Alexandra Grigorieva • Buying 2005 Bordeaux Futures


March 7, 2008

Burgundy Update - Champy

Alexandra Grigorieva, click here for her bio
Toronto, March 4, 2008

Founded in 1720 by Edme Champy, Maison Champy is the oldest négociant in Burgundy. In fact, some of the cellars owned by Champy date back to the 15th century. Champy gained a new dynamism in 1990 when it was acquired by Henri and Pierre Meurgey and Pierre Beuchet. All three men are associate directors of DIVA, a distribution company closely connected with the greatest vineyards and estates in Burgundy. Champy also benefits greatly from Henri Meurgey's 35 years of experience as oenologist and wine-broker.

Dimitri Bazas was born in 1964 in Thessaloniki, Greece. He received his National Diploma of Oenology at Dijon in 1988 and returned to Greece to work as oenologist at Tsantali. In 1999, he became oenologist at Maison Champy.

Sasha's Update
from a private tasting with winemaker Dimitri Bazas
on Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Dimitri Bazas, the talented young enologist of Maison Champy, the oldest negociant house in Burgundy (founded in 1720) has recently visited Toronto bringing us a taste of 2006 vintage. The policy of the house is to make fruity harmonious burgundies that are a pleasure to drink even in their first year although of course the greater the cru the more complex and delicious it will become with years. And this policy starts with the basics: generalist 2006 Bourgogne Signature Chardonnay under $20 is an impressive fruity and round non-filtered wine with a touch of caramel and vanilla due to 20% new oak, for the same price there is also an elegant strawberry and cherry generalist 2006 Bourgogne Pinot Noir, 100% stainless steel. Both wines are great as an introduction to Burgundy for newbies and as casual occasion drink for Burgundy-lovers.

Champy crus 2006 are also worth considering. It would be prudent to wait quite a few years for the finely structured 2006 Corton-Charlemagne and even Pommard 1er Cru Grands Epenots although juicy and rich now should be given some more time. Nevertheless complex opulent and almost Meursault-esque 2006 Beaune 1er Cru Les Reversées (estimated price $36.95) is sinfully ready to drink even now. It is a new arrival to Maison Champy - although is extremely difficult to buy cru vineyards in Burgundy the negociant house solves this problem by careful and researched leasing.

Which is incidentally good news for the overall Burgundy ecology as Maison Champy is bent on being certified organic in 2010. I had a chance to visit Champy vineyards in 2003 and can testify that even back then they were using "confusion sexuelle" gimmicks (that make male insects lose all interest in mating with females around the vines) against the insects, there were no insecticides, no herbicides - the grass was growing between healthy looking vines laden with grapes.

Michael Vaughan Tasting Notes
from the sold-out Vintages "Meet Burgundy's Top 12 Négociants"
held Monday, March 3, 2008.

Here are three recommendations from the wines presented:

89.5 points - Champy 2006 Saint Romain (#76752) $32.00
Complex, slightly nutty, ripe lemon and buttered toast flavours with a lingering finish.

90 points - Champy 2005 Savigny-Les-Beaune (#76760) $32.00
Very tasty, dry, medium bodied, nicely structured, ripe plums and red cherry flavours with a lingering, slightly cedary finish.

91.5 points - Champy 2006 Volnay (#76810) $45.00
Refined, well structured, slightly spicy, harmonious, plummy, black cherry flavours with hints of persimmon and red cherry notes on the lingering finish.

Maison Champy is represented in Ontario by HHD Imports - contact Harry Drung at 519-884-7600 - info@hhdimports.com - Website: www.hhdimports.com

Buying 2005 Bordeaux Futures

Alexandra Grigorieva, click here for her bio
Toronto, January 22, 2008

Well at least so far, it was the Bordeaux tasting of the century. The crème de la crème of Bordeaux, ninety-nine châteaux, members of Union des Grands Crus were displaying the first great vintage of the 21st century (as we all remember 2000 belongs to the 20th century, and 2003 was a very good but a very difficult vintage for many of the best châteaux because of a prolonged heat wave that has overcooked grapes in many a prestigious vineyard). But, of course, there would be a drawback: one had only two hours to do the tasting. So no detailed notes, I barely managed to say hello to ninety-five wines rushing around, which was rather heart breaking as almost each of those wines deserved a separate ten-minute tasting on its own. Still, as the result I have a very good idea of what the typicity of each great Bordeaux AC is like at the time of a great vintage. And as most of these incredible wines are still available to order at Vintages from the Futures program (note that there is a three-bottle minimum order) until Friday, February 8 Deadline (click here to download the Vintages order sheet), I would like to share a few tips. Note that *BF indicates that this is the Vintages original Bordeaux Futures campaign price.

