Is this a left-leaning board?

AlohaArtakaHoundsong · Tue Jan 29, 2013 3:49 am

So recently a member posited a simple posit:

This board is "Left Bank centric." Another member ran with that. It seemed he ran out of bounds but he was also tackled rather roughly by yet another member doing his Ray Lewis impersonation.

I'm not here to throw flags, or to discourse on why the Left Bank - however constituted - is or is not more popular in the United States.

All I care about is the here and now.

Please state below (or above?) by voting whether you prefer the Left Bank to the Right, or vice versa, or "it depends."

AlohaArtakaHoundsong · Tue Jan 29, 2013 4:12 am

Come on now, you gotta vote.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 4:22 am

I think you know my view Hound. I'm a leftist.

dbg · Post by **dbg** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 4:37 am

Is tis about Bordeaux or politics?

pomilion · Post by **pomilion** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 7:41 am

I voted no preference. Started out firmly in the right bank camp, now gravitating more toward left bank but still split and opportunistic - I'll buy whatever appeals, left or right, in a given vintage...

JonoB · Post by **JonoB** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 9:51 am

More left, but I have a dirty secret... "a penchant for Pomerol", and the odd Saint-Emilion etc.

OrlandoRobert · Post by **OrlandoRobert** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 12:08 pm

JonoB wrote:More left, but I have a dirty secret... "a penchant for Pomerol", and the odd Saint-Emilion etc.

This is me, exactly. I will do dirty things for Pomerol.

stefan · Post by **stefan** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 2:31 pm

I started out as a leftist but have moved to the right with age, so I voted no preference even if I am still left of center.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 2:35 pm

A pathetic showing for the right bank, but then again I've never really considered the right bank part of Bordeaux.
Whenever I think of the "greatness of a vintage" or the characteristics of a vintage or the weakness of a vintage or the weather patterns of the vintage, etc., I'm always speaking in terms of the left bank. The right bank is a place where some interesting wines are made but they are not to me the wines of the Gironde, the wines of 1855. They are not "Bordeaux."

RDD · Post by **RDD** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 2:52 pm

Well you couldn't get a ship up there so they really needed the diesel truck and good roads to become better known.

Tom In DC · Post by **Tom In DC** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 2:56 pm

Another lefty vote, born out by a 60/40 supply in the cellar. But I have more Pomerol than any other commune,followed closely by St-Julien and St-Emilion. Which must indicate that I don't really like real Bordeaux!

pomilion · Post by **pomilion** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 4:25 pm

JimHow wrote:... I've never really considered the right bank part of Bordeaux... The right bank is a place where some interesting wines are made but they are not to me the wines of the Gironde, the wines of 1855. They are not "Bordeaux."

Perhaps the site should be rechristened "Bordeaux and Near Bordeaux and Kind Of Like Bordeaux But Not Really Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts" (BANBAKOLBBNRBWE)?

Nicklasss · Post by **Nicklasss** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 5:25 pm

Latest test for me was at AlexR's place. Even if we had some very nice 1995 Clinet and 1989 Canon, the 1995 Palmer was the wine I preferred that night.

I must admit I have also a soft spot for Pomerol.

Another question could be which bank you prefer, for wines under 30 $? I guess Right Bank could perform better as lately AOC like Cotes de Castillon, Cotes de Bourg, Cotes de Blayes and Fronsac have improved I think.

Nic

AlohaArtakaHoundsong · Tue Jan 29, 2013 5:57 pm

Well, based on the early returns, it does appear to be a left-leaning board. But a few polls haven't closed yet and there remain the absentee and early voting ballots to count. I'll have to pull a Romney and wait before conceding this.

Of course before declaring anything I'll have to get with Tom on how to interpret the results. At first, I was of a mind that the "no preference" and "prefer the right" votes should be combined and set off against the "yes" votes. But then I thought "no preference" might also be weighted equally to the right and left banks. It all depends, I guess, on what the word "leaning" means.

