2009 Cambon La Pelouse

[DavidG]

I can't recall ever having had a wine from this estate. Then after seeing some comments on the '05 and '10 in Nic's 2010 Challenge thread, I happened to see the '09 on sale for $20 at MacArthurs yesterday. Too coincidental, so I had to pick up a couple. Against my inherent instincts to resist drinking Bdx too soon, I had to try one ITNOS.

• 2009 Château Cambon La Pelouse - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc (4/7/2013)
  Opened and consumed over 6 hours. Starts to show best after 1-2 hours. Dark purple core. Dark fruits, cassis, licorice, cedar and ash make a fairly complex but not very intense nose. Medium body, ripe fruit balanced by nice crisp acidity and ashy tannins suggesting potential for this to develop over the next few years. Medium finish. Very good-excellent.

I guess the ripeness characteristic of the '09s makes this come across as a "modern" Bordeaux, and it's too young to show any real complexity, but the acid and tannins keep it from tasting like a California Cab. And for $20, it's easily the match for any Cali cab at 2-3 times the price.

[OrlandoRobert]

Thanks for that note, David. I'll go seek some out. I ordered another 6 of the 2010 after popping it this past week. A very good wine for $20. Cool.

[JimHow]

Alcohol level?

[DavidG]

Label says 14%. Not sure what the +/- is these days.

Do you ask with respect to how much can be drunk without I'll effect, or do you think alcohol level itself is a factor in your enjoyment? While there are many over-ripe wines displaying high alcohol, there are some pretty good non-hot (to my palate) wines in the 14-15% range.

[JimHow]

The 2009 Cantemerle I drank recently is 13%.
Loved it.
I'm sure there are exceptions, but it seems to me that, in general, the lower the alcohol the better.

[robert goulet]

Another '04 I enjoyed

[DavidG]

Yes I think as a general rule lower alcohol goes hand in hand with fresher, less ripe wines.

[AlohaArtakaHoundsong]

The alcohol thing is interesting. I've seen plenty of TNs complaining about too much "alcohol," usually something about it adding a hot, spirity element to the wine. I've seen plenty of TNs noting that a wine "carries" its stated 14.5-16% alcohol well, without showing those (assumed) flaws. I've yet to see a TN saying "this doesn't have enough alcohol;" not directly, anyway. Can it be said that somewhere around 13%, there is "enough" alcohol for whatever purpose alcohol serves in wine beyond the laudable one of inducing a buzz? My understanding of minimum alcohol requirements (e.g. 14% to be classified Barolo) was not about alcohol per se but about guaranteeing a certain ripeness or quality of the grapes (which is validated in that sense through the fermentation process)?

Thoughts anyone? I'm sure alcohol imparts salutory characteristics like mouthfeel, warmth, etc. But would it be possible for a wine to be unbalanced because the alcohol level was too low? And I don't mean that it was a product of unfinished (or whatever) fermentation.

[Tom In DC]

Barolo at 14%? You making stuff up again, AA?

German wines in the 8-9% range can sure be delicious.

[DavidG]

I don't think you can tell much about how a wine will taste just by looking at the alcohol % on the label. As a general rule of thumb, higher suggests riper within a given area, but the ABV doesn't tell the whole story about balance. There are 14% wines that come across hot and 16% wines that don't.

Expected or "normal" alcohol levels vary a lot from region to region. Tom's Germany example is a good one. The advantage of a 7-8% delicious German Riesling is that you can keep enjoying it without getting drunk.

Rajat Parr created quite a stir a while back by refusing to put any wine above a certain ABV (16%?) on his list. Perhaps he was exaggerating to make a point. He was caught in a blind tasting picking a high-alcohol wine over the low-alcohol competition, which at least shows that there are exceptions to the rule of thumb and that preconceived notions are not always born out once corks are popped.

And then there's the issue of the accuracy of the labeling. i seem to recall +/- 1% was the norm. There are stories of even greater inaccuracies, intentional (for tax reasons) or unintentional (error or laziness). OTOH I see some bottles labeled to the first decimal.

There are still people who will dismiss a wine based on ABV alone, without even considering the region or the style. I think that's myopic, unless the concern is with inebriation.

[best1watcha]

without showing those (assumed) flaws. I've yet to see a TN saying "this doesn't have enough alcohol;" not directly, anyway. Can it be said that somewhere around 13%, there is "enough" alcohol for whatever purpose alcohol serves in wine beyond the laudable one of inducing a buzz?

[AlohaArtakaHoundsong]

Isn't 14% the minimum for Barolo? I thought anything less had to be declassified. Or was there never a "rule" for the DOCG?

I'm not against alcohol. But why drink 16% when 13% will do? I mean, if a CdP really needs 16% to taste typical (or epic or awesome or vintage of the century), then I'll have a sip or a glass. But if not I'll have the one with the less alcohol.

But to my question, what does alcohol do specifically for a wine that we can't do without? I know it's a pretty naive or simplistic question, trying to separate out those qualities besides intoxication potential, but look at it this way, a 7% German Riesling can be delicious. A 7% red from the Haut Medoc would likely be a disaster - either not fully dry by a longshot, or having so insufficient sugar and other material to really taste like a true Bdx. (Although I guess back in the day - and I'm talking way back, like centuries, these wines had a lot less alcohol yet were still a growth industry.)

[OrlandoRobert]

The 2010 has 14% listed. I did not detect any heat or headiness. Liked it enough to order more.

[DavidG]

The 2009 was also labeled 14%. It was ripe but nicely balanced with no intrusive alcoholic heat.

[Tom In DC]

13% for Barolo.

[AlohaArtakaHoundsong]

13% for Barolo.

Got it. Although I don't recall having seen a Barolo that didn't clock in at 14 on the label - that's to say of the relative handful I've drunk or purchased in the last 10 years or so. Probably where it got in my head.

[DavidG]

To answer your question about alcohol Hound, I would happily drink more without concern for inebriation if wines smelled and tasted the same with half the alcohol. But they don't. Alcohol tastes sweet and has a bite, both of which are a factor in the balance equation. It's not just fruit and acid and tannin. You can't consider alcohol in a vacuum, but you do have to consider it.

[Jay Winton]

I went through a case of the 2000 quite easily as I recall. Isn't it adjacent to Mouton?

[OrlandoRobert]

I went through a case of the 2000 quite easily as I recall. Isn't it adjacent to Mouton?

Margaux