Saint-Emilion
I have decided to start with the Right Bank Bordeaux and was conquered at a first sip. The presented Saint-Emilion wines were simply astounding: heady fruity bouquet with a touch of mint and truffle, amazing structure, silky, elegant wine. Cabernet Franc is used here to a greater effect than anywhere else in Bordeaux and often produces the classic fresh, minty finish making Saint-Emilion wines much more elegant and sleek than the rich, earthy, Pomerol, where Merlot comes first and foremost and is the king of the blend.

Château Troplong Mondot (#567537 - $329.00) that under the 2006 reclassification has finally joined the long-deserved rank of Saint-Emilion first-growth class B was perhaps the most striking of all wines on display, unbelievably complex and full-bodied, rich in ripe tannins and probably much better to drink in ten years or so. Much more approachable - almost ready to drink - was Château Beau-Séjour Bécot (#504308 - $114.05 *BF), another first-growth class B, a charming gracious full-bodied deep purple wine with tangy berry bouquet and minty finish. Legendary Château Figeac (#505180 - $173.55 *BF), also first-growth class B, surprised me with prominent black sour cherries in its bouquet and a pleasant tartness of flavour. Still one doesn't have to be a millionaire to enjoy Saint-Emilion: try the exquisite biodynamic Château La Tour Figeac (#503458 - $54.55 *BF), a simple Saint-Emilion grand cru, perhaps with a bit less body than its greater cousins but with the same unmistakable heady complex bouquet that almost makes one laugh for the sheer pleasure of it. Another possible bargain is the full-bodied Château Balestard La Tonnelle (#567479 - $52.00), first-growth class B although I have found its nose somewhat closed. As for food recommendations for Saint-Emilion creamy artisan cheeses from Québec would be perfect as well as some not too overpowering game dishes.

Pomerol
Wine lovers know that there is no such thing as a bargain Pomerol, but among the seven examples present I managed to find one that was pretty close. And no, it wasn't Château Pétrus. Actually Château La Pointe (#567552 - $54.00) is a good introduction to Pomerol wines for a reasonable price. It is medium-bodied compared to other Pomerol but the rich fruity aromas and flavours and proverbial earthiness are there, tannins well ripe and under control. It is also almost ready for drinking. Resplendent Château Gazin (#580464 - $149.00) with heady truffle aroma and rich tannic body should be kept for no less than five years before drinking and so is full-blown fruity Château La Conseillante (#580480 - $309.00), it's too young and its enticing characteristic notes of chocolate and tobacco haven't evolved yet as they will after ten years or so. Pomerol wines are best served with complex red meat and game dishes that would match their lush bouquet.

Moulis-En-Médoc and Listrac-Médoc
When one moves from the Right Bank to the Left Bank into the region of Médoc, one passes into the domain of Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated blends. So I was not surprised to be greeted by powerful black currants (characteristic for the varietal) when tasting the famous Château Chasse-Spleen (#580514 - $65.00). Moulis and Listrac are tiny Bordeaux appellations that can still provide very good bargains. It is in general thought that AC Moulis wines are more elegant, whereas AC Listrac more simple and dependable. Château Poujeaux, the only other Moulis presented definitely seems to fit the bill (#580522 - $47.00). As for the three medium-bodied Listracs: Château Clarke (#503904 - $32.75 *BF), Château Fonréaud (#567578 - $26.00), Château Fourcas-Hosten (#567586 - $23.00), they are all good value for money but I liked the least expensive one the most, Château Fourcas-Hosten, which had a charming complex bouquet with a hint of truffle. Moulis-En-Médoc and Listrac-Médoc will be most enjoyable with cheeses, delicate red meat and game dishes and even duck confit typical for this region of France.

Haut-Médoc and Médoc
The most famous Haut-Médoc that was present, Château La Lagune (#580597 - $109.00) a third growth since 1855 was too robust, over-oaked and over-spiced for my taste. I much preferred the elegant complex fourth growth, Château La Tour Carnet (#503268 - $48.60 *BF) and even a better bargain a well-balanced full and fruity fifth growth Château Belgrave (#501858 - $35.70 *BF), that is made by the Dourthe company and has a good aging potential - I've recently tasted Château Belgrave 2000 and it was a beautiful wine (made in the true Left Bank style with even a little bit of distinctive Médocain Petit Verdot). The only AC Médoc I really enjoyed was the elegant and liquid Château La Tour De By but, unfortunately, it is currently not available for purchase. The food pairings suitable for Haut-Médoc and Médoc are the same as for Moulis-En-Médoc and Listrac-Médoc.