If we can't resolve it, we'll just let the BD issue an edict.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 6:05 pm

Ah yes, democracy.... Such a quaint concept.

RDD · Post by **RDD** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 6:37 pm

Nicklasss wrote:Latest test for me was at AlexR's place. Even if we had some very nice 1995 Clinet and 1989 Canon, the 1995 Palmer was the wine I preferred that night.

I must admit I have also a soft spot for Pomerol.

Another question could be which bank you prefer, for wines under 30 $? I guess Right Bank could perform better as lately AOC like Cotes de Castillon, Cotes de Bourg, Cotes de Blayes and Fronsac have improved I think.

Nic

Under 30? I prefer your 1989 Cantemerle I have here. If I drink it it will be free.
But I won't.

Bacchus · Post by **Bacchus** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 7:20 pm

"I've never really considered the right bank part of Bordeaux. Whenever I think of the "greatness of a vintage" or the characteristics of a vintage or the weakness of a vintage or the weather patterns of the vintage, etc., I'm always speaking in terms of the left bank. The right bank is a place where some interesting wines are made but they are not to me the wines of the Gironde, the wines of 1855. They are not "Bordeaux."

I follow you here Jim. How about the Grave? Technically they're not the wines of the Gironde either, so would you consider them Bordeaux, or not-Bordeaux?

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 7:45 pm

Bordeaux. Haut Brion and the wines of Graves/Pessac are Bordeaux.

Bacchus · Post by **Bacchus** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 8:53 pm

Bordeaux, the wines of the left side of the Gironde and Garonne!

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 9:02 pm

Bordeaux....

1 through 10, plus 13.

AlexR · Post by **AlexR** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 9:13 pm

That's a pretty trippy map.
Thanks for posting it.

Alex R.,
Lying in bed, pecking on his iPad (so to speak), after a satisfying meal of skirt steak and 2009 Ch. Haut Macô, Côtes de Bourg

Gerry M. · Post by **Gerry M.** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 9:48 pm

By virtue of my cellar composition I'd have to firmly plant myself on the Left bank.

That reminds me, Sideways, a movie i never really cared for, was on the other night. There was that one amusing bit that would be lost on a non-wino when Paul Giamatti constantly rants of his disdain for merlot yet his most prized possession is a bottle of Cheval Blanc.

AlohaArtakaHoundsong · Tue Jan 29, 2013 10:48 pm

Will a Right Banker ever win wine of the year? Sounds like a resounding non!

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 10:48 pm

I thought the same thing the minute I saw that scene.
I always kinda liked that movie.
Nothing profound, but fun.
I'm a Paul Giammatti fan, I've always thought he would be a good fit for the lead character lawyer in my novel if it were ever made into a film.
Watched the first half of "A Separation" last night, if the second half is anywhere nearly as good, it will probably be one of the best movies I've ever seen. Absolutely stunning acting.
I loved "Winter's Bone" the other night as well.
Saw "To Rome With Love," perhaps the worst movie from the Wood Man with the possible exception of "Deconstructing Harry."

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 10:51 pm

One would think that might be an issue, Hound, but then again... I am kind and benevolent.

Bacchus · Post by **Bacchus** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 11:03 pm

Well, Hound, since the Right Bank is not Bordeaux, how could it possibly win BWE wine of the year? Should have as much chance as any other non-Bordeaux!

marcs · Post by **marcs** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 11:08 pm

Great map. But it raises the question -- just geographically, if St. E and Pomerol aren't Bordeaux, then maybe Graves and Pessac-Leognan shouldn't be either. Or is the argument that it's only 'true' Bordeaux if it's cab-dominated? Or if it was exported from the Port of Bordeaux in the 17th century?

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 11:12 pm

All good questions Marc.
We may need to start a thread entitled "The BWE Reclassification of 2013."

AlohaArtakaHoundsong · Tue Jan 29, 2013 11:52 pm

Of course the Romans thought Graves and St. Em. were the bomb. The Medocian aristocracy is really just crass new money.

