Great growth market, the financial crisis, Parker....

[AlexR]

http://ftalphaville.ft.com/blog/2009/09 ... oing-fine/

Alex R.

[JonB]

Alex - so what is the word among the Bordelais about the '08 vintage? I remember reading a couple of threads where you were saying that the Bordelais knew the high quality of '82 (which RP affirmed, although many other critics were dissenters). While the weather was very challenging in '08, is the Bordelais consensus that these wines are of the exception quality RP thinks?

[AlexR]

Hi Jon,

The month of August has been decisive.

The expression you're bound to hear in vintage reports is "août fait le moût", in other words, the weather during the month of August determines the ultimate quality of the vintage.

Like most sayings, of course, the truth only goes so far...

August 2009 has been *very* hot, reaching 36°C on one occasion.
The particularity of the August weather was:
- the lack of rainfall
- the impressive temperature swings (coldest nighttime temperature compared to highest afternoon temperature).

There is a certain amount of water stress in the vineyards.
We *need* rain.
The weather forecast for the coming week is overcast skies with NO RAIN.

Hope the rain comes but, obviously, not too much of it, or for too prolonged a period.

In a word, unless it pisses with rain between now and about the 5th of October, we're in for a very good year indeed.

All the best,
Alex

[Tom In DC]

Thanks for the weather report, Alex! (But Jon was asking about 2008...)

[AlexR]

Thanks for setting me straight, Tom!

2008...
I have attended the March barrel tastings for the past 5 or 6 years.
The decrease in attendance this March (for the 2008 vintage) as compared to tastings of the 03,04, 05, and 06 vintages was impressive.
This reflected the prejudice against the 2008 vintage from the world's wine trade before people even tasted it.
I am no longer a member of the wine trade, so my opinions were formed by:
- first and foremost my own impressions (sadly, however, I could only spend one day in the Médoc, tasting Margaux at Ch. Marquis de Terme and St. Julien/Pauillac/St. Estèphe at Ch. Branaire Ducru).
- speaking to people in the wine trade from around the world
- speaking to Bordeaux négociants.

Please understand that the Bordeaux négociants do not taste the wines themselves before the March trade tastings!
(to be more specific, there *is* a tasting just for them one week earlier, but that really doesn't make much difference, does it?)

To answer your question (finally), I'll say three things:

1) I honestly feel that it is too early to judge wines meant to age for 20 years in the month of March after the vintage.
2) The percentage of people who taste rigorously, systematically, intelligently, and keep detailed notes is small.
3) The Bordeaux trade felt that:
- 2008 is a good to very good vintage if a generalization is to be made
- It is impossible to dissociate the financial crisis, strong euro, stocks of previous vintages, and other factors from market demand
- The right bank was, on the whole, more successful
- Robert Parker did a great service by praising the vintage more than most critics

Best regards,
Alex R.

[JonB]

Thanks Alex (and Tom). A thoughtfully worded answer.

It will be interesting to watch this unfold.