Margaux
The suppleness and charm of this Margaux vintage vividly reminded me of the fabulous Margaux 2000. Almost every Margaux I tasted (unfortunately I didn't manage to taste all the presented wines) was elegant, but also delicious, juicy and seductive. These three characteristics are described by the French word gouleyant. With a notable exception of the famous third growth Château Kirwan (sold out at $78.35 per bottle) that to me was overpowered with the oak barrel and overloaded with spice that completely masked Margaux typicity (2004 that I have tasted recently was the same way too - a lot of spicy wine-flavoured wood to chew).

I much preferred another third growth dating from 1855, harmonious and classic although medium-bodied Château Desmirail (#501148 - $39.70 *BF), that is also a great bargain. Château Desmirail was virtually non-existent for the most part of the 20th century and was resurrected almost from scratch by Denis Lurton, yet another member of that amazing Bordeaux family (to see the Lurton family tree click here or for more on the history of Lurton family click here. Other AC Margaux wines by various Lurtons such as second growth Château Brane-Cantenac (#580621 - $83.30 *BF) and second growth Château Durfort-Vivens (#580662 - $54.55 *BF) were pretty striking too, but then it was difficult to find a Margaux that wasn't at the event.

An unexpectedly complex and full-bodied cru bourgeois Château Labégorce (#580696 - $44.00) with a characteristic touch of Petit Verdot was an interesting find and I hope that after this tasting nobody will mix it up with the more famous Château Labégorce-Zédé any longer. Another well-known cru bourgeois, Château d'Angludet (#567602 - $77.00), all silky elegance and liquid aromatic fruity charm with plenty of Petit Verdot has beaten many classified Margaux growths by its sheer quality. All in all, Margaux 2005 has all the makings of a future Bordeaux legend… A good food pairing for Margaux could be roast poultry such as chicken, guinea-fowl or turkey and all kinds of upscale artisan cheeses from British Columbia, Ontario and so on.

Saint-Julien
Almost all AC Saint-Juilien wines I tasted at the event were stunningly complex, elegant and well-structured. But there were no bargains, unless you count Château Talbot (#502757 - $71.40 *BF), a respectable fourth growth with a lovely lush and warm crowd-pleasing personality, although in my opinion a bit lacking characteristic Saint-Juilien style. Especially, when compared to resplendent Château Léoville-Barton (#567693 - $309.00) and Château Léoville Poyferré (#580779 - $199.00) that display this magic quality in abundance. Wines of AC Saint-Julien would work well with all Margaux pairings; they could also perfectly accompany some cold cuts.

Saint-Estèphe
Only four wines of AC Saint-Estèphe were present at the event. But even the austere Saint-Estèphe that usually takes many years to mature and open up unbends in this spectacular vintage. The structure, the density, the force - all are there, but the tannins are ripe and accommodating, plus the aromas and flavours outgoing. My personal favourite there was Château Cos-Labory (#580894 - $55.00), a bargain fifth growth with a heady fruit & spice bouquet and harmonious full body. To accommodate a Saint-Estèphe at dinner it would be prudent to provide intense-flavoured red meat dishes and plenty of game.

Pauillac
Home of three of the most famous Bordeaux châteaux (Lafite Rothschild, Latour and Mouton Rothschild) Pauillac is known for its intense tannic perfectly structured wines that have to mature in the finest oak barrels for months, and then spend years in bottles waiting in the cellar before becoming ready to drink. Nevertheless just like the wines of AC Saint-Estèphe the wines of AC Pauillac of 2005 are incredibly outgoing and gracious, rounded and aromatic. The famous second growth Château Pichon-Longueville Baron (#580878 - $197.35 *BF) that usually keeps its distance was magnificent, an impressive burst of complex aromas and flavours, all beautiful freshness, exquisite fruit and full-bodied harmony. There are even some pretty good bargains, for example Château Grand-Puy-Ducasse (#503110 - $46.65 *BF), a fifth growth with an elegant structure, ripe tannins and a well-developed bouquet that unites black currants, leather, a touch of truffle and some tobacco… Lamb from Pauillac could be very good with AC Pauillac wines, but I don't grudge globalization its moments, let it be New Zealand lamb for a change.

Graves (mostly Pessac-Léognan)
Pyrenean gravel soil of the vineyards gave the region and its wines the name Graves, but in 1987 a small sub-appellation Pessac-Léognan was created. It is valid only for the vineyards of 10 communes closest to the city of Bordeaux. In fact, urban sprawl has already encapsulated such famous châteaux and vineyards as the first growth Château Haut-Brion and a few of others within the city boundaries. Wines of AC Pessac-Léognan are usually much higher in quality and more complex than wines of the rest of Graves. So there was only one Graves château to fifteen Pessac-Léognan châteaux at the tasting. Another peculiarity of this region is that its white wines are as wonderful as the reds.

Michael Vaughan already did them justice (click here) in his article on January 26th (his abbreviated highlights appear below). As our tastes in white wine differ I would like to add my perspective. For me the classic white Pessac-Léognan, the expression of the region's terroir has a special quality that I can only describe as "dewy", they are also fruity, elegant, supple, well-structured but never heavy, with the oak (if it was used) well-integrated and not making the wine buttery or spicy. So the wine that completely bowled me over at the tasting was the white Château de Fieuzal dewy (#581058 - $65.00) that presented all the above-mentioned qualities in great concentration but still remained wonderfully harmonious. At such a price it is a bargain too - wines of the region made in this style age well after a while revealing a beautiful minerality (I had once tasted white Domaine de Chevalier 1981 and white Domaine de Chevalier 1991 side-by-side so I can testify to that). Incidentally white Domaine de Chevalier (#503052 - $119.00 *BF) and white Château Carbonnieux (#581033 - $69.00) were my second and third favourites at the tasting.

As for the reds most of them were very lovely but I was especially smitten by Château Haut-Bailly (#505883 - $118.00 *BF) that had an astounding joyful aroma of red and black fruit bursting with ripeness with subtle hints of more complex things such as smoke and unexpected flowers. And the taste didn't let the nose down - it was elegant, harmonious and altogether wonderful. Red wines of Pessac-Léognan work well with various meat and game dishes, both complex and simply grilled with a touch of smoke (like traditional Bordeaux sausage grenier Médocain), strong cheeses also wouldn't come amiss. White wines depending on their style and age could be best either as apéritif or in a pairing with seafood, fish and poultry dishes.

Michael Vaughan focused on the wines of the Pessac-Léognan/Grave region, which produces great whites and reds. Of the former, the best was 2005 Chateau Smith-Haut-Lafite (#581116 - $108.10) a complex, seductive, extracty, Sauvignon Blanc, which like a great Burgundy, is capable of evolving for many years. Owner Florence Cathiard, who is justly proud of the truly great wine, confided that low yields and 5% Sauvignon Gris made the difference.

In terms of price, I was smitten by the ready-to-drink, vanilla-scented 2005 Chateau Larrivet-Haut-Brion (#567438 - $48.60). This barrel fermented (100% new), 50-50 blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc had loads of spicy, ripe Anjou pear.

Of the reds, 2005 Chateau Pape Clement (#567461) is showing beautifully now, but I will have to pass at $319 a bottle. There are, however, magnums available at $474.95 (#510479), which is the original futures price. Still a bit shy, the harmonious but very well structured 2005 Chateau Smith-Haut-Lafite (#580241 - $125) is one worthy of laying down. The best buy red was the rich mocha tinged 2005 Chateau Larrivet-Haut-Brion (#567429) at $45.65.

Sauternes and Barsac
Most of the Sauternes present were too shy to reveal themselves properly (and also at that point my palate was rather the worse for wear I am afraid), but not Château Suduiraut (#580993 - $114.00 per 750 ml) - a classic Sauternes if there ever was one, mellifluous, regal and opulent, full-bodied and well-rounded with a typical heady Sauternes aroma. An open bottle of Sauternes of such concentration if properly closed every time could sit in the fridge or in the cellar for months so its size is not a problem if one only wants to have half a glass of it to share with one's dearest friend now and then for special occasions.

Still on the whole I much preferred Château Coutet (#500702 - $39.70 per 375 ml *BF) with its enticing pear nose and elegant harmonious structure, a perfect balance of sweetness and acidity and a great aging potential in consequence - a bargain for such quality and a true Barsac. Actually the lucky winemakers of Barsac commune can label their wines three ways: "Sauternes" by the name of the greater and more famous appellation, "Barsac" or "Sauternes-Barsac" to have it both ways. But there are many partisans of Barsac wines that uphold that typical Barsac wines are different from typical Sauternes, less full-bodied but more harmonious in terms of sweetness-acidity balance, freshness and fruit, and to them much more enjoyable.

Those who love their Sauternes oaky might enjoy luxurious fruity Château La Tour-Blanche (#533539 - $48 per 375 ml) or a bit less complex and pricy honeyed Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey (#500421 - $39.70 per 375 ml *BF) but to me oak is rather overpowering fruit in the latter (gosh, 30% new oak every year!). But it's true that it is much easier to pair such oak-mellowed Sauternes with different foods - sometimes even surprising combination of Sauternes and Chinese haute cuisine or Sauternes and roast chicken with garlic (yup, that's what they've tried at Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey) seem to work out. Foie gras, Roquefort and desserts are definitely not the only possible gastronomic answers to Sauternes and even in Bordeaux, the fortress of tradition; they have started to discover it.