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Wed Jan 30, 2013 3:31 am

Wait, what?! St. Emilion and Pomerol aren't Bordeaux? OK, I get that Jim is Benevolent Dictator of BWE. Was I sleeping when he invaded France and took over naming authority for these geographic areas? Jim, did you do that while the French were distracted in Mali?

Tom In DC · Post by **Tom In DC** » Wed Jan 30, 2013 5:09 am

Very Peter Max colors on the map. Good times...

St. Emilion? Pomerol? Right out! Barsac? Road kill.

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss -- he is capital-B Benevolent and capital-K Kind indeed.

A right banker for BWE WOTY? Bwahahahahahahahahahahaha. We've had an entire vintage from Burgundy as BWE WOTY, but the right bank? Surely, you jest! And stop calling me Shirley.

I'm just sayin'.

Chateau Vin · Post by **Chateau Vin** » Wed Jan 30, 2013 5:11 am

Haut Brion is the mother of all chateaux, where the chateau system started...There can't be Bordeaux without HB and Graves/Pessac...

Tom In DC · Post by **Tom In DC** » Wed Jan 30, 2013 5:13 am

I think Jim included Graves/Pessac-Leognan in his new demarcation, CV.

Chateau Vin · Post by **Chateau Vin** » Wed Jan 30, 2013 5:49 am

But to be fair, wine making started much earlier on the right bank long before the marshes in the medoc region were drained by the dutch...For full disclosure, I am a lefty...

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Wed Jan 30, 2013 12:23 pm

Yes don't get me wrong, St. Emilion and Pomerol produce some great wines. Just like Burgundy and Rhone and Italy and Spain and California produce some great wines. This is not a shot at the quality of the wines from those regions. It is just that they are not "Bordeaux."

OrlandoRobert · Post by **OrlandoRobert** » Wed Jan 30, 2013 12:57 pm

JimHow wrote:Yes don't get me wrong, St. Emilion and Pomerol produce some great wines. Just like Burgundy and Rhone and Italy and Spain and California produce some great wines. This is not a shot at the quality of the wines from those regions. It is just that they are not "Bordeaux."

What is "Bordeaux"?

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Wed Jan 30, 2013 1:29 pm

Bordeaux.... Ah, Bordeaux.... Bordeaux is the warm days and cool nights of the Medoc. It is getting lost in the little side streets of St. estephe. It is the gleam in a BWEer's eye as he experiences the finish of an 86 Mouton. It is the regalness and history of Lafite. It is the 1792-way that Thomas Jefferson spelled Haut Brion. It is 1855. It is history. Mystique. Awe. Ah, Bordeaux.... Bordeaux is life itself. Bordeaux....

Bacchus · Post by **Bacchus** » Wed Jan 30, 2013 1:39 pm

Bordeaux is Brahman.

AlexR · Post by **AlexR** » Wed Jan 30, 2013 1:39 pm

Bordeaux is any AOC wine produced within the confines of the Gironde department, France's largest.

The land entitled to the AOC is vast.

When posting that English speakers have a preference for Médoc, I did not openly state my own preference, but mine, too, is for Left Bank wines.
*However* it is only under torture that I would say that Saint-Emilion and Pomerol were not *Bordeaux"*.
Indeed, some of my most glorious tasting experiences have been with Right Bank wines.
It's just that the Médoc, and its Cabernet-based wines, are more consistently in keeping with my personal taste.

Best regards,
Alex R.

Nicklasss · Post by **Nicklasss** » Wed Jan 30, 2013 1:40 pm

From JimHow definition (everything West of Gironde and Garonne), that means terroir with lots of graves, graves are present a lot in all the AOC on the Left Bank. On the Right Bank, it is mostly sand, calcaire and clay.

Of course, you also have more Cabernet on the Left and more Merlot on the Right, but even wine with lot of Merlot from the Medoc (example Chateau Couffran) taste very different than Left Bank Merlot.

Nic

I do like the left bank better in general