Part 1 2006 Bordeaux....First Growths to Start

[dstgolf]

Last Thursday I Had the pleasure of enjoying a two part 2006 Bordeaux tasting that started with a limited 20 person first growth tutored tasting the hour before the main tasting sponsored by the LCBO.

First why does one of the worlds largest single buyers of wine put on a tasting of this nature at this time? Easy> T hey are hurting and have way too much wine building up. They can't even begin to think how they can move these wines.At least they can write off a few dozen cases for promotion and make a few bucks on ticket sales. Maybe even sell a few bottles which I doubt at the prices they are asking.

As a background the 06 vintage comes on the heels of the great 05 touted to be one of the greatest ever. 05 prices were considered astronomic and the thinking was the 06 prices had to plummet. The problem was horrible weather during 06 with a cold wet spring,very hot/cold cloudy summer and irregular fall with a high percetange of unripe grapes with much of the crop left rotting on the vines. Cab Sauvignon for some reason did much better than merlot which had a difficult time everywhere ripenning.Petit verdot and cab franc almost non existant. I don't quite understand how Cab sauv did better than the others when merlot typically ripens sooner. Maybe someone can explain. It might just be the best of the worst.

With that said some producers that heavily cropped and green harvested did well. Winemakers were king and either did well or failed miserably.

With the first growths I had a great deal of trouble understanding the critics high points. Maybe some of the wines are in an awkward phase but several were undrinkable.

LAFITE: First out of the blocks.82%CS,16%M,2%PV 12.5%alc. 42% crop in Grand Vin
Light cherry colour with smoky tobacco,cedar with some lighter re fruit notes. Closed for business on the nose. Shows nothing!High acidity with ripe chewy tannins overpowering the fruit at this time.Really not sure how this will do in the long term and I certainly wouldn't give this 97ptsRP maybe 87 pts but 5 pts given for label. Really not enjoyable.

MOUTON: Surprisingly good by comparison to the Lafite at this stage.Dark red almost black.Smoky,black fruit with lovely cedar on nose Very approachable and expressive at this stage.Fruit showing well with ripe plums,cassis and cedar. Very nice balance with smooth ripe tannins. A wonderful mouthfeel and can only think of a smooth silkiness going down. Long finish with no harsh edges. The only detractor is an unripe green peeper smeel on the nose that I couldn't pick up at all on the palate. Maybe if we had time to sit on this it might have blown off.Great wine that should get better. Neck and neck with Latour for best of the firsts and not sure which is wine of the night this or Las Cases.
96pts

LATOUR: 86%CS,13%M,1%CF 13%Alc
Nothing on the nose.Nearly black and surprisingly smooth. Great depth with dark black fruits,black pepper,spice,charcoal and lovely sweet rich fruit.Beautiful balance and drinking very well right now with tannins ripe and not drying. Very approachable not with great extraction. A wonderful well balanced wine in a week vintage.96pts

MARGAUX: Certainly not the 2000. Expressive nose of fragrant Margauxberries. One of the most open wine at this point. Lighter fruits with smoky cherries and currants. Nice balance but tannins are fairly astringent and overpowering at this point. Still think the fruit will win the day. 92pts

HAUT BRION One that I just don't understand at this point.Parker gives this 96pts. I can't see a "Brilliant effort displaying sensational purity,texture and length."
At this time the nose is so muted blindfolded I wouldn't have a clue what I was drinking. Inky black. The only thing that I get out of this are drying powerful tannins that are mouth puckering. Can't get any fruit.A test to try and drink with anything but the WS description of ultrafine tannins. These are so harsh the wine is undrinkable. If this is the ugly duckling I'll be amazed. I certainly won't live long enough to see these tannins resolve. For me this was one of the most memorable wines of the night getting the honour of the most unenjoyable! 70pts!

I'll try to find time to get in to some of the wines from the regular tasting later in the week.


Danny

[stefan]

I am full of admiration for those (like RP) who can tell that a young Bordeaux will be great when it is mature.

stefan

[JimHow]

Thanks Danny. I can't figure out the 2006 from the twenty or so different estates I have sampled. The wines seem to be in a strange state.

[Houndsong]

Interesting and informative.