Vintage visits to Margaux and Pichon Comtesse

[AlexR]

I visited these 2 châteaux yesterday with Danish wine writer Izak Litwar.

Paul Pontalier of Château Margaux (who speaks just about the best English I have ever heard from a Frenchman) was genuinely delighted with the crop. They should be winding up the harvest by next Wednesday. Pontalier thinks 2009 is quite similar to 2005, simple as that. It is too early to be any more specific, and he feels that having an existential crisis about 2000 vs. 2005 vs. 2009 is a bit like arguing about how many angels you can fit on the head of a pin…
No problems with drought or thick skins according to him. Sugar levels? One vat of Merlot did come in at… 16°, but this was hardly representative and will probably be blended in the second wine.
Monsieur Pontalier explained that the evenness of the weather was a great boon. The night time temperatures were also relatively low.

I discovered the château's new vat room on this visit, and they have also installed a system for using gravity control at every step of the way, with baby "cuvons" (sort of metallic baskets) sent to whiz along rails to delicately drop the crushed grapes into vats without pumping (a bit like what they have at La Lagune).

I was interested to see that almost all the grape sorting is done in the vineyard. There's one final check at the end, but no question of one of those fancy electronic sorting tables all the rage now.

We tasted the 2008, 2007, and 2006 vintages. The 2008 is going through an awkward stage, and my favorite was the 2006, soft and seductive.

Pichon Comtesse had just finished picking. Gildas d'Olonne sees 2009 as a classic "oceanic" vintage with alternating temperatures typical of an Atlantic climate. M. d'Olonne also commented on the success of Petit Verdot in 2009. Pichon Comtesse has a high proportion of this variety, for instance 14% in the 2001 vintage.

We tasted through the 2008, 2007, 2006 and 2005 vintages. My favorite of all was 2008 since I found the 2005 almost too full-bodied and too little like the more classic style of claret I prefer.

At the end, discussion turned to Parker, and M. d'Olonne lamented the very poor score (79) given by the world's leading wine critic to the 1990 vintage. To prove his point, he went and fetched a bottle which seemed at its peak to us: quite delicious, and by no means deserving of the poor rating it had received.

Before we left, we were offered a taste from a vat of 2009 Merlot. This was somewhat lost on me after the 1990, and I'm not really qualified to taste wine at that stage anyway…

Anyway, the Bordelais are conscious that there's a huge buzz around the world for the new vintage. They are prepared for the ritual accusations of avarice, and quite serene. After all, so many people avoid their wines in what are condemned as "off years" that it is only fair for them to charge what the market will bear in good years.

N'est-ce pas ? .

Best regards,
Alex R.

[stefan]

Alex, there are reports of wide variation in bottles of 1990 Pichon Lalande. Both bottles I tasted were OK but well below what you would expect from this great estate in a good vintage.

stefan

[Blanquito]

Thanks for the update and insights, Alex. Fun to think of you there during harvest. It will be very interesting to see what happens to the 2009 pricing, if it truly is the next vintage of the century.

Cheers,
Patrick

[AlexR]

Stefan,

All I know is what I tasted. The 90 Pichon Comtesse was a delight and I'm pretty sure that if you had shared a glass with me of the same exact wine I tried, you'd have mostly agreed with Izak and me.
Could there be bottle variation? Quite possibly.

Patrick,

Pricing? High, very high for the top 100 wines. You can bet your sweet (XXXXX) on that.

Alex

[Blanquito]

I'm sure you're correct, Alex.

So, 2009 futures come out at 2005 pricing, then what happens to 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008, which are still lingering in distributor channels in massive amounts, I hear?

And what about the state of the economy? When 2005 futures came out, everything was peachy, and even still, many/most 2005 futurers were still available on release for the same price as during the futures campaign, after all the scores were out, delivery was closer, etc.

Many opined that the 2005's were too expensive to sell successfully, but overall they did. However, 2009 Bordeaux, if priced aggressively, will be a dud even with sky-high praise from the critics-- that's my prediction. I know I won't be buying any futures.

[JonB]

Sounds like a great experience, Alex. Thanks for the report.

It will be fun to observe all the hooplah and drama about reviews and pricing. I would also guess the pricing would be high, not only for the perceived demand but to try to make '06 - '08 appear as values in comparison. It is hard to say what demand will be like in the US, but my guess is it will not be nearly as strong as '05, since we have a weak dollar, a fragile economy, net worth of the wealthy and high paying jobs in the financial sector have declined.
Plus there is an oversupply of California high end wines and there's heavy discounting. It is a buyers market here.

[greatbxfreak]

My TNs are close to Alex.

Actually I went back to Margaux during yesterday afternoon afternoon and overlooked harvest of excellent Petit Verdot. When Petit Verdot is fully ripe then vintage is excellent.

Yes, it'll be interesting how Bordeaux people will price 2009. I hope however, that common sense will win.

Already now I believe we'll have outstanding vintage maybe a great classic. Intelligent and skillful winemakers will surely benefit from this extraordinary raw material, especially if picked at perfect time.

Those who harvested too early will have bitter grape skin and bitter grape seeds. Those who harvested too late will have to high potential alcohol in grapes.

All the secrets will be uncovered in less than 1/2 year.

[PappaDoc]

Alex,

Of course no one can doubt that the 1990 you tasted wasn't pleasing. I've had it four times over the last 10 years and at best it was an 87 point wine. It just seemed too hollow for a 1990. For me the 82, 83, 86, and 96 ( I like the 2006 as well) are stunning. I would never guess the 90 was Lalande in a blind tasting.

I'm likeing the 2006 more and more over the 2005s. The 06s are Classic Clarets, excellent balance, and much better priced.

[AlexR]

Hi John,

I maintain what I said about the wine, although perhaps agree with you if I can understand what you mean by "87".

Sometimes too, a wine that has never been moved in nearly 20 years and been perfectly stored at he estate will "perform" much better ("there are no great wines, only great bottles").

I honestly don't think my appreciation was colored by the thrill of being offered a taste of such an old wine by the manager because Izak felt the same way.

I do not doubt for a second that there are loads of spotty bottles of this wine out there. All I ask you to believe is that the one we were served - to prove a point, it is true - was delicious.

All the best,
Alex

[Blanquito]

Clearly, Alex, you were served a spoofilated bottle?! With your influence, the auction market for 1990 PL will now sky rocket...

Jests aside, sounds like a wonderful visit.

[DavidG]

I believe you, Alex. Lots of room for bottle variation on '90 Pichon Lalande. I am not surprised that you would encounter an excellent bottle and others might find duds here and there, without having to invoke any major palate preference differences.

You are lucky to be able to make such visits. I am jealous. Still reliving the memories of our 2005 visit.