly transcendent wine experiences many years down the line, take this last opportunity to buy heavily in to the utterly astounding 2005 vintage. When it comes to Bordeaux, I have been a loyal follower of Robert M. Parker, Jr. for many years. While I may not always be exactly on the same page, he quite obviously has an eye for quality and the experience needed to accurately summarize a vintage. And as he just stated in his blog: "2005...is out and out fantastic...and I think there are enough truly great wines at low levels and less prestigious chateaux to give this vintage huge play...even with all the worrisome economic factors...is it the greatest vintage in my 30 years of closely following Bordeaux?...yes!"

Bruno Borie, Owner of Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou, on the 2007 Vintage

In this video, the owner of Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou Bruno Borie tells us what he thinks about the 2007 vintage and the style of wines that people can look forward to. He also gives us insight into what kind of decisions the staff at Ducru had to make in order to produce the best wine they could.

Andy Frieden - Observations in Bordeaux

By Andy Frieden - JJ Buckley Sales

The 2007 Vintage – A fruity vintage of elegance and refinement.

This is my very first time tasting wines and touring wineries in Bordeaux which has turned out to be a great opportunity to get to know the various appellations in person, and after having tasted over 261 wines in 5 days, I think I have a pretty good feel for the 2007 vintage as a whole.

Over dinner at Latour–Martillac, owner Tristan Kressmann and I were talking about the concept of the individuality and uniqueness of each vintage and what it brings to the table, so I want to share with you what I see are patterns from all the wines I have tasted and the people whom I have been privileged to meet and to taste Bordeaux wines with.

In 2007, the vintage got off to a HOT start in April, May, and June, which sort of slowed the vines' development and set the ripening back a couple of weeks. Then, to complicate matters, there were tremendous rains in late July and all of August, creating what the owner from Chateau Tournefeuile-Emeric Petit from Lalande de Pomerol confirmed was “a desperate situation!" People were asking: will the vintage be saved by good weather? There certainly is a lot at stake here in Bordeaux.

With prices soaring high for the iconoclastic 2005 vintage and the arcane network of courtiers and negociants vying for the sought after classified growths, pricing needs to be justified with quality wines. Fortunately, the story gets better with a happy ending for those select passionate (and wealthy) winery owners and their staff who managed the vineyards well. This meant rigorous selection, dropping lots of fruit, and severely cutting back on production which helped to resolve the ripeness issues and achieve success in the end!

In 2007, I believe the wineries that had the 'chutzpah' to have waited out the difficulties in the vintages are the ones who will be rewarded with high scores from the cognoscenti of coveted wine writers like Robert Parker and Steven Tanzer (whom we have seen while tasting through the vintage here in Bordeaux!).

Chateau Fleur Cardinale

Chateau Fleur Cardinale was one of our next stops on the tour. Bob, the vineyard manager, gave us plenty of insight into the terroir and vinification practices of the chateau. It is located right next to Chateau Valandraud, which you will see in the videos below. Check 'em out: