Extraordinaire! We're in for a real treat with the 2009 Bordeaux, cheers the Countess du Ruel.Even before the grapes were picked, the
2009 vintage was heralded as the best taste in young wines of the last thirty
years. This is saying something as the
2005 vintage has been touted for years as the new millesime.
The 2009 Bordeaux
grapes were so delicious that they were being gobbled up off the vines. According to Christian Moueix, who gives us
one of the world's greatest red wines, Chateau Petrus, the smell of the
fermenting 2009 was so beguiling that he brought a bottle of his estate's
half-finished clarets home to drink every night. "The wines were so good, so
soft, so charming, and so beautiful, I have not drunk new wine like that since
1982."
Primeurs Week,
when the world fine wine merchants descend on Bordeaux, is rife this year with rumours of a
great vintage. As a result more than 6000 merchants and journalists are there
for the launch, 500 more than attended the last great Bordeaux vintage launch of 2005. Sensational 2009 Bordeaux have been made
everywhere. It is called"powerful, gorgeous,
rich violet-scented, crimson nectar...a classic." Well-heeled vintners who stand
to gain or lose millions of euros are counting on the success of this magical
vintage. It is no without pitfalls,
however. Some grapes have been left
hanging on the vines too long, resulting in big, black grapes that are too high
in alcohol content; 15 or 16%, which is not the quality of restrained elegance
of a great Bordeaux.
Buyers must
be wary of buying long in Bordeaux 2009.
These young, unproved vintages could cost a lot, 250 euros per
bottle for the first growth, and 100 euros for the super-seconds. These could easily double or triple in price. With sterling's poor euro exchange rate a
case could cost £2,500, so it's not everyone's buy, and even the sharpest
buyers should proceed with caution. The
arrival of investors from China
and Russia
has helped to drive wines up in value.
New vintages put up for sale in Bordeaux
can be a risky venture. The top chateaux
sold their 2007 for about 300 euros a bottle, even though it was mediocre. Last year the average price fell to 150
euros.
The price
of the 2009 will be largely determined by Robert Parker, the American ex-lawyer
who is the world's most influential wine critic. If he approves and agrees that the '09 is a
crimson classic, the value will soar. If
not, it could remain close to last year's figure.
However,
whatever Robert Parker decides, it sounds like the rest of us could profit from
this vintage windfall with the young and cheaper wines. When I was in Paris recently we enjoyed a young ‘09 Côte Rotie at a friend's house. If that's any
indication of what's in store...hurrah! It
was delicious. I can't wait for more!
